Arranging a Funeral
Funeral choices
Explore funeral choices including coffins, vehicles, flowers, ceremony leaders, venues, ashes, keepsakes and memorials.
Personalising a funeral does not mean adding as much as possible. It means choosing the details that help the funeral feel true to the person and right for those attending.
You can keep the arrangements simple, follow a tradition or combine familiar elements with something more personal.
We will guide you through the decisions that need to be made first and explain which choices can wait. We will also make clear where an optional choice affects the cost before you agree to it. Nothing optional should be presented as something you have to buy.
Choices you may wish to consider
Coffins and caskets
Coffins and caskets are available in different materials, styles and finishes. These range from simple traditional designs, veneered and solid timber, to woven and natural materials, and personalised options.
Some religious, cultural, environmental or practical requirements may affect which options are suitable. We will talk you through the available choices and clearly include the cost of your selected coffin or casket in your written estimate.
The designs below give an idea of what is available. They are not a complete list, and we can source other styles on request.
Our most requested coffins
Traditional veneered coffins, chosen by many families for their classic appearance.
The York
Oak veneer with smooth curved sides and a clean, traditional profile.
The Milldale
Mahogany veneer with a rich, deep tone and solid mahogany mouldings.
The Norbury
Cherry veneer with a warm tone, distinctive grain and solid oak mouldings.
Other popular designs
The Haddon
Oak veneer with a high-gloss finish and a half-round beaded lid.
The Hartington
Mahogany veneer with routed panel sides and a double raised lid.
The Parwich
Mahogany veneer in high gloss with embossed panel sides.
The Bow Oak
A natural, understated matt oak finish with wooden handles.
Solid wood coffins
Made entirely from solid timber, with a substantial, formal appearance.
The Ascot
Solid mahogany in high gloss, with panelled sides and a double raised lid.
The Chesterfield
Solid oak in high gloss, with panelled sides and a double raised lid.
Coloured coffins
Coloured coffin
Spray-finished in a colour of your choice. A personal alternative to a wood finish.
Natural and woven coffins
For families who would like a natural material or a more environmentally conscious choice. Many are suitable for natural burial grounds; we will check the requirements of the burial ground or crematorium.
- English willow coffins: handwoven willow in traditional round-ended and shaped designs
- Rainbow and bespoke willow: willow woven with coloured bands or to a personal design
- Grown coffins: a newer option grown from natural materials rather than made from timber, designed to return to the earth
Metal caskets
Caskets are rectangular with a hinged lid, and are heavier and more substantial than a coffin. Metal caskets are available in a range of finishes, including white, polished metal and designs with floral detailing. Some burial grounds and crematoria have rules about casket size and materials, so we will confirm suitability before you choose.
Images show examples. Finishes, handles and interior fittings can vary.
Hearses and other vehicles
A traditional hearse may be used, with limousines available where required. You may also wish the funeral procession to follow a meaningful route or pass a particular place.
Specialist vehicles may be possible, such as a motorcycle hearse, as may alternative procession arrangements. These depend on availability, safety, distance and access at the funeral venue. We will confirm the arrangements and any additional cost before they are booked.
Horse-drawn hearses
A horse-drawn hearse can be arranged where the route and venue allow. The examples below show the traditional white and black carriages we can arrange, subject to availability.
White horse-drawn hearse
White carriage drawn by horses in white plumes, traditional for many services.
Black horse-drawn hearse
Traditional black glass carriage drawn by black horses in feathered plumes.
Motorcycle hearse
A motorcycle hearse can be arranged where the route and venue allow, subject to availability.
Motorcycle hearse
A black motorcycle with a glass sidecar carrying the coffin.
Flowers and donations
Flowers might reflect a favourite colour, season, garden or relationship. You may prefer a single tribute, flowers from close family only, living plants, charitable donations or no flowers at all.
We can discuss the available options, coordinate with a florist or explain what is needed if the family wishes to provide its own arrangements.
If you would like donations to be collected in memory of the person who has died, these can be arranged through their MuchLoved tribute page.
