• When and where you would like the funeral to be held
• The type of service you desire
• If a burial or cremation will follow the service
• What type of coffin or casket
• Clothing you want for the deceased
• Details about the viewing of the deceased
• Who you would like to be involved
• The type of floral arrangements
• Motor vehicles you would like for the day
• Writing and placing a death and/or a funeral newspaper notice
• Alternatives to religious funerals
• The choice of music or poetry for the service
• Organising flowers or donations
• Preparing a eulogy
• Memorial books and cards
• Catering
• Whether to have a viewing?
• Order of Service or Life Review presentation?
• Will there be a gathering and refreshments afterwards?

You will need to decide at the time whether a burial or cremation is required or you are repatriating a deceased overseas. Also, if you are going to have a dual or single service.

A single service is commonly held entirely at one location, it often means less time spent on travelling. The use of our chapel provides more flexibility with timing and families are welcome to use our space for wakes and refreshments as well. Most common places for a single service are at graveside , crematorium or funeral home chapel.

A dual service is the most requested type of funeral. It usually involves a service either in a church or at a chapel and then a funeral procession to the cemetery or crematorium. This provides the greatest opportunity for tradition, participation and attendance of family and friends.

Many people make the choice whether to have a viewing or cremation on the traditions or their religion or culture. If you do not wish to follow a tradition, the wishes of the family or the deceased will be taken into account.

Please do not rush this decision as it is a very important one. The Funeral Director will guide you through the specific details at an Arrangement Meeting.

If the deceased or close family are church members, the service is usually held in your local church.

Other suggestions are chapels, crematoriums chapel or gravesides.

There is no set time to have a funeral. Every religion and culture is different.

If the funeral is not held within seven working days days, embalming is then required under the Public Health regulations.

A funeral should satisfy four basic needs: physical requirements, emotional comfort, social obligations and spiritual fulfilment.

The funeral ritual is a public, traditional and symbolic means of expressing our beliefs, thoughts and feelings about the death of someone loved.

Rich in history and abundant in symbolism, the funeral ceremony helps us acknowledge the reality of death, gives testimony to the life of the deceased, encourages the expression of grief, provides support to mourners, allows embracing of faith and beliefs about life and death and offers continuity and hope for the living.

A funeral invites people to focus on our past relationship with the person who has passed and to share those memories with others.

Whether a death has occurred in the home, hospital, nursing home or retirement village and or a public place, the first person who should be called is usually a doctor.

Once the doctor satisfies legalities regarding the cause of death and identity of the deceased, a medical certificate or cause of death certificate will be issued. At this point you should call your funeral director.

If the deceased has not been seen by a doctor in the three months prior to death, or the doctor is unable to determine the cause of death, it is then necessary for the coroner to become involved.

The police will prepare a report for the coroner and the coroner then seeks to determine the cause of death through contact with the doctor of the deceased or by having pathologist conducting an autopsy of the deceased.

If the coroner is involved, you should still call your funeral director who will liaise and will take care of everything on your behalf.