Funeral service etiquette may differ between various communities, ethnic groups, religions and customs.
Do I Need to be Invited to a Funeral to Attend the Service?
If you are unsure, it is appropriate to phone a family member or friend and ask for guidance.
If a funeral or memorial service is shown as ‘private’ in a newspaper notice, attendance is limited to only those invited, and it is not open to the public. If a time, date and place are listed in the newspaper notice, it means that anyone can attend.
If the service is not advertised and the family or friends haven’t contacted you directly, this usually means it’s a private service and out of respect for the family you should not attend.
If you are unsure, it is appropriate to phone a family member or friend and ask for guidance.
Providing Your Support
Services can be held at a church, a chapel, at a cemetery or crematorium, a residence or somewhere that is considered appropriate to commemorate the life of the deceased.
The funeral service is usually conducted by a member of the clergy, celebrant, a family member or friend. If you are attending a funeral service for the first time, or you are unfamiliar with the etiquette for the particular culture or religion of the family, simply be guided by the family of the deceased.
Remember that for the family who are mourning, the important thing is to know there are people who support them.
It can be challenging knowing how to interact with someone who has just experienced a loss, especially at a funeral or memorial service.
Most people do not know what to say or how to act, or they don’t want to crowd or overwhelm the grieving person, and as a result they shy away from engaging with them. The most basic thing to keep in mind is that you are there to honour the deceased and show your support for the grieving person, and in many cases, your presence alone can be sufficient.
Remember that gestures as small as a kind word or a hug can be comforting. After experiencing a death many people feel alone, and by offering a kind or sympathetic word or a caring touch, you can express your concern for them.
If you require a Funeral Florist or a Sympathy Gift supplier, please use our Business Directory Search facility.
