Planning ahead is the ideal way to protect your loved ones. When death occurs, your family will have the comfort of knowing that the plan is already in place. They can spend time with one another without the burden of making funeral arrangements and funding the funeral at a time of grief.

To help you gather the necessary information, we’ve compiled a checklist with most items that you’ll need to address. Having this information at hand when making plans with a funeral director will not only help the funeral director understand your wishes, it will help you make clearer decisions in the planning process.

Items to consider when preplanning a funeral

• Where would you like the funeral to be held? A church, chapel, your favourite sports club, a park you grew up playing in?
• Will the service be open to the public? Or would you prefer a private service, with only close family and friends in attendance?
• Would you prefer to be buried or cremated? If buried, do you have a plot already, or will you acquire one? If cremated, what would you like done with the ashes?
• Will the service be religious? If yes, what religion? Do you have contacts within the parish that you would like to call on when the time comes? What are their names? What role will they take in the funeral service?
• What music would you like played? Do you want musicians performing?
• Have you any favourite scriptures you would like read? Or perhaps quotes you’ve lived by?
• How would you like the family to be involved? Would you like them to be pallbearers, or have the funeral director arrange that?
• What clothing would like to be farewelled in? Do you have any favourite watches or jewellery that you would like to be wearing? Are there any other personal items you would like to be included in the coffin or casket?
• Do you have any special instructions for the wake? Who will be invited? Would you like the make a video or audio recording to be played at the wake?
• Would you like a particular type of flower? Or would you prefer donations to a worthy cause? Which cause would you like guests to support?
• Would you like a gravestone or plaque for future generations to see?