The first rule of funeral planning is… there are no rules!
These days, a funeral can be anything you want it to be. While some people choose to have a traditional funeral with all of the bells and whistles (think cars for family, floral arrangements and catering), a growing number of people are opting for direct cremation. This is a basic, stripped back form of funeral that doesn’t include a service for family and friends at the crematorium. However, choosing direct cremation doesn’t prevent family and friends coming together for a celebration of life or memorial service at a later date.
In this article, we’ll look at the key areas to consider when setting out your funeral wishes.
Would you like to be buried or cremated?
According to the SunLife Cost of Dying Report 2025, 75% of funerals in the UK are cremations while the other 25% are burials. This is a deeply personal choice and there are many reasons why people choose one over the other, including cost (with burial tending to be more expensive than cremation), religious beliefs and family traditions.
There isn’t just one type of burial available, with more environmentally friendly options such as natural burial (also known as ‘woodland burial’) available at more than 270 dedicated locations throughout the UK. Whatever kind of burial you choose, you can define the place and any particular preferences around the memorial or headstone in your funeral wishes.
Likewise, if you choose to be cremated you can opt for a traditional cremation, which includes a service for family and friends to attend, or a direct cremation, which takes place without any service and is unattended. Another aspect of cremation to consider is what you would like to happen to your ashes. Many people choose to have their ashes scattered by loved ones at a location of special significance, while others may choose for their ashes to be scattered in a garden of remembrance. Some people ask that their ashes are interred (buried), which allows for a permanent resting place that can be visited by family and friends in the years that follow.
What type of service and officiant would you like?
If you’d like to have a funeral service, as has long been considered ‘the norm’, you can opt for this to be religious or secular (non-religious). You might even have a particular minister or celebrant in mind.
You may also have a preferred location for your funeral, with common choices being a church, crematorium or place of worship at a funeral home.
What about the finer details?
Once you’ve made the key decisions for your funeral, it’s up to you how much further you’d like to go. Some people get a great deal of satisfaction from planning out every meticulous detail, while others might choose to leave this to their loved ones. Other details to consider including in your funeral wishes are;
Dress code
Flowers
Music
Readings
Coffin type
Charitable donations
Catering
In recent years, we’ve seen a cultural shift in society’s perception of what a funeral is or can be, which means the list really is endless! The most important thing is that your funeral reflects your own personal wishes.
This National Funeral Planning Week, we’re encouraging people to have the important conversation about funeral planning now. We see the comfort and reassurance that planning a funeral can bring—not just to our plan holders, but to the family and friends they leave behind.
Click here to download our free funeral wishes template.
