Funeral Information
Before you meet with us
If you are arranging the service of a loved one, there are several things that you may wish to do before we meet for the first time to help make things easier.
Our arrangement forms can be printed out and filled in prior to the funeral arrangement if you wish. This is the information we will pass on to the Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages.
Photos
Our media team are highly skilled at creating wonderful memorial keepsakes. If you have any photos that are precious to you, that you would like to be included please bring them along. We can work with either printed photographs which can be carefully scanned or digital photographs, just bring the unedited original files on a USB thumb drive or details of a cloud storage account (DropBox) where we may access the original files.
Music
Select the title and artist you would like to be heard during the service. Usually three pieces are sufficient.
Clothing
So we may dress your loved one appropriately.
Writing a Eulogy
Giving a eulogy for someone close to you can be a great life achievement. If you have been given the task, it’s a great privilege.
You might be asking yourself where to begin. To write a good story, find the emotive moments. Emotions make things memorable. Think of a moment that lead to an exceptional emotion, rather than simply an intense one. It might involve surprise, awkwardness, fear, extreme satisfaction, anger or joy. Get a collection of these moments and assemble them in a way that fits the context.
The trap that some fall into when writing a eulogy is to make it too long, making it lose its impact. Better eulogies might go for between 5 and 10 minutes; the equivalent of 1,000 words for a speech of this length. If you are going to write your eulogy word-for-word, then you might print it out with double-spacing and in a slightly larger font than normal to make it easier to read. The close family will likely be happy to get a printed copy of the eulogy after the service.
Delivering a Eulogy
Public speaking can be frightening, so you need to be brave. Know that your listeners are supportive and loving. Know that it’s okay to make mistakes. No one expects you to be a great speaker and certainly not at this difficult time. It is your words, and the sentiment behind them, that matter the most.
Tips for Speaking
Before the day, practise in front of a mirror, imagining your listeners before you.
If you fear that you might break down, arrange for a backup speaker to be on hand with a copy of your speech.
Simply knowing they are there may get you through. When the time comes, be yourself. Imagine you are talking to a good friend.
Speak clearly and project your voice so everyone can hear you. If you feel yourself becoming choked up with emotion, pause and take a deep breath to collect your thoughts. Your listeners will understand.
