A funeral is a sad time, of course, but it should also be seen as a celebration of the person’s life, remembering everything that was great about them and giving them the perfect send off. It’s a chance to remember the reasons that person was so loved and valued, and the contribution they made to your life.

A lot of people leave funerals thinking “that was a brilliant send off” and admiring the various factors that made it the perfect tribute. But, with every person different and having their own idea of a how they want to be buried or cremated, it can be quite difficult to choose what is “essential” to a successful funeral. No matter how well you knew the person – you might be their partner or a family member, or just a close friend – it can be difficult to get it just right and “how they would’ve wanted it.”

To help you plan the perfect send off, there are plenty of funeral directors available to help you through the process, such as Co-op funeralcare. However, there may be some personal touches that you would like to arrange things yourself. Here are five of the most important factors that you can base the day around:

Funeral wishes

Obviously, you need to respect the wishes of the person if they told you the way they wanted their funeral to go. For instance, they might have asked for a cremation specifically, or a burial and may even have asked for a particular type of coffin.

Location

If they’ve lived somewhere all of their life, or are particularly fond of a location, then burying them or scattering their ashes there would be fitting. A lot of people choose to have their ashes scattered in lakes or on football grounds for example; while others might want to be buried close to their family in particular graveyards.

Guests

It’s key that everyone the person would like to celebrate their life is invited to the funeral. Family, close friends, colleagues and team mates generally want to pay their respects and it’s vital that there is room for the nearest and dearest at the location, so consider those closest to the deceased first.

Music

What better tribute would there be than to play the person’s favourite song. Maybe they were really keen on one particular musician or group, and playing their music at the funeral would be far better than more traditional music that they may have had no connection to.

Clothing

The person might have had their favourite clothes – maybe a suit, football shirt or dress – and in which case it might be a nice tribute to dress them in that outfit.

Whatever you decide to do for the day, consider what the person would have chosen if they’d planned the day themselves. It’s very easy to get swept away by generic funeral plans, but the day can be much more memorable with all the things that meant a lot to the person – the people and themes predominantly.