Celebration of LIfe

Four Funerals And No Wedding

By Guest Contributor Barry Slocombe The life of a funeral celebrant is rewarding. It can also be highly challenging. Earlier this year, Celebrant Barry Slocombe found out just how challenging. He decided to share his experience with us so that we could get a peek behind the curtain and see just what life is like […]


Etiquette for Attending a Virtual Funeral

The etiquette for attending a virtual funeral or memorial service is not that much different from that for an in-person ceremony. The use of technology adds a few twists, but it is still a serious occasion where people gather together to support each other and begin the journey through grief. Of course, it never hurts […]


Making Funerals More Personal

You may have seen the latest TV ads from a national funeral home chain. The spots feature a motorcycle-themed funeral, a lap around a track for an auto racing fan, and a disco party for a dance lover. These commercials are examples of some very unique final farewells and highlight a new focus on creating […]


Funerals in the Time of Covid

From the way we work to the way we socialize, COVID-19 has had a profound effect on all of us. For those who have lost a loved one during these difficult times, the results have been particularly heartbreaking. That’s because it’s not just routine activities that have changed, but how we grieve.  At least for […]


We Still Need Funerals

Where Are Funerals When You Need Them? Funerals in the time of COVID Part 2 If you are like most of us, you are tired of talking about the pandemic, tired of staying home, and tired of worrying about whether you or a loved one has the virus. Unfortunately, for those who have lost someone […]


Attending Funeral Services: Your Funeral Etiquette Questions Answered

The Day of the Funeral or Memorial Service Should you attend the funeral? Unless the obituary says it’s a private service, then you can assume the public is welcome, and you should go. Until you’ve lost a family member yourself, you won’t understand what a comfort it is to the family to see “a full church [and] the pews packed with people who also care for and remember the deceased. … The family knows that attending a funeral is inconvenient, and that’s why they’ll never forget that you came.” (from The Art of Manliness)


Attending a Funeral – Doing the Right Things

When You Need to Attend a Funeral Prepare yourself for the funeral, visitation, condolence call by reviewing funeral customs and funeral etiquette. Help a family member or friend deal with their grief. Send flowers to the funeral or make a memorial tribute. What Happens at a Funeral? Learn what to expect if you will be attending the funeral services of a different religion or culture. Start with our index of customs.


Etiquette for the Surviving Family: Planning the Funeral

Arranging the Funeral Now that Your Loved One Has Died A funeral is a formal service of remembrance with the body present, in either a closed or open casket. Your funeral director or clergy can advise you on many aspects of etiquette relating to the actual funeral service. If your loved one hasn’t preplanned, you will need to make a number of decisions:


How To Personalize a Funeral or Memorial Service

Memorial services and funerals serve a number of purposes. They give us the chance to say goodbye and offer an opportunity for friends and family to gather together to start the journey through the grieving process. In the end, the key reason most of us go to the time and expense of holding a funeral […]


Funeral Director or Celebrant

Fall 2023 Funeral Celebrant or Funeral Director: Which do you need? As funeral celebrants have become more popular, many people are left wondering why they need a funeral director if they have a celebrant and vice versa. The answer is simple… it depends. Think about a traditional funeral where the funeral director handles details such as […]


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