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.
10 Common U.S. Funeral Traditions Explained (What to Expect and Why)
If you haven’t attended a funeral in a while, it’s normal to feel unsure. Grief changes the way time feels, and it also changes the way social rules land. You...
How to Choose a Funeral Home in Oklahoma (2026): GPL Price List, Licensing, Questions & Red Flags
Choosing a funeral home is one of those decisions you make while your mind is already carrying too much. You might be grieving, trying to coordinate family, and learning new...
Weather-Proof Funeral Planning: Rain, Heat, Snow, and Backup Plans That Work
When a family chooses an outdoor goodbye, it’s usually for a reason that matters. A graveside service can feel honest and grounded. A park memorial can feel like breathing room....
Living Funerals: What They Are, Why People Hold Them, and How to Plan One
A living funeral is one of those phrases that can sound unusual until you hear it described in plain language: it’s a gathering held while someone is still alive, so...
Planning a Child’s Funeral: What to Expect, Special Considerations, and Support Resources
When a child dies, time can feel warped. Minutes crawl, but decisions appear fast and urgent: calls to make, paperwork to sign, family to notify, and the question of what...
Digital Funeral Planning Tools: Apps and Websites to Organize Arrangements Online
When someone dies, the hard part is not that there are “too many decisions.” The hard part is that decisions, documents, and emotions all land at the same time. A...
Pre-Planning a Funeral as a Couple: Making Joint Decisions and Documenting Your Wishes
When couples talk about planning ahead, it often starts with the practical things: “Do we have life insurance?” “Where are the passwords?” “Who’s on the mortgage?” But pre-need funeral planning...
Funeral Planning for Aging Parents: How Adult Children Can Start the Conversation
Most adult children don’t avoid funeral planning because they’re careless. They avoid it because they’re trying to protect their parent from fear—and themselves from the ache of imagining life without...
How to Plan a Secular Celebration of Life (Non-Religious Service Ideas)
A secular celebration of life is one of the most compassionate “middle paths” a family can choose: it offers structure when your mind feels scattered, but it doesn’t require religious...
Funeral Receptions and Repasts: Food Ideas, Venue Options, and Etiquette After the Service
After a funeral or memorial service, many families feel two things at once: exhaustion and a quiet need to be together. A funeral reception or a repast after funeral isn’t...
Scheduling a Funeral: Planning Around Holidays, Travel, and Weather Delays
One of the first practical questions families ask after a death is also one of the hardest: when should we do this? You may be coordinating a service while you’re...
Planning a Funeral From Out of Town: How to Arrange Services Remotely
Planning a funeral from out of town can feel like two hard things stacked together: grief, and the helplessness of being far away. You might be in another state, overseas,...
Last-Minute Funeral Planning: A Fast Checklist for a Meaningful Service
When you have to plan a funeral or memorial quickly, it can feel like the world is asking you to make permanent decisions while you’re still trying to breathe. The...
Planning a Funeral With a Big Family: How to Manage Opinions and Keep the Peace
When a big family is grieving, love and stress can show up in the same sentence. One sibling wants “something simple,” another wants “what Mom would have wanted,” an aunt...