Making arrangements

Making Arrangements

A clear, calm walkthrough of what actually happens (without the funeral‑director voice)

Most people only make arrangements once or twice in their entire lives. You’re not supposed to know how this works. There’s no quiz. No secret handshake. No “proper procedure” you were expected to memorize at some point.


This chapter exists to take the mystery out of the process — and to make sure you never feel lost, pressured, or talked down to.



Think of this as someone sitting beside you saying, “Here’s what happens next, and here’s why it’s not as overwhelming as it feels.”

Step 1: We start with a real conversation

Not a script. Not a checklist.


Just a human conversation about:

  • What happened
  • What matters to you
  • What do you want this to look like
  • What you absolutely don’t want


You don’t need perfect answers. You don’t need to be composed. You don’t need to know the “right” thing to say. You just talk, and we guide.

Step 2: We gather the essentials

There are a few legal details we have to collect — basic information about your loved one and the family. Nothing dramatic. Nothing you need to dig out of a filing cabinet from 1998.



We walk you through it line by line so you’re never staring at a form thinking, “What does this even mean?”

Step 3: We handle the paperwork

This is the part people dread, and it’s also the part we take off your plate.


We take care of:

  • permits
  • authorizations
  • coordination with doctors or hospice
  • filing for death certificates
  • the behind‑the‑scenes logistics you shouldn’t have to think about


You’ll always know what’s happening, but you won’t have to manage it.

Step 4: You make decisions at your own pace

There’s no timer. No pressure. No “packages” with poetic names like The Eternal Sunset.


We walk you through your options clearly and simply:

  • Simple or personalized
  • Private or public
  • Immediate or scheduled
  • Minimal or meaningful


You choose the place that feels right. A church, a lodge, a graveside, or your own backyard. If you want to honor them at a trailhead because they hated being indoors, do that. If you want to rent out a bowling alley because that’s where they spent their best Saturdays, we’re in. We’ve yet to find a law that says you can’t honor a life with pizza and craft beer instead of lukewarm coffee and those weird, sandy butter cookies.


The point is: you decide what fits your family, your values, and your energy level. We’ll handle the paperwork and the heavy lifting so you can actually show up.

Step 5: We keep you informed

You’ll always know:

  • What’s happening
  • When it’s happening
  • Why it’s happening
  • What comes next


If you’ve ever dealt with a funeral home that communicated like a locked vault, this will feel refreshingly normal.

Step 6: We help with the “after” part

Once everything is complete, there are still practical things to handle — the things no one warns you about:

  • Social Security notifications
  • deciding how many death certificates you actually need
  • What to do with personal items
  • What can wait until later
  • What doesn’t matter as much as people think


We walk you through all of it so nothing sneaks up on you.

Step 7: You’re not expected to be an expert

You don’t have to know the terminology.


You don’t have to know the process.


You don’t have to pretend you’re okay.


You don’t have to make every decision perfectly.


You just have to show up as you are.



We’ll guide you through the rest — clearly, calmly, and without the funeral‑director voice.