Planning a Funeral is Easier with Some Helpful Tips

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Funeral homes in Lake Helen, FL, are normally the first place people will contact once an individual has passed away and needs to schedule services. You want the event to be thoughtful and help remember the individual in a positive way, so taking some time to understand what the options are can be helpful. This article will discuss some tips and ideas that you can utilize to make the process easier, so keep reading for more information.

What Needs to Be Included?

One of the first things you will need is understanding your budget before scheduling any details. It can be helpful to spend some time pre-planning because this can give you a better idea of what you will be able to include in the services. A few popular options individuals choose are:

  • Having a food and beverage service or reception
  • Including clergy members
  • Having a eulogy reading or speakers telling stories
  • Creating a video memorial tribute to the person’s life
  • Choosing between cremation, traditional burial, or both
  • Picking out the casket or urn
  • Choosing the decorations and floral arrangements
  • Writing the announcement

Popular Ideas

Creating a memorable farewell can include some popular ideas such as:

  • Playing the individual’s favorite music
  • Having a theme or color coordination
  • Sending them off with fireworks
  • Choosing a unique style of hearse
  • Offer memorial tokens to the attendees
  • Do a release with paper lanterns, doves, or butterflies
  • Add in unique hobbies the individual had to the decoration

Picking a Company to Work With

Choosing the right company will also make a difference in the experience, so a few questions you can ask them are:

  • How long have they been in business?
  • Can they accommodate any cultural or religious traditions?
  • Do they have a transparent pricing list?
  • Do they outsource to any other companies for tasks?

Pre-planning Considerations

And if you are planning for the services, a few things to consider are making sure that you check with the individual to see if they have any specific last requests. It’s essential to keep all of the financial arrangements organized and any documentation that will be needed at the time of the services. It can also be helpful to check with friends or family members to see if there’s anything specific that they would like to have added to the event or if there are any changes that need to be made to the plans.

Professional Services You Can Depend On

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Creating funeral services is just one part of laying an individual to rest, and you want to make sure that you are picking details that will help create a thoughtful and meaningful service. Taking the time to get organized and understand what’s required will help make the process easier and decrease stress levels.

If you are looking for professional services and have been reaching out to funeral homes in Lake Helen, FL, we would love to help you through the process from start to finish. We are locally owned and take great pride in offering exceptional care to all of our clients, so contact us today if you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment.

Funerals Versus Wakes

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After a loved one passes away, it can create a significant amount of pain and stress for some individuals, and they are going to seek out funeral homes in Lake Helen, FL, for scheduling the event. Many different details can happen at the services, including a funeral or a wake, but for someone who doesn’t know the difference, it can be confusing what to choose. So, in this article, we will discuss the difference between them more in-depth to help bring some clarity.

What is a Wake?

Awake is considered more of a visitation or a viewing and will offer a time frame to view the individual after they have passed away and talk with the family members to offer condolences. It can also be an optimal time to show support for the family to let them know they are not alone in their experience. The awake can occur at various places, including restaurants, individuals’ homes, or even in banquet halls depending on the needs of the individuals.

What is a Funeral?

A traditional funeral can be an event that is more formal than awake, and it can even involve religious aspects. In most cases, a clergy member may give a sermon, and other individuals may also read eulogies about the loved one. The funeral is traditionally completed at the cemetery, and there may be a burial that will follow it.

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Other Considerations

An open casket may be included at either a funeral or the wake, but traditionally the casket is usually closed during the funeral process and may have a decoration on the exterior such as a religious symbol. The wake will typically have the casket open because it is an opportunity for individuals to view the deceased and say goodbye to them unless their culture or religion does not allow it.

The wake will generally be a come as you please event intended for individuals to say goodbye and offer condolences. At the same time, the funeral is an opportunity to pay respects to the family and the deceased and learn more information about the loved one through the readings.

Wakes are more casual, whereas funerals are more formal due to the event’s purpose. Wakes are not known for having rituals, but these are more likely to happen at a funeral due to religious backgrounds.

The burial process will generally not happen at the wake but is often right after the funeral process and may include an additional service where individuals can drop flowers or other items of love into the plot.

Compassionate Care for All Our Community

Whether you’re planning a wake or a funeral, these can have intricate details that need to be expressed to create a thoughtful service, and if you’ve been looking at funeral homes in Lake Helen, FL, we would love to assist you. We are a locally owned company that takes great pride in creating events that will help the family honorably lay their loved one to rest, so if you have any questions or need to schedule an appointment, contact us today.

Meal Train Ideas

funeral homes in Orlando, FLPopular Meal Ideas to Offer Someone Grieving 

After an individual experience a transition loss of a loved one, they may need some additional support in their life. It is complicated to schedule the details with one of the funeral homes in Lake Helen, FL, because they may be experiencing fluctuating emotions from the grief, so offering any help may be well received. There are some things to consider when creating a meal train, so we have listed them in this article.

Get Specific Information

Every household will be different, so the first thing you need to do is speak with any individuals who will be part of the meal train to see their needs. There are some essential questions that you can ask to help bring clarity and make sure they’re getting what they need, so here is a list to start with.

  • What kind of appliances does the household have for heating or reheating food?
  • Do they have any favorite restaurants or meals that could be delivered with delivery service?
  • Are there any intolerances or food allergies to be aware of?
  • Do they have any food preferences or needs like vegan or vegetarian options?
  • How would they like to be notified when their food is on its way?
  • How many individuals are currently in the household that will need to be fed?
  • Are there children and adults that need to be considered for options?

