What do families most often regret about the funeral they arranged?
Answered byJames DanielsFuneral ArrangerWatch · 0:46James says families often regret choices that were not true to themselves or the person who died. They may leave out a meaningful song or personal detail because they worry about guests’ reactions. His advice is to focus on what the person would have wanted and what will matter to the family afterwards. Tell the funeral director which music, words and moments would make the farewell feel personal.
For related guidance, see what do you do when someone dies at home in Australia?.
Read the video transcript
I think what most people regret is not being true to themselves and their loved ones. So if there's a particular song you want played but you think you know, it might not be perceived in the best light by funeral attendees, then I would suggest just not worrying about that and going ahead with what you'd like to do, or what your loved one might have liked. Because oftentimes that's the things that you're going to remember about the service, and that's going to help with closure. And you're not going to be thinking about what someone thought about your funeral arrangements in the days coming, in the days and weeks following the funeral.
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