How to arrange a funeral, step by step

Arranging a funeral means making a great many decisions in very little time, with a broken heart. This general guide helps you see what comes after what.

The first hours

• Medical certificate. A doctor must certify the death; in hospital, the hospital itself handles this.
• Funeral director. Your main ally: they take the person into their care, guide you through the formalities, and coordinate the chapel of rest and the service. Compare if you can; prices vary a great deal.
• Funeral plan or insurance. If there was a policy or a pre-paid plan, ring early: it usually covers most of the cost, and sometimes the funeral director handles everything.

The main decisions

• Burial or cremation, according to the person's wishes or the family's agreement.
• Type of service: religious, civil, or an intimate gathering at the funeral home itself.
• Who takes part: readings, music, a few words of farewell. A few well-chosen things are worth more than a long programme.

Sharing the arrangements

Once the date and time are fixed, it's time to let people know. An online obituary with the details of the service saves you repeating the same call a hundred times: you share the link, and everyone finds all the information there, along with a place to leave their condolences.

After the service

There is still paperwork to come (certificates, account closures, pensions, the estate), best shared out among several people and not crammed into a single week. And there is the most important thing of all: looking after yourself. The funeral ends; the grieving begins.