There is a natural tendency for many people to wish for privacy when they are going through the emotion of losing someone. This is understandable and if you choose to hold a private ceremony any funeral director will respect your decision.

However many grieving counselors suggest that the support that comes from enabling a wider circle of friends and associates to pay their respects, can be a significant part of the healing process. Without the occasion of a public funeral, some memories may remain unprompted and their positive affect can be lost.

This is a matter of personal choice. There is a long tradition of family members choosing to be buried together, but this has changed considerably over the past 20 years. The use of crypts and mausoleums (above ground burial chambers) is now rare and around 80% of funerals in Australia are cremations.

The reoccurring concern that most people have with a cremation is how can I be sure that Im getting back the right ashes? The answer to this is that each cremation is individually supervised to ensure you receive all the ashes, including the coffin. If you require more information on any aspect of burials or cremations a Seasons Funeral Planner will gladly provide it for you.

A funeral ceremony is normally quite separate from the interment of the body and many of our clients at Seasons like to hold their service in a place has special meaning for them. These can include a church, private chapel, public space, home or garden. Seasons have organised funeral services in tractor sheds, on golf courses and beaches. All you need to do is tell your Seasons Funeral Planner your preferred location and we will do our best to arrange it for you.

This could be a member of the clergy, a celebrant, family member or friend. Ideally it should be someone that is used to public speaking and able to deal with the sensitivity of the occasion in an honest and straightforward manner. A funeral needs someone that can manage the various stages in a respectful manner unencumbered by false sentiment. It helps if the individual chosen to lead the service has had some experience of what is required, but it is not essential.

The necessity for a viewing may depend on your religious or cultural beliefs. Some people like to hold a viewing to afford family members and friends an opportunity to see the face of the deceased and to say a personal farewell, while other people prefer to use a closed coffin that is farewelled at the funeral.

This is a matter of choice, but it is advisable to canvas opinion amongst family members because it can sometimes cause unnecessary rifts after the event. We have experienced instances where individuals have been unable to see the deceased and been upset because they were never able to say goodbye.

There are many different types of coffins and caskets available in Australia. These range in price from around $1,800 to over $40,000 for imported caskets. A recent innovation is the environmentally friendly LifeArt coffins, an Australian concept that is now being exported overseas. These are available in a selection of styles that can be further personalised to reflect the spirit of the individual.

Seasons offer LifeArt coffins in Western Australia and a Seasons Funeral Planner can show you photographs of our complete range of coffins and caskets at the appropriate time.

The choice of music at a funeral can have a major influence on the event. Our Funeral Planners are skilled at assisting clients to refine their choices and sourcing the appropriate musicians or recordings. Limited edition cds of the requested music are available on request.

Traditionally this responsibility has fallen to male relatives and friends because of the strength that was needed to carry the coffin from the hearse into the venue. These days the role is more ceremonial and there is less of a requirement for heavy lifting, so pallbearers can include women and younger family members. This decision depends on the weight of the coffin and the location of the venue. Note: While pallbearers can still use ropes for interment during graveside services, Seasons also has a specially designed lowering machine for this purpose and this can assist in widening your choice of pallbearers.

While the person leading the service may be unknown to you, the person who reads the eulogy usually has a first hand knowledge of the deceased. However they may not be experienced at public speaking and chances are they have never prepared a eulogy before.

To assist them we have a specially prepared checklist and within our library we have one or two excellent books, please ask your Seasons funeral director for more information.

Most people shrink from speaking in public, but a funeral is a different occasion and individuals who are normally quite shy can feel compelled to stand up and share their recollections. We suggest you draw up a list of people who might be appropriate for this and discuss it with them. They should not feel that this is an obligation, but they need to be aware that if they want to speak at the funeral they should contact your Funeral Planner prior to the event.

This can lead people to write a speech and then choose not to deliver it, but the act of committing their thoughts to paper is still a cathartic and beneficial experience. If they contact a Seasons Funeral Planner they will also be made aware of specific publications that may be of assistance to them.