What to expect at the funeral arrangement

What to expect at the funeral arrangement

A guide to help you feel prepared for your arrangement.

Making informed choices is the key to ensuring the funeral experience is helpful for you and your family.

The first step is taking a few moments to prepare for your meeting with your Funeral Director. This meeting may take up to two hours (or as little as 30–45 minutes), depending on the decisions to be made and your family’s wishes.

Information required for legal registration

The following details are required for Births, Deaths & Marriages to register the death in New Zealand. Bringing a copy of birth and marriage certificates may assist, but is not essential.

• Full name, date and place of birth, and occupation
• Parents’ full names (including mother’s maiden name) and occupations
• Marriage details – date and location, spouse’s details, and age at marriage
• Children – full names, dates of birth, and genders

Things to consider before your meeting

It can be helpful to think about the following beforehand:

• When and where you would like the service to be held
• What type of service best suits your circumstances – a celebration of life, religious service, a simple farewell, or no service at all
• Whether your loved one would prefer burial or cremation
• Whether you or your family would like to spend time with your loved one beforehand
• Ways you may wish to personalise the service
• Whether there is a budget to observe
• The clothing you wish your loved one to be dressed in