Music, readings and personal tributes
Music, readings, poetry, photographs and shared memories can all help a funeral reflect the person being remembered.
These do not have to be formal or conventional. You might choose a favourite song, invite a relative or friend to speak, display photographs or include an object connected with an interest or important part of the person’s life.
The venue or person leading the service will advise if there are any practical restrictions.
Orders of service and printed items
An order of service can guide those attending through the ceremony and provide something to keep afterwards. It might include photographs, music, readings, hymns, acknowledgements or a short account of the person’s life.
Other options may include memorial cards, a book of condolence or a display of photographs. We will explain the available choices and the information needed to prepare them.
Ministers, celebrants and ceremony leaders
A funeral may be led by a minister, another faith leader, a humanist or independent celebrant, or by a family member or friend.
The right choice will depend on whether you want religious worship, a mainly personal reflection or a combination of the two. The person leading the funeral will normally meet with you to gather memories and help shape the ceremony.
Funeral venues
A ceremony may take place in a crematorium chapel, place of worship, cemetery chapel, at a graveside or at another suitable venue before the burial or cremation.
Capacity, accessibility, journey times, service length and any restrictions on music or personal items will need to be considered. We will help you understand the available options before the venue is confirmed.
Ashes, keepsakes and memorials
Following a cremation, ashes may be kept, scattered, buried or divided between different forms of remembrance. Options include ashes caskets, urns and scatter tubes, as well as keepsakes such as jewellery, artwork and ashes set into glass.
You do not have to make these decisions before the funeral. Ashes can be kept safely while you consider what feels right.
Scatter tubes and ashes caskets
Scatter tubes make it easier to scatter ashes at a chosen place. Ashes caskets are for keeping or burying ashes.
Bluebell Wood scatter tube
A woodland design with a bluebell forest scene.
Ocean Sunset scatter tube
A calm sea and warm sunset horizon.
Towards the Light scatter tube
A gentle, light-filled design.
Oak Malvern ashes casket
Solid oak with a raised lid and turned corner pillars.
Mahogany Malvern ashes casket
Solid mahogany with a raised lid and turned corner pillars.
A headstone or other permanent memorial is also normally arranged after the funeral. Cemetery and churchyard rules differ, and a new grave may need time to settle before a memorial can be installed. We can explain the process when you are ready.
Crematoria
Crematoria have their own service times, chapel facilities, music systems, webcast options and rules for coffins and tributes. We will explain the available local options and show the crematorium fee separately in the estimate where applicable.
Cemeteries and burial grounds
Burial options may include local-authority cemeteries, churchyards, private burial grounds and natural burial grounds. Eligibility, grave ownership, residency charges, interment rules and memorial permissions vary. We will confirm the relevant requirements before a burial is booked.
Memorial masonry
A headstone or other permanent memorial is normally arranged after the burial and may be subject to a settling period and the rules of the cemetery or churchyard. Existing memorials may need to be removed and later refixed by an authorised mason. We will explain the process and where separate permission or fees apply.
Frequently asked questions
No. Some practical arrangements need to be confirmed before a funeral date can be finalised, but many personal details can be decided later. We will explain what is needed and when.
Yes. Personalisation does not have to mean purchasing additional products. Music, readings, photographs, family contributions and a meaningful procession route can all make the funeral personal, subject to the venue’s requirements.
No. The website provides an overview rather than a complete catalogue. We will show you the appropriate range during the arrangements and discuss any particular style, material or personalisation you have in mind.
Yes. We will explain which choices involve an additional cost and provide a written, itemised estimate showing the arrangements you have selected.
Usually, but please discuss this with us first. We need to check delivery timings, dimensions, safety and any requirements imposed by the venue.
Talk to someone who can help
If someone has died or you need immediate guidance, call either of our branch numbers for 24-hour assistance.
You do not need to know what to ask. We will take you through the next steps.
For non-urgent enquiries, you can request an estimate or contact us online. We will respond during office hours 09:00-16:00.