choosing a funeral director Archives - Brember Family Funerals

Tips on how to choose a funeral director in Melbourne.

If the thought of organising a funeral for your loved one is overwhelming, know that you're not alone. Unless you've experienced how to arrange a funeral in the past, it's natural to feel a little bit lost and not know what you're meant to do first.

The best thing you can do is find and choose a funeral director you can trust.

You may have attended a memorable funeral, you may Google, or your loved one may have pre-arranged a funeral for you. No matter how you come across a funeral director in Melbourne, the important thing is you feel supported from the very first point of contact.

What makes a good funeral director?

You'll find your funeral director should take care of every detail for you. From the time death occurs, your chosen funeral director can step in and start arranging the initial steps like transporting your loved one into their care.

From there, they will care for your loved one, respectfully preparing their body with dignity and kindness.

Next, they'll be in contact to arrange a time to start preparing the funeral plans. You won't need to worry about all the finer details as your funeral director will be there to guide you through the planning process.

Listening to your needs, your funeral director should be able to accommodate any requests you have. Often your loved one may have discussed ideas with you and your funeral director should go above and beyond to try and make your funeral a celebration of life in the unique way you ask.

A funeral director, regardless of their own race or religion, should be able to accommodate any cultural beliefs that you need to observe. They are not prejudiced and should be open to attending any church, chapel or cultural centre that you request.

And finally, a decent funeral director will offer you a range of pricing options and be transparent about what's included in their packages. There's nothing worse than hidden costs that come up leaving families struggling to find the extra costs to cover a funeral. Make sure you have all the costs laid out so you can make an informed decision.

At Brember Family Funerals, we believe everyone has the right to a caring and dignified farewell. That's why we offer a range of dignified and affordable funeral options for all families across Melbourne. Our team take great pride in helping you create a cost-effective, memorable funeral that's uniquely yours.

Questions to ask a funeral director:

When you're looking for a funeral director, here are some more options to keep in mind:

Ask - do they:

Have a range of affordable options to suit your budget (and are they flexible in what can be included)?
Clearly show in their pricing what's included and what's not (are they transparent or are there hidden extras)?
Transport your loved one's body from a hospital or home within Australia and is there a cost (incl. international returns)?
Respectfully prepare the deceased for burial or cremation (and can you request female only if you want to)?
Travel to any funeral location such as chapels, churches or a venue of your choosing?
Help you to register the death and the arrangement of government benefits?
Offer you advice on how to write an obituary?
Give you guidance and support throughout the entire funeral process?
Support you after the funeral and arrange for ashes to be returned to you?

Once you've chosen...

If you've made a shortlist, or you've already decided who you want as your funeral director, the first step is to speak with them in person. After an initial phone call, many funeral directors will arrange a time to meet in person, whether it's at your home or their premises. It's when you speak with a funeral director that you clearly see if they'll be the right fit for you and your family.

You can see if they're listening to you, showing you compassion and understanding what you're going through (rather than just doing a hard sell on an expensive funeral package).

Handy hint: With everyone being online these days, it's a great idea to read Google reviews or testimonials about your chosen funeral director or funeral home. If a funeral director has performed badly, they will get bad reviews as they would have caused the person even more distress than what they had. Look for highly rated, 5-star companies as you know you can trust them to care for you and your loved one.

Our Melbourne funeral directors are here for you.

Our team of highly experienced, caring and compassionate funeral directors understand you're dealing with pain and grief at this difficult time. That's why we're here for you and you can trust that we know what to do.

Call us today, have a chat and let's see if together, we can create a memorable funeral that perfectly celebrates your loved one's life.