If you’ve ever attended a funeral service outside of your own religion and didn’t know what to expect or what was expected of you, then you know how nerve-wracking the experience can be.
That’s why, as the host or organizer of a funeral, you should consider communicating the expected etiquette to guests so that everyone can honor the deceased in an appropriate, respectful way.
Here are four gentle ways you can do that if you’re planning funeral home services in Southfield or the surrounding area:
1. Include an Informed Invite
Briefly explain the dress code and religious customs that will be observed in when sending out the funeral invitations. Would the family prefer if very young children stayed at home? This is the time and place to give those details.
2. Provide an Overview at the Beginning of the Service
This could include information like the order of service, cultural or religious customs observed and any special instructions for that day. A brief introduction puts guests at ease by giving everyone an understanding of what lies ahead. The host or an officiant can make the announcement.
3. Set Expectations for Use of Electronics
This ties in with the first two – explain in the invite what your expectations are for phone use (No phones or cell phones on vibrate?) and explain your social media wishes, as it’s not unusual these days for some people to post photos from the grave site. If that’s not something the family wants, then you should communicate that ahead of time. Furthermore, go over those expectations again during the overview of the service – don’t assume everyone read or remembers what was said in the invite.
4. Provide guidance and answer questions
Having someone available who can answer questions from guests can make a significant difference in how comfortable the guests and the family of the deceased are. This could be anyone from family members to funeral directors to officiants, as long as someone is there who can guide and inform guests accordingly.
Communicating funeral etiquette to guests is a key component of hosting a funeral, and using these gentle yet effective means can ensure they feel at ease and respectful throughout the service. To learn more contact Holy Sepulchre today.
