What are the customary elements of a funeral?

What are the customary elements of a funeral?

Dan Redmond (Cemetery and Funeral Inspector, California Department of Consumer Affairs ) gives expert video advice on: What are the basic considerations when planning a funeral?; Do I need to use a funeral home to have a funeral?; What are the customary elements of a funeral? and more...

The customary elements of a funeral begin with the preparation of the body for the actual funeral itself. The next element is the wake or viewing of the body - sometimes, not always. There would also be the actual funeral itself, or any religious observances that there may be. A customary element of the funeral would include a eulogy, normally be given by some people who knew the person or were familiar with the person's life. You may also want to play music at a funeral, or do any sort of thing that memorializes that person in a way that they would want to be remembered.