There's nothing easy about planning a funeral for a loved one. It can be even more difficult when a loved one's death is unexpected or that person didn't have a will or pre-plan set up with a local funeral home. If you're in the position where you have to make arrangements for a loved one's burial or cremation services, there are many choices to be made and things to consider. From picking the appropriate casket to working with the crematory and financing the funeral or memorial service events, you'll want to take it one step at a time. If you've just lost a loved one and need to plan their funeral, read on for things to consider.

Meeting with the Funeral Home

The first step in planning a funeral is meeting with the funeral director. During this meeting, next of kin and family members will be asked what the family's wishes are when it comes to cremation or burial. You'll be asked whether you want a burial service, about your loved one's religion and preferences, and you'll be given options when it comes to cremation or burial. For example, you'll be asked to pick out a casket if your loved one is being buried. Caskets can range in style, material, shape, and more. You might also be asked if you'd like an alternative container.

If you have questions about the cremation process or are interested in doing your own research with a Google search like 'cremation prices near me,' that's okay, too. Don't let the funeral director rush you into making fast decisions. The funeral director's job is to help you through this trying time. From processing the death certificate to helping you plan the right services to honor your loved one, your comfort should be their number one priority.

Before meeting with anyone at the funeral home, consider writing down a list of questions and things you'll want to be included in your loved one's care. From questions about cremation containers and items you can bury your loved one with, your funeral provider will work with you in answering them to help give you peace of mind. Be honest with your funeral provider about your overall budget. Remember, they are people, too. They understand that it's not easy to come up with financial resources in a short amount of time. They can help you come up with options for handling funeral costs if they know that's an issue for you.

Considering Your Loved One's Wishes

When making decisions around cremation costs or whether to go with a biodegradable urn, the best way to decide is to think about what your loved one would want. Maybe they were a minimalist. In that case, a simple container might work best. Perhaps they loved technology and had an interest in medicine and robotic surgery. If that's the case, bring some high tech gadgets into the planning of their traditional funeral service might be appropriate as a nod at their interests.

Honoring Memories and Memorial Services

The funeral home director will work with you to plan memorial services. Start off by asking about restrictions related to Covid-19 and the global pandemic. State and local laws might impact what is and isn't allowed. If your loved one's being cremated, you'll want to talk to your cremation provider about options, too.

When planning a memorial service, you'll need to decide if the memorial will be open to the public or for family members only. If the funeral will be public, ask the funeral director to help you advertise it when you work together to write the obituary. After setting a date and coming up with a basic plan for your loved one's memorial service, you'll want to think of special ways to honor your loved one. 

Use a photos online storage app or drive to compile a shared drive worth of photos. Ask family members to help you compile an IDrive, cloud storage service, or Google Drive with images of your loved one. Ask someone who's good with technology to create tributes and digital slideshows that the funeral home can play during visitations. When looking through photo backup drives, be on the lookout for high-resolution photos of your loved one. A high-resolution photo can be used for obituaries the funeral home will send to the local paper for you. 

In the end, there's no easy way to say goodbye to the person you love. Whether you have a traditional burial or opt for funeral arrangements with a low-cost cremation, the time ahead will be difficult. The good news is that you don't have to do it alone. Lean on supportive friends and family members, ask the funeral home and crematory for options, enjoy the process of collecting memories, and think of creative ways to honor your loved one. When times get hard, take a break and remind yourself that it's okay to grieve. Remember, that no matter what your religious beliefs, your loved one will always live on in your heart and memories.