When planning a funeral there are no real rules to follow and only a few legal requirements, so the possibilities are endless: you are limited only by time and imagination.
Guiding you through every step of the way
A rough outline that with our team will move towards a smooth final farewell.
Contact family members
This is important. Our family and friends are the support we need when times are hard. When people live out of town, informing them early of a loved ones death allows them the time to make preparations to attend the funeral and potentially assist with funeral arrangements as well.
Contact the attending doctor
A doctor is responsible for issuing the medical causes of death certificate. This certificate is needed before a burial or cremation can take place. In some instances a coroner might be involved when a doctor cannot sign the forms. The team at Hardings can assist you through this process.
Phone Hardings Funerals
There can be a lot of questions you and your family have. Kelly and the Hardings team can help answer those questions. We can work with you to transfer the family member into our care and assist you in arranging a dignified farewell for your loved one. Call us on 06 278 8633, 24/7
Transferring into our care
The team at Hardings will work with you to make a time to transfer your loved one into our care from where they have died. We will talk with the appropriate people such as doctors or nurses to ensure that all paperwork is completed so the transfer is done correctly and in a timely manner.
This will be the same for hospitals, rest homes, and private residences.
Make decisions together
It may not seem like it but planning a funeral can be a positive experience. At our initial meeting, we can detail all available services and arrangements. Following this, you will have the liberty to select which services you will need. We are fully equipped to accommodate your preferences without any issue.
Let us take care of everything
From the initial meeting through to the funeral, our team will oversee each detail. We handle administrative tasks, legal requirements and all paperwork, thus alleviating the burden from your shoulders.
The final farewell
Our commitment is to shoulder the burdensome tasks, allowing you the space and peace of mind to commemorate and celebrate the life of your beloved in a dignified and heartfelt manner. Our experience allows us to offer support to you when navigating ceremonial intricacies with grace and dignity. This allows your loved one to be honoured in a manner that holds significance and reverence.
My Trove
myTrove are a private company working closely with government agencies and private sector organisations to provide myTrove Notify as a single place for people to be able to notify multiple organisations of a death and start the account closure process with each notified organisation. This is a free service and for more information please talk to us.
A personalised funeral
Hardings Funerals are the leaders in bespoke funerals both at their chapel and a venue of your choice.
Funerals are a space to not just tell stories but embrace memories. This is why Hardings help you create a bespoke funeral that celebrates your loved one's life the way that lived it so the memories will continue to live on in your head and heart.
Hosting at our premises
Our home is your home. Where you have a funeral is completely up to you. You might want a small private service at home, or our place where we have a small chapel for up to 50 people with live stream capability.
Hosting Off-Site
You may want a farewell on the beach, the family farm, at a place special to you, or you may want a huge celebration. You choose a place and we will make it happen. We have good relationships with several venues in the South Taranaki District, and can help you create an event for a funeral that is appropriate to your needs.
Commonly asked questions
We've put together some questions that people commonly ask themselves during these hard moments, and we're here with warm, heartfelt answers just for you.
If you do not have a solicitor, begin with the doctor, bank, WINZ, and any insurances.
Our experience tells us that having no funeral service is not always as straightforward a decision as it might seem. Before locking in the choice to have a direct cremation we would recommend that everyone affected by this decision is considered and, if possible, involved in the process.
Options do exist to have something less than a funeral service but more than a direct cremation. For example, the funeral service could be made private so that it remains small and intimate and only those personally invited attend, or you might decide to have a small viewing before the cremation takes place and use this as a time to say goodbye, or a memorial service might be held after the direct cremation has occurred at some later time.
We believe embalming is the best method of keeping the deceased in a presentable state from the time of death till burial or cremation. It is standard practice for most of the funerals we hold and the cultural practice in New Zealand. However, if the person is not to be viewed, you may wish to not have them embalmed. We will give you all the information you need to make an informed decision.
We keep up to date with advances in the art of embalming and ensure that our practice is current with the standards set by the New Zealand Embalmers Association (NZEA). At all times we ensure that your loved one is treated with respect and dignity.
You will need to consider if this is to be at the funeral home, or at a family member’s home. Once someone dies, your relationship with that person alters. Spending time with them will help you to begin to understand and adjust to that altered relationship. Time with the deceased prior to the funeral ceremony are precious moments, as there are only a few days in which you can be physically present with your loved one. Being with the deceased is also a time of remembrance and allows you and your family to recall the memories of life together.
1. The registration detail. It is good to know your family history here.
2. What does the funeral look like? This is where a number of key decisions will be required so that we may personalise our service to you. Remember to have everyone needed for these decisions for inclusivity.
3. The newspaper notice and how it will be worded.
4. Any relevant paperwork that will need signing by the appropriate person such as a direct next of kin, spouse or executor.
Remember that momentos can help personalise and bring comfort so feel welcome at Hardings to bring those along.
When deciding what to do there are basically three options for you to consider:
Inter the ashes- Interment is burying the ashes in a cemetery or some other special place. For some, having a special place to visit and a grave to tend can be very important to people.
Scatter the ashes – Ashes may be scattered at a location that perhaps has special meaning for the deceased. You are usually able to scatter ashes in most areas. However, sensitivity and common sense should be exercised (along with obtaining any permission required) if scattering in a public place, or somewhere that has cultural meaning.
Keep the ashes – Ashes may be kept for a variety of reasons. A great deal of comfort may be gained from taking ashes home, and it is completely acceptable to do this. There are plenty of urn options available at Hardings, or we are able to quickly obtain an urn of your choice from our suppliers.
Jewellery can also be ordered in a variety of ways, whether a diamond, ashes blown into glass beads, or kept in a jewellery vial, the choices are endless. Talk to your funeral director about the options that appeal to you.