What will happen on the day of the funeral?

On the day of your loved one’s funeral the Funeral carer will ensure that yours and the wishes of the deceased are honoured. Exactly what happens on the day of the funeral depends on the arrangements that you have made but, as a general rule, there will be some things that you can expect.

The funeral procession

You will have decided on a time that the cortège will arrive and can wait with the rest of your friends and family at the agreed location. It might be easier for you to do this at your home address, or at the home of the deceased. You will be able to personalise the cortège to your loved one’s wishes when making the funeral arrangements.

Bearing the coffin

Once you have arrived at the cremation or cemetery chapel your loved one’s coffin will be carried inside, or to the location that the ceremony will be taking place. When planning the funeral you may be able to request that you or your family members help in bearing the coffin. For help with making the necessary arrangements click here.

The ceremony

This part of your loved one’s funeral will depend entirely on whether you have chosen a religious ceremony for them or not. You will be able to speak to our funeral directors about the exact order of the ceremony when making the arrangements and can either choose to follow the usual plan for your loved one’s funeral or can ask for changes to be made that will reflect their personality well.

The music

The music that is played at key moments during the ceremony can help to remind all those present of the deceased’s life. You will usually be able to choose around three or four pieces of music to be played and your funeral carer will work with you to find the perfect choices.

The eulogy

If you have decided that you would like a few words to be read you will be invited up to do so during the ceremony. You may also ask for certain extracts from the bible, a poem or any other reading to be included in the ceremony. Click here to read about how to write a Eulogy section.

The burial or cremation

At this point you will be able to say your final goodbye to your loved one as the coffin is removed for the final time.

The reception

It is tradition for the family of the deceased to invite those attending the funeral to a reception to celebrate the life of the recently departed.You can make preparations for this or your funeral director can assist. Click here to find your local funeral home to find out more about this service.