a woman throws rose petals in the air at a funeral service

Planning a Funeral

Organizing a funeral and final arrangements can feel overwhelming, especially during an emotional time. This section covers everything you need to know—from planning options and the Funeral Rule to selecting burial or cremation, observing etiquette, arranging ceremony details, and adding personal touches like eulogies, music, and keepsakes. Whether you’re planning ahead or supporting a loved one, these articles offer clear, practical guidance to help you create a respectful and deeply personal farewell.

Card Image

How Do I Plan a Funeral?

Sort Order: 5 | Cornerstone
LEARN MORE

Before Death: Preplanning a Funeral or Memorial Service

Sort Order: 2 |
LEARN MORE

After Death: The Funeral Rule

Sort Order: 2 |
LEARN MORE

After Death: Planning a Funeral or Memorial Service

Sort Order: 4 |
LEARN MORE
Card Image

Can I Hold a Funeral in My Home?

Sort Order: 10 |
LEARN MORE

I Want to Hire a Professional to Help Me Plan a Funeral or Memorial Service, but I’m Confused. Who Is the Best Person to Call?

Sort Order: 15 |
LEARN MORE

How Do I Write an Obituary? Do I Need a Professional Obituary Writer?

Sort Order: 20 |
LEARN MORE

CNBC: How Funerals in the US are changing

Sort Order: 22 |
READ THIS ARTICLE
Card Image

A Look at Japanese Funeral Practices

Sort Order: 24 |
READ THIS ARTICLE

How Much Do Online Obituaries or Printed Obituaries Cost?

Sort Order: 25 |
LEARN MORE

How Long Can We Wait to Have a Funeral After Death?

Sort Order: 30 |
LEARN MORE

How Do I Buy a Burial Plot?

Sort Order: 40 |
LEARN MORE

“Today’s The Day” by Lucy Kaplansky

Sort Order: 43 |
READ THIS ARTICLE

How Do Funeral Homes Prepare for (or Handle) Emergencies Such as Natural Disasters?

Sort Order: 45 |
LEARN MORE
Card Image

How To Crowdfund Funeral Expenses

Sort Order: 47 |
READ THIS ARTICLE

What Does the Average Headstone Cost?

Sort Order: 50 |
LEARN MORE

What Is the Difference Between a Wake and a Funeral?

Sort Order: 60 |
LEARN MORE

What Is a Pallbearer?

Sort Order: 65 |
LEARN MORE

Who Should I Invite to a Funeral?

Sort Order: 70 |
LEARN MORE
Card Image

A new kind of funeral home

Sort Order: 73 |
READ THIS ARTICLE

“The Dead” by Billy Collins

Sort Order: 74 |
READ THIS ARTICLE
Card Image

How Should I Invite Guests to a Funeral?

Sort Order: 75 |
LEARN MORE
Card Image

Should I Invite Children to the Funeral?

Sort Order: 80 |
LEARN MORE

Is It Appropriate for Funeral Attendees to Take Photos?

Sort Order: 85 |
LEARN MORE

What Can I Expect When Planning a Funeral for a Neonate or Fetus?

Sort Order: 90 |
LEARN MORE

Bob Dylan’s classic “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”

Sort Order: 93 |
READ THIS ARTICLE

What Is Proper Etiquette for a Living Funeral or deParty?

Sort Order: 95 |
LEARN MORE
Card Image

Securing full military honors for a funeral

Sort Order: 97 |
READ THIS ARTICLE

What Is the Difference Between a Casket and a Coffin?

Sort Order: 100 |
LEARN MORE
Card Image

Can I Have a Funeral for a Pet?

Sort Order: 100 |
LEARN MORE
Card Image

What Is a “deParty”?

Sort Order: 100 |
LEARN MORE

A Traditional Scottish Funeral Song

Sort Order: 103 |
READ THIS ARTICLE

How to Avoid Obituary Scams

Sort Order: 104 |
READ THIS ARTICLE

Can We Hold a Funeral After Organ Donation?

Sort Order: 105 |
LEARN MORE

Should I Have an Open or Closed Casket?

Sort Order: 110 |
LEARN MORE

How Can I Know What to Wear to a Funeral?

