If you've had the unfortunate experience of losing a parent, you may now have to make some important decisions. Funeral planning is often difficult for family members because they're trying to grieve and come to terms with losing someone who means so much to them, but they have these decisions that need to be made one way or another. Although it may be difficult, there are a number of things you'll need to do to plan out that final goodbye for your parent.

Choose a Mortuary

The mortuary director is the person who will take care of your parent before the funeral. There may be a number of funeral homes in your area, so how do you choose the right one? Consider contacting directors of different funeral homes to find out how much they charge for the services provided. Ask to come and visit the different funeral homes to see what they look like on the inside. If people are gathering together to say their final goodbyes to your mother or father, you'll likely want the inside of the building to look peaceful, elegant, and welcoming.

You'll need to find out more about the services offered at the funeral home. The funeral director may be willing to make floral arrangements, provide mortuary makeup for the deceased, and help you select the perfect casket for the viewing. It's good to choose a place where the director is friendly, compassionate, and helpful so that you don't have to go through the planning process alone.

Decide on Cremation or a Burial

You'll need to decide if you're going to have your parent cremated or buried. He or she may have told you what they preferred before passing away. Even if you decide to go with the cremation process, the funeral director can arrange to have an open casket before cremating your loved one's remains so that everyone has a chance to walk up to the casket and say goodbye for the last time. It's a difficult decision to make, but if you're going to choose cremation, you'll be able to keep your parent's ashes in an urn. There are lots of different types of urns available, including necklace urns, bracelet urns, and traditional urns that may be placed on a table.

It's never easy planning out a funeral for a loved one, but if you choose the right mortuary, you should be able to get help with the planning process. You'll have to make some important decisions, but the funeral director could help you out by explaining your options and handling some of the different tasks for you.