Faq's

• When Someone Dies
  • Q. What do I need to do when someone dies?
  • Q. What happens when someone dies unexpectedly?
  • Q. How long does it take for a deceased to be released to the funeral directors after a post-mortem?
  • Q. What is a post-mortem or autopsy?
• About Embalming
  • Q. Does the body have to be embalmed?
  • Q. Why is embalming done?
  • Q. What sort of clothing does the deceased need?
  • Q. How much make-up is applied to the deceased?
• About Funeral Directors
  • Q. Do we need to use funeral directors?
• Viewing the deceased
  • Q. Is viewing the deceased recommended?
  • Q. Should children be allowed to view?
  • Q. How should the viewing process be handled?
  • Q. Can adults learn anything from children?
• The Funeral Service
  • Q. What things need to be considered when planning a funeral service?
  • Q. Should the family use a minister or a celebrant?
  • Q. Is there such a thing as funeral etiquette?
  • Q. What is the funeral procession?
  • Q. Should the funeral be an intimate or grand affair?
  • Q. Can I be confident Mannings are familiar with the customs/funeral rites of my specific religion?
• About Ashes
  • Q. What container are the ashes returned to the family in?
  • Q. Can I be sure the ashes that are returned to me are those of my family member?
  • Q. Can families scatter ashes wherever they like?
  • Q. How soon after the funeral should the family make a decision about the placement of ashes?
• Costs and Formalities
  • Q. How do I get a death certificate?
  • Q. What is the cost of a funeral?
  • Q. Where do I obtain funeral insurance?
  • Q. How do I organise a Prepaid Funeral

Should the family use a minister or a celebrant?

I always ask if the deceased had a church connection and if so, generally the family will decide to have the service at their local church. If there is no religious affiliation, Manning Funerals is able to supply the family with a celebrant. In saying this, celebrants are not a-religious and any amount of religion can be included in the service. It is only after spending time with the family that I feel I have a good idea of which celebrant would best suit them. Manning Funerals has a list of both male and female celebrants who are all extremely skilled in their work. The celebrant will take instructions from the family as to how they want the service to run, but can only deliver the service with what information they are given by the family.