38 guides
Funeral Services & Etiquette
Funerals, memorial services, celebrations of life, wakes and viewings all work a little differently. These guides explain what happens at each one, how long they last, and the etiquette questions people search for most, from what to wear to what to write in a card.
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Alternatives to Funeral Flowers: What to Send or Do InsteadWhat to give instead of funeral flowers: charity donations, memorial trees, meals and practical help, plus how families can word an in lieu of flowers request. 6 min readTransporting a Body Across States: Permits, Steps and CostsHow a body is moved across state lines: the two funeral homes involved, the permit and death certificate, air or ground transport, rough costs and ways to save. 6 min readPreparing a Body for Viewing: What Happens and What to BringHow a body is prepared for a viewing: washing, dressing, cosmetics and embalming, whether embalming is required by law, what clothing to bring, and timing. 5 min read
Every services & etiquette guide
- After-Hours Funeral Services: Night Removals and Evening ServicesWhat to do when someone dies at night, how an after-hours removal works, what it may cost, and how evening visitations, services and burials are arranged.
- Alternatives to Funeral Flowers: What to Send or Do InsteadWhat to give instead of funeral flowers: charity donations, memorial trees, meals and practical help, plus how families can word an in lieu of flowers request.
- Celebration of Life vs Memorial Service: Differences and How to ChooseHow a celebration of life differs from a memorial service and a funeral: tone, timing, venue, who leads, what each costs and how to choose between them.
- Funeral After a Suicide: Practical Steps, Obituary Wording and InsuranceHow to plan a funeral after a death by suicide: the coroner's role, whether to share the cause, faith leaders, life insurance rules and where to find support.
- Funeral Donations Etiquette: How Much to Give and HowHow to give a memorial donation: follow the family's request, give at least what flowers would cost, mark it in memory of, and tell the family. Tax notes too.
- Funeral Etiquette: What to Wear, Say, Bring and DoFuneral etiquette for guests: when to arrive, where to sit, what to wear and say, phone and photo rules, flowers, donations, children and follow-up.
- Funeral Thank You Note Template: Wording and TimingCopy-ready wording for funeral thank-you notes: sympathy cards, flowers, food, donations and help with the service, plus who to thank and how soon.
- Home Funeral FAQ: Laws, Body Care and Costs in the USIs a home funeral legal, how long can the body stay home, what paperwork is needed and which nine states require a funeral director? Answers here.
- How to Transport a Body Yourself: Laws, Permits and StepsCan a family move a body without a funeral home? In most states yes, but nine require a funeral director. Learn the paperwork, vehicle and safety steps.
- Infant Funeral FAQ: Options, Legal Steps, Costs and SupportAnswers to common questions about an infant funeral or stillbirth: how long you have, paperwork, burial or cremation, costs, financial help and support.
- Multiple Casualty Funeral: Planning Services When Several People Die TogetherHow to plan funerals when several people die in one event: delays, joint or separate services, costs, financial help, paperwork and who can help.
- Neighbor Funeral Etiquette: What to Do, Say and BringWhat to do when a neighbor dies: what to write in a card, how to offer real help, whether to go to the funeral, what to wear and how to keep showing up.
- Open vs Closed Casket: Differences, Costs and How to ChooseOpen vs closed casket explained: what each involves, why an open casket usually costs more, whether embalming is required, and how to decide as a family.
- Plane Crash Victim Funeral: Identification, Timeline, RightsWhat happens after a fatal plane crash: who identifies victims, when remains are released, what airlines must do for families, and how to plan a service.
- Preparing a Body for Viewing: What Happens and What to BringHow a body is prepared for a viewing: washing, dressing, cosmetics and embalming, whether embalming is required by law, what clothing to bring, and timing.
- Private Family Viewing: How It Works, Timing and CostWhat a private family viewing is, who can attend, whether embalming is needed, how to arrange one before burial or cremation, and what it can cost.
- Private vs Public Funeral: Differences and CostsA private funeral is by invitation only; a public one is open to anyone. See how they differ in cost, atmosphere and announcements, and how to choose.
