People often have questions about funerals at funeral homes in Ferndale, WA if they have never been to a funeral or a visitation. This guide should help everyone who is planning a funeral for the first time or attending a funeral for the first time.

One question that always comes up is whether it’s okay to attend the visitation and funeral of someone you didn’t know well. Unless the family has a private visitation and funeral (attended only by immediate family and close friends who are invited), it is acceptable to go to the visitation and funeral of someone you didn’t know very well. When you pay your respects, give the family a brief explanation of how you knew their loved one.

Another question that often arises is whether the people attending the visitation or funeral are compelled to send flowers. The answer is that they are not. Floral arrangements for funerals may not be affordable for everyone, but if you don’t send flowers, you should send a sympathy card to the family within a couple of weeks after the visitation and funeral.

If you do send flowers, be sure to have the florist write the name of deceased and when after you do your personalized note, include your first and last name. The family of the deceased will get the cards from the floral arrangements after the funeral and they will want to send thank-you cards, but if there are 10 cards that are simply signed with the name “Joe,” the family will not know who to thank for the flowers.

If the family of the deceased asks for donations to a charity instead of flowers, you should give a donation. Usually when the family does this, it’s because the charity was something that was important to the deceased, and this is a way that you can show your respect for the deceased’s wishes.

When sending flowers to a funeral, send them to the funeral home. The flowers are used during the visitation, the funeral service, and at the graveside service, so even if your flowers don’t arrive in time for the visitation, they will still be used to honor the memory of the deceased.

If you have black clothes, that is the most appropriate thing to wear to a visitation and funeral. It should be business casual, at least, and, for women, should be simple and unadorned. The general rule is to dress like you’re going for a job interview. The focus is on the deceased and the family, and none of the mourners should wear anything that would draw attention away from that. If you don’t have any black clothes, then navy, gray, or dark brown are appropriate for a visitation and funeral service.

If you’re attending both the visitation and the funeral, when you sign the guestbook, you should sign for both ceremonies. Be sure to include your full name and the names of any of your family members who are attending with you.

It’s a good rule-of-thumb not to bring children under the age of five to a visitation or a funeral service. They will not understand what is going on and they may become restless and disruptive, which can be quite upsetting to a family who is grieving. For children five and older, explain to them before the visitation and funeral that these are quiet ceremonies and being quiet is a way of showing respect to the deceased and to the grieving family.

For additional information about funeral homes, our compassionate and experienced team at Moles Farewell Tributes & Crematory – Ferndale is here to help. We also serve the areas of Bellingham, Ferndale and Mount Vernon, WA. You can visit our funeral home at 2039 Main St., Ferndale, WA 98248, or you can call us today at (360) 384-1391.