Planning a funeral or a memorial?
Wondering how you can best honour your loved one as you say your farewells?
Let’s start with the location of your ceremony first with…
3 Alternative Locations…
More than ever the choice of location for your ceremony is proving to be an integral part of your decision making.
We all know about the religious buildings and the crems for your farewells and funerals.
But did you know that your ceremonies can literally be held anywhere?
In this blog we are going to explore 3 alternative locations for your funerals & memorials.
You might not have considered them before, but you can hold a farewell ceremony pretty much anywhere and at a time to suit, taking all the time you need.
TW….Talk of death and dead bodies…
Death, it’s a sensitive subject, and here in the UK in the 21st century, the majority of us still let the Funeral Directors handle everything around it, but let me bust a couple of myths here because …
You DON’T need to use a Funeral Director for any aspect of a funeral, you can handle it all yourself.
Most of us use FD’s because it can be an overwhelming time and they do tend to be the gatekeepers we turn to. But not all of them are comfortable stepping into and embracing the alternative, so be sure to shop around to find the FD that gets your vision for a perfect send off, or DIY.
You CAN transport a body yourself in a suitable vehicle as long as it is respectfully done,
(covered appropriately and best laid flat) You don’t want to freak your fellow motorists out by having someone seated next to you in the passenger seat!
You’re best off notifying your local police force too, just so they are aware of your planned movements.
As with everything there are slightly different laws in Scotland.
The Pub (or other favourite drinking establishment)
Whether you transport your loved one to the venue yourself or employ the services of a Funeral Director, their send- off can be at their favourite drinking establishment.
There are no special licences required, just the permission of a forward-thinking licensee.
Some things to think about…
Time of day
Do you need a private area or sole use of the pub?
Easy access to the venue for the coffin and guests
Will ceremony be inside or outside (think of appropriate cover if outside)
If the venue is important to you, but they won’t allow a coffin in, think instead of holding a memorial ceremony after a direct cremation.
At Sea
There are quite a few hoops to jump through in order to hold a burial at sea, and in England there are only 3 places where this can legally be done. The other nations offer offshore burials too, so be sure to contact the relevant authority.
Natural Resource Wales for burials at sea in inshore and offshore areas of Welsh waters.
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, for burials at sea in inshore Northern Irish waters.
The Burial, Cremation and Death Certification Team, for burials at sea in Scottish waters.
All the information you’ll need can be found here.
(Don’t confuse a burial at sea with a scattering of ashes at sea, because unless you are looking at scattering somewhere privately owned, that can be done pretty much anywhere).
Outdoors
As long as you can access the location and you have landowners permission a beautiful outdoor send off can be achieved anywhere!
From the beach to a woodland clearing.
From your own garden to that of a local stately home.
When nature and the great outdoors has played a major part of a life, it’s only fair that in death, a farewell reflects that life.
If you need any help or advice or want to book me directly for pre planning or a funeral or memorial find out more about my services here.
For more information and ideas about how we can work together get in touch now
I can’t wait to work with you and create something funky and magical.