How Do You Structure a Funeral Service?

Leah

Planning a funeral service can be really difficult, especially if you've had no experience of this before. Knowing what happens during a funeral, and the order of which events should take place is important for planning.

Here is a typical structure of a funeral service. Feel free to make any changes that you feel are appropriate.

The Arrival

First the guests will arrive. Then once everyone has entered the venue, the coffin will be carried into the building or taken to the burial site.

Many people choose to play music whilst the coffin is being carried in, but this is completely up to you. You may find that you would prefer silence instead and that is fine.

Hymns

Once everyone is seated, you can then sing some hymns together. Some popular hymn choices include 'Amazing Grace', 'Morning Has Broken', and 'The Lord is My Shepherd', but you can have any song of your choice.

Again, if you would prefer not to have hymns, this is also fine.

Eulogy

Next you would have the eulogy. This is a speech which can be read by family members, friends, clergy, or funeral conductors, and gives lots of details about the life of deceased.

Other loved ones may also want to tell stories about the memories they shared with the deceased.

Readings

Readings are an important part of any funeral. These can be readings of anything, from a favourite poem to extracts from the bible. These would usually be read by loved ones of the deceased.

Reflecting

You may then want to have a few minutes of silence for everyone to reflect. In this time, people may wish to leave flowers on the casket, or show their respect in a different way. You may also wish to have another hymn.