3 Tips for Planning a Nonreligious Funeral
Posted on: 16 August 2016
Because funerals usually take place within a few days of the death, the person whose job it is to plan the funeral is often dealing with deep grief at the same time, and the assistance of a religious leader and community can relieve a lot of the pressure. Religious funeral services also often follow a specific template, so they can be easier to plan. However, if you're planning a funeral for a person who was not religious and did not want a religious funeral service or officiant, you may not have the same resources during this difficult time. Take a look at some tips that can help you plan a nonreligious service to honor your loved one.
The Funeral Director Can Be Your Best Resource
If you don't know where to start, the person who will likely be the most helpful to you is the funeral director at the funeral home that you've chosen. Funeral directors assist in planning all kinds of services, and they will know how to help you get started planning the kind of funeral service your loved one would want.
Understanding how to help grieving families is part of the job description for a funeral director, and for nonreligious families, the funeral director fulfills much of the role that a minister or other religious leader would fill for a religious grieving family. Don't be afraid to ask for any help or guidance that you need.
Many Locations Are Appropriate for a Funeral Service
Finding a venue for a nonreligious funeral service may sound like a tricky problem at first, but it's actually not as hard as you might think. You always have the option of holding the funeral service at the funeral home; the funeral director will remove any religious decorations for your service if you ask. You can also choose to hold a graveside service outdoors, if you prefer.
Other options include renting a private ceremony hall, which can be a good idea if you expect a large attendance, or holding it in your or someone else's home, which might be a better option for smaller funerals. You can really hold a funeral anywhere as long as you have the property owner's permission to be there.
You Should Focus on the Deceased
Traditional religious funerals are planned around the requirements or traditions of that religion. The music at the service is often religious music, and the decorations may include religious symbols. A religious leader usually opens the service and guides the proceedings.
Since your funeral is for a nonreligious person, put the focus on them instead, and you'll find that it's easier to make plans. Play music that your loved one enjoyed. Decorate with flowers in their favorite colors as well as with candles and photographs of the deceased during their life. You may even choose to display some of their things, like a prized collection, a favorite book, or a recognizable accessory or article of clothing that they wore often, like a favorite hat or a jacket.
Open the ceremony by choosing someone who was close to the deceased to stand up and share a memory of the deceased, and then invite others in attendance to offer their memories as well. End the ceremony with a symbolic gesture that your loved one would have approved of. You could plant a tree, release balloons, light candles, or even set off fireworks—whatever seems appropriate to celebrate your loved one's life and say goodbye.
Choosing a sympathetic and experienced funeral home in your area will help ensure that your funeral planning goes as smoothly as possible and that you have as much help as you need. Feel free to ask the funeral home that you're considering whether they have experience with nonreligious funerals.
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