There are no laws in the United States that require you to choose a funeral home for all your funeral planning needs. Technically, you could coordinate the entire interment on your own (or under the guidance of a licensed provider), as long as you adhere to all the legal requirements in your county and fill out all the appropriate paperwork that accompanies death. For more in depth guidance, download our guide "7 Insider Tips You Need to Know Before Funeral Planning"
(more…) How to Choose a Funeral Service Provider
April 21st, 2012There are no laws in the United States that require you to choose a funeral home for all your funeral planning needs. Technically, you could coordinate the entire interment on your own (or under the guidance of a licensed provider), as long as you adhere to all the legal requirements in your county and fill out all the appropriate paperwork that accompanies death. For more in depth guidance, download our guide "7 Insider Tips You Need to Know Before Funeral Planning"
(more…) Eulogy Ideas
April 19th, 2012
If you have recently lost a loved one or are planning a funeral for the first time, you might be intimidated at the prospect of writing a eulogy or giving a funeral speech. After all, this is your one chance to let everyone know in words just how important the deceased was to you and how he or she affected your life.
(more…) Maintaining Privacy at a Funeral
April 17th, 2012
Funeral planning can be stressful under the best of circumstances. Any family conflicts, unresolved arguments, or issues related to privacy that arise tend to make matters much worse than they need to be, often interrupting private grief and taking the focus away from where it should be—celebrating the life of the deceased.
Because death notices tend to be made public, it can be difficult to keep a funeral private and restrict attendance, especially if the deceased was a popular figure in any way. Here are a few tips to keep a funeral a small, intimate affair without hurting the feelings of those who aren’t invited to the funeral.
(more…) Tribute Videos and Funeral Planning
April 11th, 2012
If you’re planning the funeral of a loved one, you may come across a pamphlet or advertisement for a tribute video. Funeral videos are a way of creating an audio-visual tribute to the deceased through a series of photographs, images of favorite items, captions or titles, and music. Popular in recent years because of the blurring of the lines between the funeral industry and technology, video tributes are also a unique and beautiful way to provide a touch of personalization to the memorial service. For more in depth funeral planning guidance, download our guide "7 Insider Tips You Need to Know Before Funeral Planning"
(more…) How to Officiate a Funeral
April 9th, 2012
Nine times out of ten, funeral plans call for a religious official or funeral home director to oversee the proceedings at a memorial service. Although there are no rules about who can or can’t officiate a funeral, it is usually best to have someone who can provide comfort without breaking down in the face of such a sudden loss.
However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t opt to officiate a funeral on your own. If you would like to feel a deeper connection to the funeral planning process, or if you have a history of public speaking and would like to ensure that the funeral has a personal touch that everyone can connect to, you may wish to be in charge of the service yourself. If this is the case, here are a few steps for planning the ceremony.
(more…) Women and Funeral Planning
April 6th, 2012
When it comes to traditional financial planning, the majority of long-term fiscal decisions are made by men. For years, financial professionals have been trying to create specialized programs that focus on women and how they can plan for retirement or life after the loss of a spouse.
Funeral planning, on the other hand, is a process that has long been dominated by women. In fact, an estimated two-thirds of funerals are planned and paid for by women—usually because a wife outlives her husband, and is called upon to determine how to best lay her spouse to rest. Adult female children are also the ones most likely to act as caretakers for their aging parents, so the task of funeral planning often falls to them.
(more…) How to Create a Memorial Garden
April 5th, 2012
One of the best ways to commemorate the life of a loved one is by creating, funding, or planning a memorial garden. Long after the initial funeral planning process is finished, you can keep memories alive with an outdoor space that can be used for private reflection or even public use.
Most memorial gardens are small and private, usually built in a backyard or on a family plot of land. In fact, you can even have a garden in a pot placed in a sunny kitchen location—as long as it brings you comfort and focuses on the continuation of life, there is no reason why you can’t do whatever feels right. For those who want to make a larger difference, you may be able to make a donation to a local park or even establish a new park that is commemorated to a loved one. This typically comes at a high cost, but lasts for generations.
(more…) Funeral Planning: Moments of Silence
March 30th, 2012
One of the memorial service options that appears in almost all funeral plans, regardless of religious or personal preference, is the moment of silence. Defined as a period of silent contemplation (ranging from one to ten minutes), this time is used for everything from personal reflection and prayer to meditation. In funeral planning, it can be part of the decision-making process, memorial service, burial, ash scattering, or any other ceremony that comes with emotional weightiness.
(more…) Why You Should Pre-Plan Your Funeral if You Want to Be Cremated
March 28th, 2012
Funeral planning is one of the most personal and difficult things that anyone undertakes. It doesn’t matter whether it’s the funeral of a parent, a child, a brother, or a spouse—making the decisions that will lay your loved one to rest for all of eternity is something no one can be prepared to face.
Funeral traditions, those often somber practices that include ornate caskets, reverent music, and religious eulogies, exist to help those decisions become easier to make. There is a small measure of comfort to be derived from knowing that your loved one is following the same path that millions of people have traversed before.
(more…) Online Funeral Planning Resources
March 26th, 2012
Our iMortuary Blog is typically aimed at consumers seeking funeral home planning information. However, today's post from Minda Brusse, Principal of iMortuary.com, addresses funeral home owners and managers across the United States.
Funeral homes are facing the challenge of rapid change in the way businesses and individuals connect. Millions of consumers turn to the Internet to research funeral planning, creating an opportunity for businesses to connect with consumers who have not made firm plans and choices. Many funeral homes and cemeteries have websites and use email to interact with their customers. However, across the board, visibility and appropriate online branding continues to be a general weakness. Several marketing-oriented companies are stepping in to fill the gap.
(more…)
Funeral homes are facing the challenge of rapid change in the way businesses and individuals connect. Millions of consumers turn to the Internet to research funeral planning, creating an opportunity for businesses to connect with consumers who have not made firm plans and choices. Many funeral homes and cemeteries have websites and use email to interact with their customers. However, across the board, visibility and appropriate online branding continues to be a general weakness. Several marketing-oriented companies are stepping in to fill the gap.
(more…) 
