How to Plan for a Funeral

We know funerals can be overwhelming and emotional, they also come with a lot of organisation. We here to lend a helping hand and guide you through the things to consider when organising your loved one’s funeral.

Depending on how and where your loved one passes, the steps you need to take might vary, but here’s a small guide to give you an idea of what’s involved in preparing and planning for a funeral.

Or once the doctor has confirmed the cause of death, get in touch with us. Contact our Funeral Director, Andy, who will guide you through each step of the process and help you organise a funeral service. 

What’s involved in planning a funeral?

Pick a Funeral Venue

We work with every persuasion, and our primary goal is to facilitate a celebration that best reflects the life and legacy of your loved one. So whether you wish to have the service at a chapel at any of the five Melbourne cemeteries, a church, parks, a family home or an alternative venue that holds special meaning for your loved one, we’re here to make it happen. 

Floral Tributes 

Floral arrangements of various varieties and colours can symbolise different virtues, social and cultural values. Please let us know if you have specific requirements, ideas in mind or whether you’d like us to propose suitable options to reflect your loved one’s personality and attributes. Traditional, contemporary, seasonal or sustainably-sourced, we can take care of that for you.

Funeral Vehicles and Transport 

You might want a particular type of hearse or vehicle to transport your loved one and your family to the ceremony. We offer contemporary, vintage and even a horse-drawn carriage, once you’re decided we’ll make all the necessary arrangements.

Engage a Life Celebrant 

Become Funerals own Funeral Director and Life Celebrant Andy, is dedicated to helping you organise a funeral service that pays homage to your dearly departed in a way that best reflects their unique life and story. 

Funeral Verses 

Saying goodbye is hard enough emotionally without trying to find the right words to do so. We have put together a collection of funeral verses and related poetry that can be used directly or could provide some inspiration for you to express yourself with.

Make It Unique

At Become Funerals we desire to help those who’ve lost loved ones create a celebration of life funeral, an opportunity to remember, cherish, and pay tribute to their dearly departed’s memory in a truly special and meaningful way.

Things to consider depending on Where/How the Passing Occurs

At home

If the passing occurs at home, your first point of contact is your loved one’s doctor, preferably their treating Doctor as they will be familiar with their medical history. If the doctor can confirm the cause of death, they can issue a medical cause of death. Once you’ve contacted the doctor, your next call should be to us contact us so that we can make the necessary arrangements to transfer the deceased into our care at the right time.

In a hospital or nursing home

The Director of Nursing, Sister or Nurse in Charge will make arrangements for the doctor to issue a medical cause of death. Please contact us at your earliest convenience so that we can begin coordinating with the hospital or nursing home for the necessary next steps. 

A sudden or unexpected death

In the event of a sudden or accidental death where the cause of death can’t be confirmed, it is the doctor’s responsibility to notify the police. Under these circumstances, the deceased should not be moved or disturbed without the Coroner’s permission. 

The police will arrange for a government-appointed funeral contractor to transfer the deceased to the Coroner’s mortuary where there will be an investigation to determine the cause of death. A post-mortem might be required, which might delay the funeral arrangements.

You are well within your rights to appoint an independent funeral director to attend to the deceased and make the necessary arrangements on your behalf. If this is your preference, please contact us at your earliest convenience so that we can liaise with the Coroner’s Court on your behalf and see to the next steps.

Interstate or overseas

In the event that the passing occurs interstate or overseas, please contact us immediately so we can make arrangements to transport your loved one home and attend to the necessary legal, statutory or customs requirements. If it was your loved one’s wish to be buried in their homeland, please get in touch with us. We’ll take care of the tedious process of liaising with government departments and processing the necessary documentation on your behalf.