- Secular and Humanist Funerals: What They Are and How to Plan OneWhat a secular or humanist funeral is, how it differs from a religious service, who leads it, what it costs, and how to plan one step by step.
- Sibling Disagreements Over Funeral Arrangements: Who Decides and What to DoWho has the legal right to decide when siblings disagree about a funeral, what happens in a stalemate, and practical ways to reach a compromise.
- Skipping a Funeral Service: Reasons, Options and MemorialsWhy families choose no funeral service, what direct cremation and immediate burial include, what they cost, and simple ways to remember someone instead.
- Stillbirth Funeral Options: Burial, Cremation and HelpYour choices after a stillbirth: burial, cremation, a private service or a later memorial, plus the paperwork, costs and financial help to ask about.
- Technology in the Funeral Industry: What Has Changed for FamiliesHow technology is changing funerals: livestreams, online price lists, buying caskets online, memorial sites, aquamation, composting and digital accounts.
- Traditional Funeral Service: What to ExpectWhat a traditional funeral service includes, from visitation to committal, what the FTC Funeral Rule lets you decline, and how it differs from a memorial.
- Transporting a Body Across States: Permits, Steps and CostsHow a body is moved across state lines: the two funeral homes involved, the permit and death certificate, air or ground transport, rough costs and ways to save.
- Unidentified Remains Funeral: How It Works and What Families Can DoWhat happens to unidentified or unclaimed remains: who holds them, who pays for the burial, and what to do if you think it could be your relative.
- Viewing Without Embalming: Rules, Options and How It WorksCan you hold a viewing without embalming? What the law says, how refrigeration and cooling work, what funeral homes allow, religious limits and home viewings.
- Virtual Funeral Services: Options, Setup and EtiquetteHow virtual and hybrid funerals work, what free tools like Zoom and YouTube can and cannot do, and a step-by-step plan for a smooth online service.
- Wake vs Viewing vs Visitation: What's the Difference?Wake, viewing and visitation often mean the same gathering with the body present. Learn where the terms differ, what each costs to arrange, and how to choose.
- Washing and Dressing a Body at Home: Steps and TimingFamilies can wash and dress a loved one in most states. Learn when to start, how to wash, close the eyes and dress the body, and what to wear for cremation.
- What Happens to a Body Overnight at a Funeral Home?What a funeral home does with a body overnight: refrigeration or embalming, identification, who can give permission, and questions you can ask the staff.
- What Is a Celebration of Life? Meaning, Ideas and PlanningA celebration of life is an informal gathering that honors how someone lived. See how it differs from a funeral, when to hold it, ideas, costs and planning.
- What Is a Memorial Service? How It Differs From a FuneralWhat a memorial service is, how it differs from a funeral and a celebration of life, when and where to hold one, what it costs and how to plan it.
- What Is a Viewing? How Body Viewings Work, What to Expect and What They CostWhat a funeral viewing is, whether embalming is required, what it costs, how to prepare the body and what to expect as a guest, including etiquette.
- What Is a Wake? Meaning, What Happens and EtiquetteWhat a wake is, how it differs from a funeral and a viewing, what happens there, Irish and Catholic traditions, what to wear and say, and how to plan one.
- What Is Embalming? How It Works and When It Is RequiredWhat embalming is, how the procedure works, whether it is required by law, what the FTC Funeral Rule says, and the alternatives, such as refrigeration.
- What to Say at a Funeral: Examples and What to AvoidWhat to say at a funeral or visitation: short, sincere words such as I am sorry for your loss, a brief memory, a specific offer of help, and phrases to avoid.
- What to Wear to a Funeral: Men, Women, Children and FaithsWhat to wear to a funeral: dark, neat clothing is the safe default, but the family's wishes and faith come first. Advice for men, women and children.
- Who Is Responsible for Arranging a Funeral? Legal Order and Who PaysWho has the legal right to arrange a funeral, how state priority lists work, why a power of attorney or will may not decide it, and who pays the bill.