Coffin
There are many different types and styles of coffin to choose from. We will guide you through the options available so that you can make the right choice for your loved one.
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Funeral Venues, Officiants and Music
The venue and officiant you choose for your loved one’s funeral are both important aspects to consider, as they will set the tone for the day. AB Walker will help you make the right choices and work with the officiant to personalise the service and ensure your loved one’s final farewell is as they would wish.
Helping you find the right funeral venue and officiant
With years of experience working with venues and officiants, we’re on hand to help you find the ones that best suit the values and beliefs of the person who has died. With the selected officiant, we’ll then guide you through the options to fully personalise the service.
Choosing a funeral venue
When planning a funeral, perhaps the first decision you’ll make is deciding on a venue. If the person who has died was religious and attended a specific church then the decision is likely to be easy; if they were not religious, you have various options, and we can talk you through these in our discussions.
The crematorium chapel is a popular venue, as it’s suitable for both religious and non-religious services, but there are no legal restrictions on where a funeral can be held, and a license is not necessary. So as long as the venue you have in mind agrees, you can hold a funeral anywhere, even outside, if this best suits the nature of the person who has died. Many people choose village halls or local hotels, so if you don’t wish to hold the service in a church or in the crematorium chapel, you’ll have plenty of choices.
Choosing a funeral officiant
The majority of funeral services remain religious in content, with civil services often having some religious content, and non-religious services focusing wholly on the more secular marking of a death.
During our discussions, we’ll ask if you already have someone in mind to lead the funeral service. If the person who has died was religious and attended a church, the first choice is likely to be their religious leader, but if not, there are several options.
We have experience in arranging funerals of almost every faith and denomination and work alongside ministers, priests, humanists, celebrants and pastors.
If the service is to be religious, we can contact your local minister or priest so they can offer pastoral support and if you would like a funeral which is partly religious or is secular (entirely focused on the person who has died), we can introduce you to someone suitable to officiate.
Each service is unique and we will work alongside everyone involved to ensure that your wishes are met.
Music, hymns and tributes
Deciding on the content of the service can be daunting. Our funeral arranger and your officiant will guide you through the options available to personalise the funeral including music, hymns, readings, slideshow tributes and eulogies.
The officiant will want to meet with you to discuss your wishes and present you with a running order ahead of the service so you can be sure you are happy with the content. You or family or friends may like to speak at the service or you can ask the officiant to read your tribute or eulogy instead.
Ahead of the meeting with your officiant start to think about what music was important to your loved one, what reflected them – no piece of music is inappropriate if it represented them.
If the service is to be held at a Crematorium we will source the music for you.
Your arranger and officiant will guide you through the recommended number of pieces. Once you have decided on the artist(s) and track(s) and if there is a preferred album, let us know and we will take care of the rest. For peace of mind that the correct music has been sourced, we can arrange for you to listen to the tracks on the music system used.
If you are having hymns at the Crematorium we will arrange an Organist.
You may wish to have a photo tribute that will play at a point of reflection in the service. Just provide us with the photographs and your chosen piece of music, and we will arrange for the photo tribute to be created. Or you can provide us with an MP4 file of the photographs set to your chosen music and we upload it to the music system, ready for the service. Either way, you can assured that we will help you make the service truly personal.
Each church has different music facilities available. If the service is to be held in a church, your arranger will check with the church and let you know what the music options are and the required format. We’ll make sure you have the contact details of the church (or the minister) so that you can arrange the music directly with them.
You don’t need to worry about booking an organist, either the church or ourselves will do this for you.
If the service is to be held at a Crematorium we will source the music for you.
Your arranger and officiant will guide you through the recommended number of pieces. Once you have decided on the artist(s) and track(s) and if there is a preferred album, let us know and we will take care of the rest. For peace of mind that the correct music has been sourced, we can arrange for you to listen to the tracks on the music system used.
If you are having hymns at the Crematorium we will arrange an Organist.
You may wish to have a photo tribute that will play at a point of reflection in the service. Just provide us with the photographs and your chosen piece of music, and we will arrange for the photo tribute to be created. Or you can provide us with an MP4 file of the photographs set to your chosen music and we upload it to the music system, ready for the service. Either way, you can assured that we will help you make the service truly personal.
Each church has different music facilities available. If the service is to be held in a church, your arranger will check with the church and let you know what the music options are and the required format. We’ll make sure you have the contact details of the church (or the minister) so that you can arrange the music directly with them.
You don’t need to worry about booking an organist, either the church or ourselves will do this for you.
Types of funeral
Whatever type of funeral you choose, you can be sure that we’ll help make it a respectful occasion, tailored to honour the life of the person who has died and comfort their loved ones.
Other aspects of planning the service
Funeral flowers
We work with a florist who provides beautiful, high-quality floral tributes. You can choose from a large range of designs that may include the favourite flowers of the person who has died.
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Funeral transport
Whether you would like a black hearse, a horse-drawn carriage, a motorcycle hearse or a different type of vehicle, we’ll work with you to arrange this. We’ll also discuss any specific route you have in mind, and how you would like to travel.
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Funeral stationery and notices
As well as a personalised printed order of service, we offer attendance cards, thank you cards and books of condolence, designed to your preference. If you would like, we can place a suitable funeral notice in a newspaper on your behalf.
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Funeral catering
From a buffet at your home to a fully staffed service at your preferred local venue, we’ll discuss your catering requirements and work with highly rated local businesses to ensure every taste and dietary need is accounted for.
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You can contact us 24/7
Email or call us with your questions, queries and requirements. For urgent assistance, call us on 0118 957 3650 24 hours a day, seven days a week.