While some people have an idea of what their loved one’s wishes are when they die, others may have very been left with very little direction before their relative passed away.
And as there is a lot to do during this time of mourning and many decisions to make when planning a funeral, we share 20 of the most important questions to ask a funeral director below.
You’ll see throughout this article we’ve provided links to plenty of great resources on our website which cover more detail about many of the frequently asked questions we receive.
20 Questions to Ask a Funeral Director
1. What’s the difference between burial and cremation? During a cremation the deceased’s body is reduced to ashes which are then kept in a sealed container. Whereas, a burial involves the deceased’s body being placed in a coffin or casket and laid to rest at a gravesite. We discuss their main differences in more detail in this blog.
2. Where can the funeral, burial or cremation take place? These locations may be predetermined due to family tradition or pre-purchased burial plots. Either way, we can help with services across Brisbane and surrounding regions. More details here.
3. Who can/should conduct the funeral? Most of the time this comes down to religion and where the funeral service takes place.
4. What should I bring to the initial discussion with the funeral director about the arrangements? A funeral director will need information about the deceased, such as their full name, place of birth and place of death, to complete the paperwork required to register a death and obtain a death certificate.
5. When do you bring in clothes for your loved one? Clothes are usually delivered at the arrangement or at least one day before the service.
6. What type of coffins are available? We have numerous coffins available. Our team can discuss your options and help you to make the right choice.
7. What flowers can I choose from? Flowers can be a meaningful and affordable way to personalise a farewell and you can choose from a range of flowers, colours and arrangements.
8. What music can be played at the funeral? We can supply you with a list of songs which may be appropriate. Alternatively, you may wish to include music that reminds people of the deceased or tracks that they were particularly fond of.
9. How can I make the service more personalised and memorable? There are countless ways to add personal touches to a service, including flowers, music, tributes, visual presentations and order of service booklets. We share six (6) ways to personalise a funeral in this blog.
10. How do I organise catering for a wake or gathering after the funeral? Some cemeteries and crematoriums offer catering services, or you may wish to use an external party for an event that is held at a private home.
11. What happens to the coffin when someone is cremated? The coffin is cremated with the deceased inside. Details about the cremation process in this blog.
12. What is a no-service cremation? Some people do not wish to hold a traditional funeral service for their loved one, or may not be able to afford it. A direct cremation, or a no-service cremation is simply when the person is cremated after their death and the ashes are returned to the family. More information about direct cremations here.
13. How do I write a funeral notice? Funeral notices, or obituaries, tend to be a brief notification of a person’s death. While there typically isn’t a lot of detail included within, we share some guidance about how to write one here.
14. What should I include in a eulogy? Eulogies should honour and celebrate your loved one’s life. We share for 4 items to include here, along with a range of things which are not appropriate to share at this time.
15. How is a person’s death registered? Here at Anton Brown Funerals we fill out the Queensland government’s death registration form on your behalf, but will require some information from you to complete the paperwork.
16. How do I obtain a death certificate? When our funeral directors register a death, they will apply for a death certificate at the same time. This is lodged with Births Deaths and Marriages on the day of Service. More information about this here.
17. How is a funeral livestreamed? The process for organising a funeral service livestream is straightforward and we explain it in this blog.
18. How long between death and a funeral? In Australia funerals are normally held within a week of a person’s death. More details here.
19. Who do you have to notify when someone dies? There are many organisations and individuals to notify after a person has passed away. A full list can be found here.
20. What are my options for paying for a funeral? There are many ways to pay for funerals in Queensland and the main ones are discussed here.
Do you have any other questions, or would you like to find out more about any of our services? We are always happy to take you call, so please contact us today on (07) 3217 3088.
Anton Brown Funerals is a family-owned, Queensland funeral company which was established in 1995.
Our Brisbane-based team of funeral directors are honest, professional, compassionate and understanding, and always put our clients and their needs first.
We go above and beyond to ensure your loved one’s funeral arrangements are tailored to their final wishes and can assist you with burials, cremations, coffins, floral arrangements, pre-planning and more.
If you need help organising a dignified funeral service, we are available to discuss arrangements 24/7, so please don’t hesitate to reach out to us today on (07) 3217 3088 or send us a message online here.
