The Funeral.com Journal

Resources to help you create tributes as unique as the people (and pets) you love. Learn how engraving, photos, colors, and symbols add meaning; discover scattering rituals and at-home memorial ideas. We focus on the details that matter—because small choices can carry a lifetime of comfort.

Burial Service

Burial Service

A burial service is often labeled as “traditional,” but for most families, the meaning is much simpler and far more human. It is a defined moment in time, sometimes a...

How Do Pet Funerals Work? A Gentle Guide to Saying Goodbye, Pet Cremation, and Memorial Choices

How Do Pet Funerals Work? A Gentle Guide to Saying Goodbye, Pet Cremation, and Memorial Choices

Losing a pet can feel disorienting in a very specific way. The grief is real and heavy, but the world around you often treats it like it should be smaller,...

How to Make a Picture Board for a Funeral

How to Make a Picture Board for a Funeral

Creating a picture board for a funeral is a deeply personal way to celebrate the life of a loved one. It allows friends and family to connect with memories, honor...

Wake, Viewing, and Visitation Etiquette: What to Wear, What to Say, and How Long to Stay

Wake, Viewing, and Visitation Etiquette: What to Wear, What to Say, and How Long to Stay

Walking into a wake, a viewing, or a visitation can feel strangely hard—especially if you haven’t been to one in years, or if you’re worried about “doing the right thing.”...

Wake vs Viewing vs Funeral vs Celebration of Life: Which Is Right for Your Family?

Wake vs Viewing vs Funeral vs Celebration of Life: Which Is Right for Your Family?

If you’ve been handed a list of options—wake, viewing, funeral, memorial, celebration of life—it can feel like someone just asked you to plan an event while your heart is in...

Do Funeral Homes Provide Prayer Cards?

Do Funeral Homes Provide Prayer Cards?

When a loved one passes, families are often faced with an overwhelming number of decisions about the funeral service. From choosing caskets to planning the order of ceremonies, every choice...

What Is a Typical Funeral Program?

What Is a Typical Funeral Program?

Funerals are moments filled with profound reflection, remembrance, and love, times when families and friends come together to honor a life that has left a lasting mark. They are both...

Direct Cremation: What’s Included, What’s Not, and How Families Can Personalize Later

Direct Cremation: What’s Included, What’s Not, and How Families Can Personalize Later

For many families, direct cremation feels like the least complicated option at a time when everything already feels complicated. There is no pressure to pick a date for a formal...

Choosing Funeral Flowers: What to Pick and Why It Matters

Choosing Funeral Flowers: What to Pick and Why It Matters

Choosing funeral flowers can feel heavier than it sounds. You are not just picking something that looks nice—you are selecting a symbol meant to sit quietly beside grief. When people...

Wake, Viewing, Visitation, and Funeral: What Each One Means and How They’re Different

Wake, Viewing, Visitation, and Funeral: What Each One Means and How They’re Different

If you’ve ever found yourself Googling wake vs viewing or visitation vs funeral at 1 a.m., you’re not alone. Families often inherit a swirl of terms in the days after...

Ambiguous Loss: Grieving When There’s No Body, Clear Ending, or Traditional Funeral

Ambiguous Loss: Grieving When There’s No Body, Clear Ending, or Traditional Funeral

When someone is gone—but not fully gone in the way our brains expect—grief can feel like it has nowhere to land. There’s no hospital discharge summary, no funeral date that...

Memorial Service: How to Plan a Meaningful Tribute (and What to Do With Ashes Afterward)

Memorial Service: How to Plan a Meaningful Tribute (and What to Do With Ashes Afterward)

A memorial service is one of life’s rare pauses, a moment to gather, reflect, and honor someone’s legacy. It is a space where stories are shared, laughter is remembered, and...

Memorial Service: A Gentle, Practical Guide to Planning One That Feels Like Them

Memorial Service: A Gentle, Practical Guide to Planning One That Feels Like Them

There’s a particular kind of quiet that follows a loss. It’s the quiet after the calls are made, after the immediate logistics begin to settle, and you realize you still...

What Happens at a Visitation or Viewing?

What Happens at a Visitation or Viewing?

A visitation or viewing is a time for family and friends to come together, share memories, and offer support after a loss. For those attending for the first time, the...

Remembering Through Music: Playlists, Live Performances, and Songs That Become “Theirs”

Remembering Through Music: Playlists, Live Performances, and Songs That Become “Theirs”

There are days when grief feels like silence. Not the calm kind—the kind that makes the house sound too big, the car ride too long, the evening too empty. And...

Short-Notice Funerals and Quick Cremation Services: What’s Realistic on a Tight Timeline

Short-Notice Funerals and Quick Cremation Services: What’s Realistic on a Tight Timeline

The hours after a death can feel urgent and overwhelming. Families often juggle travel logistics, faith-based timelines, and the emotional weight of saying goodbye. In these moments, questions about short...