Funeral Planning

Funeral Planning

Prior to and/or after the death of a family member or close friend, it is important to know that you can rely on qualified, experienced, professionals to make all the arrangements to ensure the funeral flows smoothly.

It is important that you are informed and choose the type of funeral ceremony that is right for you and your family. Our Directors can guide you through the options, and will take care of all the details. Our caring team of locals will liaise with clergy and celebrants, doctors, hospitals, coroners and other officials, and cemetery authorities so you don’t have to worry.

We arrange music including an organist, place death/family notices in the selected newspapers, provide vehicles as needed, order flowers, organise video/DVD recording of the service, livestreaming and anything else you require.

Westland Funeral Services staff  are available to speak to local community groups about funerals, and we are also able host groups at our premises.

Choices

• The different types of ceremony, religious or otherwise.
• The best location for the service: a church or chapel, at home, at the graveside.
• Who should officiate: a priest, minister, celebrant or family members.
• Whether you want to view the deceased, and where the viewing should be.
• Whether you want to have a burial or cremation.
• Whether you want flowers or charitable donations.
• The most appropriate funeral notice.
• Casket selection.
• The order of service, the choice of music and hymns.
• Venue for a post-funeral get together and how to arrange it.
• What other professional help is available.Once the choices are made, it is up to you how little or how much you want our staff to help with arrangements. We can take care of the following details:

Details

• The registration of death and necessary documentation.
• Contacting appropriate burial or cremation authorities, as well as contacting the doctor, coroner or hospital and collection of certificates.
• Arranging national or international transportation or repatriation within New Zealand or any other country.
• Liaising with clergy or funeral celebrants, assisting with the service and organizing funeral details.
• The provision and preparation of the casket.
• Embalming to ensure hygienic preservation and natural presentation.
• Providing viewing facilities in comfortable premises.
• Ordering family flowers for the casket.
• Providing transport to and from the funeral.
• Preparing and placing newspaper notices locally or internationally.
• Arranging monumental masonry for the memorial stone.
• Arranging the scattering or burial of ashes, as well as providing quality urns.