Our clients often come to us at a time of great difficulty, and at Tacoma, WA funeral homes we’re always trying to figure out how we can ease the challenge of planning a funeral. At Weeks’ Dryer Mortuary, that includes listening to our clients and figuring out which new trends and evolutions in the funeral planning process can help. Here are some of the biggest new trends in planning funerals that the public is embracing.
Pre-Planning Services
The best way to ensure your family has an easier time planning services is to take care of all the details while you’re still around. That’s why many people, both old and young, are arranging pre-need services with a chosen funeral home. That makes it possible to take care of major details, personal arrangements, and even payment via a long-term installment plan so that your family can celebrate memories and pay tribute in peace.
Green Funeral Traditions
Many people are becoming more eco-conscious as concerns about climate change and human impact on the environment increase, and that’s extending to how we plan funerals. People are choosing caskets made out of recycled wood, biodegradable urns, and sustainable choices for memorial decorations and dinners. For those who choose cremation, it’s also common to opt for Aqua-mation, a more eco-friendly option that uses a heated alkaline solution instead of a furnace.
Digital Support
One of the biggest challenges of planning a funeral is getting all the friends and family of their loved one in one place for a proper memorial. With people living around the country and world, it’s now possible to pay tribute to the deceased remotely. This can include sending in video messages to be played at the memorial service, and a virtual guestbook where people can post memories and photos as a permanent memorial.
Delayed Services
Alternatively, if you want to get everyone together but need time to organize it, it’s becoming increasingly common to split the burial and the service. A small graveside service is done for the family and those who live close by, and then the family and funeral service work closely to organize a larger service when friends and family live further away can fly in. This increased flexibility is essential in giving family members the best chance to memorialize their loved one properly.
Memorials for a Good Cause
Many families are choosing to use their loved one’s funeral and memorial service to raise awareness and often money for a good cause. It’s common to ask friends and mourners to donate to a chosen charity in lieu of sending flowers or gifts. A common choice is to raise money for medical charities close to the family’s heart, but larger causes like environmental issues are popular as well.
These trends are available at Tacoma, WA funeral homes, and at Weeks’ Dryer Mortuary we can help you arrange a fitting tribute. Visit our offices or contact us by phone or e-mail to set up a consultation today.