Now days there is quite a choice for planning a funeral but we do not always get the information in time. It is up to you if you go with what is initially offered or if you want more choice. This article is about some of the choices we now have. Unfortunately 12 years ago when I was arranging services for my eldest Sister and my Mum there wasn’t much choice, or at least, at the time, I wasn’t aware of them. For example that you can have a Celebrant or Humanist service.
The website http://www.dyingmatters.org/overview/about-us is a useful source of information and their objective is to talk more openly about dying, death and bereavement. They currently have an article about 10-myth busting funeral facts Article on 10-myths about funerals which informs us how much control we also have. For example we can have our loved ones body at home before the funeral, we can drive the coffin to the service ourselves (if we have a big enough vehicle). There are also a range of coffins to choose from such as cardboard, wicker, to decorate your own, the latter you can design and purchase from Colourful Coffins Link to Colourful Coffins website which personalises the service and they also do memory boxes, with whatever design or photograph you want on the outside of the box.
For more practical options, if the service was a cremation, to spread the ashes it would be advisable to get a scattering urn due to the amount of ashes, it makes it easier to scatter them. See tips below:-
- Urns for Scattering Ashes https://www.scattering-ashes.co.uk/product-category/cremation-urns/urns-for-scattering/
- Urns for Scattering Ashes on ebay are slightly cheaper Cheaper Scatter Urns on ebay £6.24
- How to Scatter Ashes https://www.scattering-ashes.co.uk/help-advice/ceremony/methods/
- Where you can Scatter Ashes – also look under ‘Advice‘ on their web page for lots of information on permission and other options https://www.scattering-ashes.co.uk/help-advice/permission/
I know funerals are expensive and this may be an extravagance for some, or a need for others. There are other companies that give the option to have the ashes made into Jewellery. A few companies are listed below:-
- https://ashesintoglass.co.uk/
- http://www.artemiscontemporaryjewellery.co.uk/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI6tnrzvj31gIVRLHtCh3Y7Qi7EAAYAiAAEgIZAPD_BwE
- https://chris-parry-handmade.co.uk/collections/memorial-jewellery
It is worth asking your Funeral Director for all the options to make it personal and within budget, or if you are planning to arrange the whole event yourself, then do some research, there is now more choice.
It doesn’t have to be expensive, we can just do simple things to have the service we want. For my sister, who was fun and loved life, she had a bubble blowing machine, which we switched on as people left the service. She also loved swimming in the sea, so as people walked through the bubbles we asked them to put their hand in water (which was by the exit), and it made it feel like her. Like we were celebrating who she was. We also put photos up at the wake, so everyone could remember her how she was. All of which cost very little.