How to Plan a Funeral

If you are reading this and have recently lost a loved one, please accept our deepest sympathies. We hope that this article can ease your heartache of planning a funeral.

Below, we share a step-by-step guide of how to plan a funeral and tasks you may need to complete in the lead up to a service.

However, if this seems all too overwhelming right now and you’re in Brisbane or south-east Queensland, simply pick up the phone and call our team on (07) 3217 3088.

How to Plan a Funeral

1. Reach out to funeral director

We understand there is a lot to do in the hours and days after your loved one’s death, but your first point of call after you’ve notified all the relevant authorities should be a trusted and reliable funeral director, like Anton Brown Funerals.

For your convenience we have team members available 24/7 to discuss arrangements when it suits you best.

It’s our job to ease the burden of planning the funeral and to assist as much as possible with the arrangements.

2. Have a meeting with your funeral director (face-to-face, if possible)

During this meeting, we will explain the options you have available for Brisbane burials and cremations.

It is at this point that you will raise your loved one’s preferences about being buried or cremated, along with any particular wishes the deceased might have had for their service or farewell.

If you would like to hold a funeral service, we will discuss the preferred time, date and location, along with who will conduct it and whether or not the event will be religious.

More details can be found in our comprehensive funeral planning checklist here.

 3. Personalise the farewell

Your farewell can be unforgettable and unique if you add some meaningful personal touches.

• Visual tributes, such as videos or photos slideshows, can help people to reflect on the departed’s life and remember some of the best times shared with them.
• Flowers, especially their smells and colours, can evoke cherished memories of the deceased, particularly if they adored a colour or specific flower.
• A deceased’s favourite songs, poems or verses can be incorporated into a ceremony.
• Order of service booklets often include numerous pictures of the deceased, and many service attendees hold onto these as physical mementos for years to come.
• Personal effects displayed at the service. If a burial is taking place, sometimes these items will be buried along with the coffin.
• Have a guest book at the location so mourners can sign it and offer their condolences.

If you’d like more ideas for tailoring your service, click here.

4. Write a funeral notice or obituary

Once you’ve determined the details of the funeral service, you can write a funeral notice to appear in a local newspaper or online.

Click here for our suggestions about what information should be included.

5. Write a eulogy

Firstly, decide which friend/s or family member/s will be writing and delivering the eulogy.

We recommend including stories about the person and their life, significant achievements, and how they made your feel.

Some tips for writing a eulogy in our blog here, as well as items to exclude from this speech.

6. Plan the reception or wake

There are a number of options for gatherings after a service, and most cemeteries in Brisbane have function spaces where you can meet afterwards. Catering may be included at these venues.

Alternatively, some people wish to have a larger event after a burial or cremation at a restaurant or home and organise this themselves.

Need more Assistance Planning a Brisbane Funeral?

If you need more help or guidance at this time, we’ve put together a comprehensive funeral checklist which can be found here.

For those who’d prefer to speak to someone over the phone, please don’t hesitate to call us today on (07) 3217 3088.