It is extremely difficult to have to plan the funeral services for a loved one. However, when you understand what to expect, the process will ultimately be much easier. Knowing what to expect from funeral planning can help you to minimize problems and remain prepared throughout the process. Here are a few things that you should expect from funeral planning.
Funeral Arrangement Conversation

When you begin the funeral planning process, you will generally start with a funeral arrangement conversation. During this conversation, you will discuss various options that are available to you for the funeral service. Our funeral planning services can go a long way toward helping you to simplify the process and obtain the services that meet all of your specific expectations.
Important Information to Gather
It can be extremely beneficial to gather all of the information that you need to successfully complete all of the necessary paperwork during the funeral planning process. Having this information during the funeral arrangement conversation often helps to streamline processes. Ensure that you have their social security number, as well as their full name. You should also gather the names of their family members. This should include the names of their parents, including their mother’s maiden name, and names of their spouse and children. You should also have information regarding the marital status of the deceased.
Information about their history will be extremely important when you try to write the obituary. It is incredibly important to ensure that you are accurate with information when you complete this obituary. You should look into gathering information about their educational history or any history of military service that they might have. Their work history is also important in ensuring that you have all of the applicable information. Their hobbies and interests, lists of organizations and clubs, and church affiliations can all be beneficial to gather, as well. You should also ensure that you have a recent photograph that you can use for the obituary and other aspects.
Writing the Obituary
Writing the obituary can feel like an overwhelming prospect. After all, how do you summarize a person’s life in a short paragraph? Understanding the best tips for writing the obituary can go a long way toward making a simpler process. If you don’t feel up to writing the obituary, you may want to consider asking a loved one if they would be able to write the obituary for you. It is okay to ask for help with the funeral planning aspects during the process.
Consider Pre-Planning
Pre-planning services can be extremely beneficial for your loved ones. When you pre-plan your services, you can take the burden away from your loved ones. This step can help to ensure that everyone is aware of your specific wishes. Pre-planning services can also prevent your loved ones from having to plan the funeral while they are trying to grieve. If you are considering pre-planning, you should consider consulting with our professional team at Russon Mortuary.
Religious Considerations
If you have specific religious considerations, you will want to keep this in mind throughout the funeral planning process. This will help you to obtain the ideal services that will meet all of your specific needs. These religious considerations are an important component of planning a funeral that will meet your needs and the needs of your loved ones.
Learn About the Expenses
The funeral costs often make up a substantial portion of the funeral arrangements. It is important to ensure that you have a budget set in place when you begin the funeral planning process. This will ensure that unexpected surprises don’t impact your bottom line after an issue has occurred. You may want to consider consulting with multiple experts regarding the expenses from the funeral services.
Choose a Funeral Home
Choosing a funeral home is a rather important consideration. You have to choose the funeral home that you wish to work with before you can make many of the decisions involved in the process. It is important to ensure that you choose a funeral home that offers all of the services that you require. You should also ensure that you feel comfortable with the funeral director, as they will play a huge role in the planning process.
Select a Cremation Container or Casket
Selecting a cremation container or casket can certainly be a difficult decision. However, this is something that you will be expected to do throughout the funeral planning process. This will also require you to decide on what you wish to do with your loved one’s remains. You will have to choose whether you wish for a traditional burial or for them to be cremated.
Pick Music
Picking music is another important part of the funeral planning process. You should consider if you want musical tributes to be performed or would prefer to have other arrangements made regarding music. You will also want to consider the specific songs that should be played. These songs may be songs that are meaningful to you, your religion, or the loved one that you are honoring. Picking out music can go a long way toward crafting the ceremony to meet all of your expectations.
Choose Services
When you are planning for funeral services, you will have to ensure that you take the steps to choose the services that you want. This means choosing if you want to have a wake, viewing, cremation, traditional burial, memorial service, or any array of other services. Once you have identified the services that you want, you will be better equipped to work with a funeral home that will meet all of these specific needs.
When it comes to funeral planning, knowing what to expect can make a substantial difference. Implementing the ideal services can help to mitigate problems and ensure the smoothest process possible. At Russon Mortuary, we are dedicated to providing you with the necessary services to streamline the process. To learn more about the funeral services that we have available, as well as what to expect throughout the process, contact us at Russon Mortuary today!