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.

Questions to Ask Your Pastor About Cremation, Burial, and Handling Ashes

Questions to Ask Your Pastor About Cremation, Burial, and Handling Ashes

The first time a family says the words “cremation” out loud after a death, it often sounds like a purely practical choice—simple, affordable, flexible. And sometimes it is. But for...

Cremation vs Burial for Christians: Key Questions to Ask Your Pastor and Family

Cremation vs Burial for Christians: Key Questions to Ask Your Pastor and Family

Most Christian families don’t begin this conversation because they want to debate theology. They begin because someone they love has died—or because they can feel the reality of death drawing...

Step-by-Step: How the Embalming Process Works at a Modern Funeral Home

Step-by-Step: How the Embalming Process Works at a Modern Funeral Home

If you’ve never been inside a funeral home’s care center, it’s completely normal to feel uneasy about the unknown. Many families search what happens during embalming at the exact moment...

What Really Happens During Embalming? A Plain-Language Walkthrough for Families

What Really Happens During Embalming? A Plain-Language Walkthrough for Families

If you’re planning a funeral while you’re exhausted, grieving, and trying to make a dozen decisions at once, the word “embalming” can land like a thunderclap. People imagine something frightening,...

What Is Embalming, Really? History, Process, and When Families Can Say No

What Is Embalming, Really? History, Process, and When Families Can Say No

In the first hours after a death, families often feel pulled in two directions at once. Part of you wants time to breathe, to call the people who need to...

Funeral, Wake, and Visitation: What Each One Means and How to Choose What Fits Your Family

Funeral, Wake, and Visitation: What Each One Means and How to Choose What Fits Your Family

In the first days after a death, language can feel like one more thing you’re expected to “get right” while you’re barely sleeping. Someone says “we’ll have a wake,” another...

End-of-Life Doulas: What They Do, How They Work with Hospice, and Questions to Ask Before Hiring

End-of-Life Doulas: What They Do, How They Work with Hospice, and Questions to Ask Before Hiring

Most families don’t start their week thinking, “We should hire a doula.” They start with smaller, more urgent thoughts: “Mom isn’t eating.” “He’s sleeping more.” “The nurse says we should...

What Is the Meaning of Funeral Arrangements?

What Is the Meaning of Funeral Arrangements?

Funeral arrangements are more than just a series of tasks to complete, they are a deeply personal expression of love, respect, and remembrance. They provide a structured way for families...

Do You Really Need Embalming? When It’s Required, When It’s Optional, and Alternatives

Do You Really Need Embalming? When It’s Required, When It’s Optional, and Alternatives

The question usually shows up in the middle of a harder moment. A nurse hands you a folder. A funeral home calls back. A family group chat lights up with...

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...

What Is the Cheapest Way to Plan a Funeral?

What Is the Cheapest Way to Plan a Funeral?

The most cost-effective approach to planning a funeral often involves separating the disposition from the ceremony. By choosing the simplest professional disposition option, most commonly a direct cremation, families can...

Is There Such a Thing as a Funeral Planner?

Is There Such a Thing as a Funeral Planner?

Planning a funeral can feel like navigating a maze of decisions, each carrying deep emotional weight. From choosing caskets or cremation urns for ashes to arranging a service that truly...

How Do You Prepay for a Cremation?

How Do You Prepay for a Cremation?

For many families, the decision to prepay for cremation isn’t primarily about securing a financial bargain—it’s about reducing the emotional and logistical pressure that comes during a time of grief....

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 Are the Disadvantages of Funeral Insurance?

What Are the Disadvantages of Funeral Insurance?

Making end-of-life arrangements is one of the most emotionally challenging experiences a family can face. Grief is raw, and decisions must often be made quickly, combining both financial pressure and...