Arranging a Funeral
A funeral is not a day in a lifetime, it's a lifetime in a day.
What happens first?
Upon engaging us to carry out your funeral requirements, we will arrange to transfer the deceased person to our premises.
We will also make an appointment for one of our funeral directors to meet with you and your family to discuss funeral arrangements.
When to hold the service?
There is no specific time period to wait after someone has died, in which to hold the service, as there are many factors to be considered before the date and time is set.
Firstly, allowing time for family and friends to be a part of the planning and be present at the service. If the case has been referred to the coroner it may be 4 - 5 days before a service can be held. The time of year can dictate when the service can be held i.e. Easter, Christmas and New Year holidays or public holiday weekends. The availability of the venue. Many factors go into choosing the day and time.
We will work with you to choose the time and day that works for your circumstances.
Burial or Cremation.
This is one of the first questions you will be asked when you engage us.
You may know the wishes of the deceased. If not then a decision will have to be made by the next of kin.
This decision affects the immediate paperwork done by the doctor or medical examiner and funeral director. It also determines the final disposition of the body.
See Burial or Cremation for more information
At the funeral arrangement we will discuss and determine the following:
• The Funeral Director will collect information to register the death.
• You will be asked to decide upon a date, time and venue for the service which the Funeral Director will book.
• Choose a casket. The Funeral Director will have a range of caskets for you to choose from.
• Engagement of clergy/celebrant.
• Discuss the embalming the body. If it is a direct cremation then no embalming may be necessary. The Funeral Director will liaise with the Embalmer in relation to the date of the funeral and the state of the body and whether certain circumstances will take place, as to whether embalming is required.
See Embalming for more details.
• Time together - Do family and friends wish to view the deceased at our premises? Do you wish to take them home, to the marae?
• Collect clothing for dressing of the deceased.
• Create an obituary/funeral notice and place in newspaper(s)
• Do you or the deceased person have a preferred charity for donations to be made in their name at the service?
The Funeral Director will also carry out the following:
• Register the death and order the Death Certificate
• Family mail – to be sent to funeral directors for collection or direct to family PO Box
• Design and create service sheets with your choice of images, text and content.
• Refreshements following the service
• Engage a florist, caterer, musicians/sound tech and equipment if not provided at venue
• Organise audio visual presentation with your chosen images and music
•Payment for Celebrant/Clergy, Organist/Pianist/Piper unless the family wish to pay them independently
See more below - The Funeral & After the Funeral
Upon engaging us to carry out your funeral requirements, we will arrange to transfer the deceased person to our premises.
We will also make an appointment for one of our funeral directors to meet with you and your family to discuss funeral arrangements.
When to hold the service?
There is no specific time period to wait after someone has died, in which to hold the service, as there are many factors to be considered before the date and time is set.
Firstly, allowing time for family and friends to be a part of the planning and be present at the service. If the case has been referred to the coroner it may be 4 - 5 days before a service can be held. The time of year can dictate when the service can be held i.e. Easter, Christmas and New Year holidays or public holiday weekends. The availability of the venue. Many factors go into choosing the day and time.
We will work with you to choose the time and day that works for your circumstances.
Burial or Cremation.
This is one of the first questions you will be asked when you engage us.
You may know the wishes of the deceased. If not then a decision will have to be made by the next of kin.
This decision affects the immediate paperwork done by the doctor or medical examiner and funeral director. It also determines the final disposition of the body.
See Burial or Cremation for more information
At the funeral arrangement we will discuss and determine the following:
• The Funeral Director will collect information to register the death.
• You will be asked to decide upon a date, time and venue for the service which the Funeral Director will book.
• Choose a casket. The Funeral Director will have a range of caskets for you to choose from.
• Engagement of clergy/celebrant.
• Discuss the embalming the body. If it is a direct cremation then no embalming may be necessary. The Funeral Director will liaise with the Embalmer in relation to the date of the funeral and the state of the body and whether certain circumstances will take place, as to whether embalming is required.
See Embalming for more details.
• Time together - Do family and friends wish to view the deceased at our premises? Do you wish to take them home, to the marae?
• Collect clothing for dressing of the deceased.
• Create an obituary/funeral notice and place in newspaper(s)
• Do you or the deceased person have a preferred charity for donations to be made in their name at the service?
The Funeral Director will also carry out the following:
• Register the death and order the Death Certificate
• Family mail – to be sent to funeral directors for collection or direct to family PO Box
• Design and create service sheets with your choice of images, text and content.
• Refreshements following the service
• Engage a florist, caterer, musicians/sound tech and equipment if not provided at venue
• Organise audio visual presentation with your chosen images and music
•Payment for Celebrant/Clergy, Organist/Pianist/Piper unless the family wish to pay them independently
See more below - The Funeral & After the Funeral
We listen. We guide. We care.
The Funeral
• Deceased person transferred to funeral venue
• Funeral Director meets and greets family and funeral attendees
• Funeral Director ensures service runs to plan
• Process to the cemetery/crematorium at conclusion of service
After the Funeral
The Funeral Director will carry out the following:
• Collects ashes from crematorium
• Processes all supplier and subcontractor invoices
• Account forwarded to family/executor for payment
• Funeral Director pays follow-up visit to family
• Any family mail being collected at funeral home is delivered directly to family
• Completes paperwork, including applying for the Death Certificate
• Can organise the ashes interment at cemetery should you require our services to do so.
• Organises headstones or plaques for grave or ashes plot
• Deceased person transferred to funeral venue
• Funeral Director meets and greets family and funeral attendees
• Funeral Director ensures service runs to plan
• Process to the cemetery/crematorium at conclusion of service
After the Funeral
The Funeral Director will carry out the following:
• Collects ashes from crematorium
• Processes all supplier and subcontractor invoices
• Account forwarded to family/executor for payment
• Funeral Director pays follow-up visit to family
• Any family mail being collected at funeral home is delivered directly to family
• Completes paperwork, including applying for the Death Certificate
• Can organise the ashes interment at cemetery should you require our services to do so.
• Organises headstones or plaques for grave or ashes plot
