Burial and Cremation Alternatives

Our guide to the most common alternatives to standard burial or cremation.

How to Personalize a Themed Funeral

Whether you’re planning a or an unconventional one, you can make it by adding a theme. Clothing, floral tributes, décor, music, and food can all come together in a theme that reflects the life you’re honoring.

How to Plan an Eco-Friendly Funeral

Many of the elements of a traditional funeral come with an environmental impact—from to , and from cut flowers to huge limousines. Fortunately, there are many steps you can consider to help make a funeral and burial more environmentally friendly. 

How to Plan a Party-Style Funeral

“When I die, I don’t want my friends to have a funeral and be sad. I want them to throw a great party and play all my favorite songs and talk about all the fun we had.”  

A funeral director in 2020: 'I worry about masks'

Sammy G. Oakey III is a fifth-generation funeral director, the president of in Roanoke, Virginia. In the 150 years since his great-great-grandfather founded the business, it has never changed quite as fast as it has in 2020.

How to Pre-Plan a Funeral

Planning your own funeral may not be easy, but deciding your funeral arrangements in advance can give peace of mind to your family when the time comes. Learn why funeral pre-planning is helpful, then use our detailed checklist to guide you through the steps of pre-planning a funeral. 

Funerals During the COVID-19 Coronavirus Epidemic: How to Plan

As the new coronavirus strain COVID-19 travels around the globe, it’s not always easy to know what to do to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe. In many areas of the U.S., public gatherings have been banned or discouraged. We're practicing social distancing, staying home as much as possible. 

What to Wear to a Funeral (video)

This guide explains how to choose appropriate clothing for funerals and memorial services in today’s more casual world. It outlines respectful attire options for women, men, and children, with additional guidance for seasonal services, family members, and funerals with specific dress requests. Emphasizing modesty, neutral colors, and consideration for the grieving family, the article also clarifies what to avoid wearing and offers practical advice for situations where expectations are unclear. Overall, it helps readers balance personal comfort with tradition and respect, ensuring their appearance supports—not distracts from—the purpose of the service.

What Makes a Good Funeral?

Have you ever been to a really good funeral? No, that doesn't have to be an oxymoron — a good funeral is a real thing, and it's something we should all hope to achieve for ourselves and our loved ones.

11 Unique Funeral Venues

More families are choosing personalized memorial celebrations of life. Here are some options.

10 Eco-Friendly Alternatives to a Memorial Balloon Launch

How to create an outdoor memorial service that is beautiful and eco-conscious.

Luke Perry's daughter reveals he was buried in a mushroom suit

Luke Perry planned before his death to return his body to the earth via an eco-friendly technology that's just recently become available: the mushroom suit.

Top Religious Funeral Songs

The relationship between funerals and music is incredibly powerful. Funeral songs can provide family and friends a sense of peace and comfort at a difficult time. Often the songs selected for a funeral or memorial service are spiritual and speak to the deceased's faith in God. Here are 10 of the most beloved religious songs played or performed at funerals, memorial services, and celebrations of life.

Top Funeral Songs 🎵

This article examines the deep emotional connection between music and funerals, explaining how songs and hymns help families honor loved ones, process grief, and find comfort during memorial services. It presents a curated list of 76 popular funeral and celebration-of-life songs, organized by themes such as remembering parents, partners, or children, as well as religious, uplifting, humorous, love, and alternative music choices. The article serves as a practical guide for selecting meaningful music that reflects personal memories and supports emotional healing.

What Is a Green Burial or Natural Funeral?

The basic point of a natural or "green" burial is to tread as lightly on the earth as possible with the way we lay a body to rest.

This Therapy Dog Works in a Funeral Home

"Ally" the goldendoodle is trained to comfort people as they grieve.

Video: Green Funerals and Natural Burials

As a ‘green funeral’ trend grows in popularity, more people are planning burials that emphasize an organic return to the earth.

Green Funerals and Natural Burial (Video Transcription)

Funeral director Shari Wolf of Natural Grace Funerals in Los Angeles discusses environmentally friendly death care options for families.