Sort Order: 115 |
LEARN MORE
Card Image

“Departures” by Yōjirō Takita

Sort Order: 117 |
READ THIS ARTICLE

Are There Any Special Considerations When Planning a Funeral for Someone Who Identifies as LGBTQ?

Sort Order: 120 |
LEARN MORE

What Is a Funeral Procession and What Is the Etiquette for Participating in One?

Sort Order: 125 |
LEARN MORE

What Is a Wake? How Do I Plan One for My Loved One?

Sort Order: 130 |
LEARN MORE
Card Image

Saving on Funerals

Sort Order: 133 |
READ THIS ARTICLE

FCA On How To Recycle Pacemakers

Sort Order: 134 |
READ THIS ARTICLE

What Is a Perpetual Care Cemetery?

Sort Order: 135 |
LEARN MORE

What Is a Companion Plot?

Sort Order: 140 |
LEARN MORE

How Long Does a Concrete Burial Vault Last?

Sort Order: 145 |
LEARN MORE

“Gone From My Sight” by Barbara Karnes

Sort Order: 147 |
READ THIS ARTICLE

What Is an Oversized Casket and When Is It Necessary?

Sort Order: 150 |
LEARN MORE
Card Image

12 Biker Funeral Rituals

Sort Order: 153 |
READ THIS ARTICLE

What Is the Difference Between a Full-Couch and Half-Couch Casket?

Sort Order: 155 |
LEARN MORE
Card Image

What Is a Destination Funeral?

Sort Order: 160 |
LEARN MORE

Can I Collect a DNA Sample From My Loved One Before the Funeral or Final Disposition Takes Place?

Sort Order: 165 |
LEARN MORE

What Is the Proper Way to Clothe My Loved One for Their Viewing and Burial?

Sort Order: 170 |
LEARN MORE
Card Image

Are Funeral Homes A Dying Breed?

Sort Order: 173 |
READ THIS ARTICLE

What Are Appropriate Items to Place in My Loved One’s Casket? What Items Are Not Permitted?

Sort Order: 175 |
LEARN MORE
Card Image

Secular Funerals Becoming More Common

Sort Order: 177 |
READ THIS ARTICLE
Card Image

What Is a Mausoleum Burial?

Sort Order: 180 |
LEARN MORE

What Are the Most Common Types of Burial Vaults?

Sort Order: 190 |
LEARN MORE

Can I Request to Have My Loved One’s Clothes Returned After the Viewing or Funeral?

Sort Order: 195 |
LEARN MORE
Card Image

How Can Families Save Money With Home Funerals?

Sort Order: 197 |
READ THIS ARTICLE

Who Should I Ask to Give My Loved One’s Eulogy?

Sort Order: 200 |
LEARN MORE

“Funeral for a Friend / Love Lies Bleeding”

Sort Order: 203 |
READ THIS ARTICLE

I’ve Been Asked to Give a Eulogy, But I Don’t Know What to Say. Where Do I Start?

Sort Order: 205 |
LEARN MORE

What Are Some Ideas for a Unique Eulogy?

Sort Order: 210 |
LEARN MORE
Card Image

How Can I Select the Perfect Music for a Funeral?

Sort Order: 215 |
LEARN MORE
Card Image

DIY Body Transport

Sort Order: 217 |
READ THIS ARTICLE

How death doulas can help support families as a loved one nears the end of life

Sort Order: 218 |
READ THIS ARTICLE

What Kind of Keepsake Gifts Should I Plan to Give My Guests?

Sort Order: 220 |
LEARN MORE

What Is a Casket Saddle? Can I Make My Own Casket Saddle?

Sort Order: 225 |
LEARN MORE
Card Image

How Do I Live Stream a Funeral?

Sort Order: 230 |
LEARN MORE

What Is a Drive-Thru Funeral?

Sort Order: 235 |
LEARN MORE
Card Image

Poems For Funerals

Sort Order: 240 |
READ THIS ARTICLE

The Importance Of Preparing For Death

Sort Order: 247 |
READ THIS ARTICLE

Meaningful Things to Consider After the Sudden Death of a Loved One

Sort Order: 255 |
READ THIS ARTICLE

Planning a Funeral: Additional Resources

Sort Order: 400 |
LEARN MORE