Planning a funeral during an extended lockdown? There are solutions.

For Immediate Release:

Tuesday 20th July 2021

As the Victorian lockdown extends indefinitely, one of the hardest hit groups are those with the already burdensome task of organising a funeral with the 10 guest restriction remaining in place.

Most people organising a funeral are doing so for their first time, so the added challenge of indefinite guest restrictions creates more stress during an already difficult situation. In an industry that's notoriously difficult to navigate, getting support on what to do if you’re currently stuck in this predicament is another unwanted obstacle.

Some religious processes dictate that the person's body must be present at the funeral with the burial or cremation to follow the service. But if a person chooses to be cremated and they have no religious customs to follow, then there is no reason why this process must be the standard.

By separating the memorial service from the cremation, families are able to organise the event without the typical time pressure of a quick turnaround funeral. When lockdowns & guest restrictions are impacting the ability to host a fitting event, this process can be a major blessing.

This means that families can perform a dignified cremation in the next few days, then hold a funeral event in the future with their loved ones' ashes present instead of a coffin. That might be next week, next month, or even next year if they wish. 

This modern alternative is the model adopted by the recently launched Tomorrow Cremations & Memorials, which is challenging the idea of what it means to have a funeral - no funeral parlour, traditional chapel ceremony, hearse, expensive coffin or difficult to understand packages.

The Tomorrow tagline is “simple cremations, remarkable memorials”, offering a dignified cremation with a celebrant-led memorial service in one fixed price package. They keep the funeral parts simple and focus on creating a personal memorial event that truly tells a story. In the midst of the current lockdown, having an alternate solution like this becomes ever more valuable.

An added benefit of hosting the event later on is that it doesn’t have to follow the same traditions as typical funeral services, nor does it need to be hosted at a funeral parlour or chapel.

Luke McInnes, CEO at Tomorrow, notes that “Services might be simple, or they might be sensational and there’s no reason a funeral needs to follow any set process. Beautiful memorial events can be held at peoples homes, places of significance like a beach, park or their favourite venues. They’re limited only by their imagination and our expert celebrants help to design and plan this process to create remarkable memorials.”. 

Kate Morgan, Tomorrow’s Head of Memorials, has discussed memorial events with families recently that include a hot air balloon ride, a gathering at The Astor Theatre and a big family party at a beautiful event space by the beach. Kate says “I truly believe that taking time to create a fitting memorial event can be so beneficial for families going through grief.”

To find out more, head to www.tomorrowis.com.au