Organize the Event

Once you have all of the questions answered and any others that seem essential, you can start organizing the event. It is recommended to use email, specialized online services, or even social media because this will allow you to fully list all the details that are required for the meal train and, at the same time, allows volunteers to sign up for times and dates that work for them.

A few meal tips to consider is that you prepare all the meals and containers that don’t have to be returned because this will help reduce the stress level of the household. It is recommended to include beverages and desserts, and it can be a kind and thoughtful extra addition to throw in a note or treat for the family.

funeral homes in Orlando, FLIf there are children in the household, you may also purchase food items specifically designated for them because this can help alleviate some of the pain of the loss, even if for just a short period.

Quality and Compassion for All Our Clients

If you are looking for specific recipes, there are thousands available online, but traditional favorites are items like casseroles and easy-to-prepare meals like a build-a sandwich tray. Offering support is essential, but if you require planning services with one of the funeral homes in Lake Helen, FL, we can help you through the process. We are locally owned, and we take great pride in understanding what it takes to create a truly memorable event. We work hard to treat all our clients with compassionate care so contact us today if you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment.

5 Ways to Create a More Authentic Experience for Attendees

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Your loved one was a remarkable individual, and once they’ve passed away, you want to make sure that you are honoring them and highlighting how special they were. Planning the details at one of the funeral homes in Lake Helen, FL, can allow you to truly celebrate them, and making the event as personal as possible is essential. Following a few suggestions can help you give the event that extra touch of care that will show to all the attendees, so here are some tips.

Choose a Food They Loved

At some events, the coordinator may choose to have a reception that could be extravagant and be fully catered or have something simpler like appetizers. One way to make the event personalized is to select a food item that the individual adored. If they had a specific dish that they specialized in, it could be helpful to create recipes of theirs to help with the process.

Offer a Gift

It is a thoughtful gesture to offer some form of token or gift for the attendees to show you appreciate their support, so making a personalized memorial gift can be ideal. Choosing items that remind you of the loved one, like a favorite candy or a satchel with their preferred coffee choice, can both be ways to authentically remember them and share that with others.

Pick Personalized Decorations

The decorations are the largest way to create a truly personalized service, so utilizing items like memorabilia is highly recommended. Having photo displays, favorite music, or even color coordination can also be another way to incorporate them into the event, which can help with the loss process.

Create a Theme

If there was something incredibly unique about the individual, you might consider creating a theme with the function. If they loved specific seasons of the year or this could be embellished, or you could focus on hobbies that they had and highlight these.

Consider the Location

If the individual had a specific area that they truly loved, you might want to consider having the services in this location. In some situations, the event may be held at one of the local funeral homes, while the reception could be fulfilled at a family member’s home or in a community park that the loved one cherished.funeral homes in Orlando, FL

This can also be applied to the burial location or if the individual is being cremated where their ashes are scattered. They may have had a specific area where they wanted either of these events to occur, so consider this when you are making all of the arrangements.

We are Here with Support and Compassion for You

Planning a personalized event can help celebrate the individual and remember the life and joy they brought into other’s worlds. Taking the time to plan a genuinely thoughtful event may feel confusing if you’ve never been through the process before, so when you’re looking at funeral homes in Lake Helen, FL, it’s essential to find a high-quality company you can trust. We are locally owned company and take great pride in offering genuinely thoughtful events for all of our clients, so contact us today for more information.

Meal Ideas for Someone Grieving

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Transitions happen with everyone, and whether it’s bringing a new to the home or going through the loss of a loved one, these can both be situations that create confusion as the emotions are processed. If you know someone who has recently needed to contact funeral homes in Lake Helen, FL, due to a loss, you might be considering creating a meal train to offer them support, and you might need some helpful recipe ideas. A few steps and suggestions can get you started, so keep reading for more information.

Getting Started

Once you have decided to create the meal train, you can get this schedule set up and give other people access to it that want to help contribute to the family or individual. There are a few essential things that you’re going to need to ask before preparing any meals, and they are:

  • Are there any allergies or food intolerances in the house?
  • Food preferences such as vegetarian or vegan?
  • What kind of kitchen appliances do they have, such as an oven or microwave?
  • How would they like to be contacted when the meal is on its way?
  • Checking to see if they want visitors or company during the dinner.

You will also want to make sure that you are preparing any of the meals in containers that do not need to be returned to decrease their stress level. And traditionally, when you do bring a meal, you want to make sure you include beverages and dessert.

Meal Ideas

  • Sheet pan baked chicken with veggies
  • Casseroles of any kind
  • Baked Spaghetti or lasagna
  • Premade salads with dressing on the side
  • Enchiladas or burritos
  • Macaroni and cheese
  • Build your tacos
  • Side salads
  • Turkey or chicken pot pie
  • Crockpot soups

You want to offer options that are easy to prepare and can be eaten at the leisure of the household, so a build your sandwich option can be a great idea. If children live in the home, bringing a body your pizza or finding kids-style foods such as chicken nuggets or corn dogs can help make the situation more manageable.

In addition to this, you may also want to provide a special side gift with the meal, such as a card or an extra special dessert that you know the family enjoys.funeral homes in Orlando, FL

Offering Comfort and Compassion

Many different recipes can create more ease and less stress for the family, so focus on finding those. You also want to do your best to be understanding if they do not wish to have visitors or company because everyone grieves differently, so know that you’re doing your part to show support by offering food as a form of comfort.

And suppose you have recently lost someone and have started looking at funeral homes in Lake Helen, FL. In that case, you want to find a company that offers integrity and compassionate care as its primary focus. Having an experienced and caring staff can make all the difference in planning services, so contact us today if you have any questions or want to schedule an appointment.