Checklist for Funeral Arrangements

Planning a funeral or memorial service requires what can seem, at times, a daunting task. There seem to be a countless number of decisions to be made. The following checklist for funeral arrangements is designed to guide you through the number of things that you must decide on.

Will it be a funeral or a memorial service? At a funeral the body is usually present. At a memorial service it is not.
An obituary is needed to be written.
Are you going to use a casket for the body, or will there be a cremation? Ideas on caskets and urns.
If you are using a casket, where will the burial be? If having a cremation, will the ashes be stored in an urn, or scattered?
Who will officiate the service? Minister, family friend, funeral celebrant? What type of service do you want? Religious or spiritual or non-religious.
Do you want to have a powerpoint or video presentation of photographs of the life of the deceased? Ideas for presentations.
Do you want someone to give an Eulogy. If is a welcome addition to the service but not absolutely necessary, particularly in a religious service. Ideas for eulogies. How to write an eulogy.
Where will the service be held? It can be in the funeral chapel, a church, a hotel, in a park.
Are there any items of the deceased that you would like present? Funeral themes and ideas.
Flowers by the family are traditionally ordered for delivery to where the service is being held.
Are there special songs you would like played, as people enter, during and after the service. Do you want an organist, a harpist, a band, a flutist? Is there recorded music you would like played? See funeral music or hymns. Funeral music ideas and Funeral hymns.
Any particular Bible readings you would like. Who will read it? Funeral Bible Reading ideas. Or a particular poem?
Will you have a reception after the service? Where will it be? Who will cater it?