Making arrangements before the funeral

One of our compassionate and seasoned arrangers will extend an invitation for you to meet with us at your convenience to facilitate all the essential arrangements. If you find it more comfortable, we are also pleased to arrange a visit to your home.

Your Lasting Love funeral arranger will invest time in getting to understand your preferences, assisting you in selecting a tribute that is most appropriate, respecting any final wishes, and ensuring that it reflects your unique personality. If you have any uncertainties about what to anticipate on the day, we will walk you through it, explaining each step along the way.

After you are content with the fulfillment of all your requests, we will acquaint you with the Funeral Director responsible for overseeing your loved one’s funeral. Your Funeral Director might reach out to you the day prior to the funeral to confirm all last-minute details and address any remaining questions you might have.

It’s essential to provide information regarding the date, time, and location of the service to all the attendees in advance.

Preparations on the day

We maintain a fleet of luxurious limousines, dedicated to ensuring the safe and punctual transportation of your family and friends to the funeral service.

Before the commencement of the service, we will meticulously prepare your loved one in accordance with your wishes. Subsequently, their coffin or casket will be carefully transferred into one of our top-tier hearses. Should you have chosen floral tributes, flowers, or a portrait of your loved one for the funeral, these can also be arranged inside the hearse.

Our experienced Funeral Directors will diligently inspect all routes to guarantee your punctual arrival at the service. Additionally, we will supply an ample number of pallbearers who will respectfully convey the coffin into the church or crematorium just prior to the commencement of the service.

Funeral procession

The customary funeral procession typically commences at the residence of the departed individual, although you have the option to select an alternative location if desired. Your chosen Funeral Director will arrive in advance, allowing you the opportunity to view any floral tributes and arrangements before departing for the service.

To ensure a prompt departure to the funeral service, it’s essential to coordinate the arrival of family and friends who will be traveling in the limousines or following the procession at your home or the designated starting point.

Furthermore, you have the option to specify a particular route for the procession, one that may encompass cherished memories or personal landmarks.

When you are prepared to embark, we will accompany you and your family to our chauffeur-driven limousines, ensuring you have all necessary items for the service. Our Funeral Directors often lead the cortege on foot for a short distance before joining the hearse. Upon arrival at the church or crematorium, they will once again lead the cortege on foot.

Arriving at the church or crematorium

Your dedicated Funeral Director will meticulously address every aspect well in advance, from any requested music to the preparation of order of service sheets. They will liaise with the service officiant and coordinate with the chapel attendants to confirm that all necessary arrangements are in place.

We will supply an ample number of pallbearers who will escort the coffin with the utmost dignity and respect. If you opt to choose your own pallbearers, the Funeral Director will oversee these arrangements to ensure a seamless process.

Upon arrival at the church or crematorium, the Funeral Director will often lead you into the venue, either walking in front or behind the coffin, which is subsequently placed upon a wooden platform known as a catafalque. We will ensure that all your guests are present before commencing with the funeral service.

Funeral ceremony

The structure of the funeral ceremony is entirely at your discretion, with the understanding that there may be a time constraint based on your chosen venue. The service can encompass elements such as funeral music, hymns, prayers, funeral poems, and readings from family and close friends.

You have the flexibility to host the funeral ceremony at a religious venue or at a crematorium equipped with a chapel for your use.

During the service, the Funeral Director may position themselves just outside or at the rear of the church or crematorium. Following the conclusion of the service, you will be guided to the area where flowers and floral tributes have been placed. Subsequently, you and your family will be escorted to the committal service, if it is part of your arrangements.

Committal Service

Whether your loved one is laid to rest through burial or cremation, you may opt for a separate committal service following the primary funeral ceremony. The committal service can take place at the same venue as the preceding service.

If the committal service is scheduled at a distinct location, we will facilitate your return to the limousines, and the coffin or casket will be reverently returned to the hearse. Your Funeral Director will accompany you, especially if the cemetery or crematorium is in close proximity.

What happens at a cremation?

For a cremation, you have the option to conduct the primary service at a religious venue and subsequently hold a brief committal service at the crematorium, or if preferred, both services can occur at the crematorium itself. The committal service typically involves the closure of curtains or the gentle lowering of the coffin from the catafalque, with preparations to move it into a committal room in readiness for cremation.

What happens at a burial?

During a burial, the committal service traditionally transpires at the graveside of your beloved, often featuring prayers and readings. When you are prepared to bid your final farewell to the departed, the coffin or casket is gently lowered into the earth. You may choose to scatter soil onto the coffin or toss flowers into the grave as it descends.

Following the conclusion of the committal service, we will allow ample time for you to place floral tributes beside the grave or in the crematorium’s garden of remembrance and to offer your last respects. You will also have an opportunity to converse with your guests outside before you are escorted back to the limousines when you are ready to depart for the wake or reception, if one has been arranged.

The wake or funeral reception

You might consider hosting a wake or funeral reception subsequent to the funeral service. Typically, a wake is a more informal gathering that celebrates the life of the departed, in contrast to the preceding formal ceremony.

If you are uncertain about the choice of venue for the wake, your Funeral Director can offer a list of local venues you can select from.

After the funeral service, our compassionate team will transport you and your family to the chosen venue. We recommend including details about the wake and directions to the venue on the order of service sheets distributed to the guests.

Your Funeral Director will address any remaining queries you may have before departing, enabling you to convene with family and friends for some refreshments.

The days that follow a funeral

Our compassionate and seasoned funeral arrangers will reach out to you the day following your loved one’s funeral to ensure that everything proceeded smoothly and that the service aligned with your desires. We are prepared to coordinate the return of any flowers or funeral wreaths to you, or to place them in the crematorium’s garden of remembrance or at your loved one’s gravesite, according to your preferences.

In the case of cremation, we can assist you in scheduling a day for collecting the ashes and provide valuable guidance on options for scattering or interring them if needed. At Lasting Love Funerals, we offer a variety of urns and caskets for ashes, allowing you to make a choice that suits your preferences.

Additionally, we present a selection of memorial options, and your Funeral Director will guide you through the available choices and aid you in making an informed decision.