The death of a loved one is always a terrible thing to endure; it can take you by surprise and send you in to a whirlwind of grief and emotion. But making this terrible event even that much more traumatic is the amount of planning and activity that must suddenly take place. Not only are you in a fragile emotional state but you must now coordinate a host of events surrounding the funeral. Funeral planning, however, while heartbreaking, does not have to compound your already heightened levels of stress.

The nature of the funeral is largely dependent on the deceased's culture and traditions surrounding death. But, in the United States, most funerals – while personalized to the family's customs – follow much of the same format. And following a format will allow you to go step-by-step through the planning process with as little discomfort as possible.

First and foremost, when it comes to funeral planning, it is necessary to choose the venue for the funeral. Luckily, this is almost always done prior to death; many towns frequent the same funeral home or the deceased may have chosen one during their lifetime. A reputable funeral home will be able to guide you through the funeral arrangements with experience and compassion. You may choose to have a viewing and then a funeral mass at a church; the involvement of religious services is completely up to you as you consider what the deceased would have wanted. The funeral planning really begins here as you work with the funeral home to arrange services - on their property or through a religious organization - as well as burial arrangements.

There are some details involved with funeral planning that generate the tone that you wish for the services. You will have the ability to choose flowers, music, and a number of other details that will help personalize the service. The important thing to remember is that you are honoring the life of someone you love; try during this very difficult time, to reflect the personality of your loved one through the funeral services.

Of course, in some cases, people will take their own funeral planning into their hands many, many years before their death. Perhaps there are details that are important to them and they wish to be included in their funeral. This may seem like a morbid process, but it can be an exceedingly generous gift to family members left behind; it gives them the ability to simply put into motion the decisions their family member has already made.

Funeral planning – while difficult and very sad – can be done with strength and love as you plan the final goodbye for your loved one.