Planning a funeral can be a complicated affair when the majority of your family lives out of town. Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to make the entire process a bit easier for everyone involved while still have a chance to gather together in celebration of your loved ones life. Here are a few things to consider as you prepare to make the arrangements.

Determine An Appropriate Date

You'll want to make sure that you give your family enough time to book flights and make arrangements to be off of work, but the time-sensitive nature of planning a funeral can make this tricky. Your funeral home director can help you determine the latest appropriate date and take any necessary measures to ensure an open-casket funeral is an option for your family. In some cases, you may be able to delay the funeral a few days to allow enough time for family to travel.

Partner With A Local Hotel

You may already know that hotels make blocks of rooms available for special events, such as weddings. This option can also be extended to bereaved families needing hotel rooms for visiting relatives. Call around to local hotels to see which establishment can provide a block of rooms for your family. You may need to speak to the manager for this, but you'll likely find that the management will be more than accommodating due to the circumstances. The hotel may even offer a discounted rate for the rooms, depending on the time of year and how much business the location expects for your chosen dates. Be sure to reserve the rooms for at least one day before the wake and one day after the funeral.

Arrange For Limo Transport

Instead of having your family rent individual vehicles to drive to and from the funeral home, consider arranging for limo transport. The limousines can provide transportation to and from the wake and funeral, and they can also participate in the funeral procession. This option offers an elegant way for your family to honor your loved one while also providing a more environmentally friendly transportation option, as there will be fewer vehicles required to transport your family. You can plan for transportation through your funeral home, as the director may have preferred transportation companies he or she works with for families needing limo services.

Plan Family Meals

Of course, when your family arrives in town for the funeral services, they may wish to spend additional time with you and the rest of your relatives. One great option is to plan family meals for both the day of the wake and the funeral. Consider making reservations at a restaurant for brunch on the day of the viewing, and host a traditional luncheon after the funeral services are over. The hotel you reserve rooms with may also be able to make a dining area available for your family to have dinner together on the evening of the wake.

Remember that the funeral is a time for your family to be together. Try to find ways for everyone to spend that extra time outside of the funeral services so you can laugh, cry, and share dear memories of the relative you have lost. Contact a service, like Glickler Funeral Home & Cremation Service, for more help.