If you haven't needed to plan a funeral before, it can be a confusing and stressful time. You will be faced with the need to make decisions at a time in your life when you may be feeling least able to cope with them. The demands of meeting people and planning a funeral service may seem overwhelming but your local funeral home will assist you and ensure that the process is as straightforward and stress-free as possible.

What do you need to do?

Strictly speaking, you don't need to do much at all. Although most people prefer to organize a funeral service that is either civil or religious in nature there is no legal compulsion to hold any formal service at all. The only legal requirement is that the paperwork, including the death certificate, is supplied to the relevant authorities. If you prefer to opt for just a burial, you can do that. However, it is often simpler to work through a funeral home since they can help you with the process. A funeral home will also be able to guide you through the form-filling process and make all of the arrangements as simple as possible.

The value of marking the grave

For many people, the most important aspect of the funeral is seeing where their loved one is buried. Having a fixed spot to which they can return in the weeks and months ahead can be a critical part of the grieving process. If you have a single burial plot, then you will want to find a memorial company that offers single monuments in a style that you like. When you speak to the memorial company you should check that all of their monuments are compliant with Australian standards and that they will not only be safe to install but that they will be long-lasting even in the harsh Australian climate.

How to choose single monuments

Regardless of how you choose to mark the grave of your loved one, you will want to spend some time considering your options. Single monuments can be created from a range of materials — although both Indian and Australian granite are popular. Aside from the material, you will need to think about the shape of the monument as well as any inscription you might like. If you can't see a standard design that you like, the memorial company will normally be delighted to create a custom design to your specifications.