Funeral Directors Hedge End

When planning a funeral, the first and most important choice you’ll make is whether to opt for a burial or cremation service. The next choice you’ll make if choosing a burial service is whether to bury the deceased in a coffin or casket. Here at J Lawrence & Sons, you can purchase both coffins and caskets from our funeral home, Hedge End residents. The principal difference between the two is that caskets are rectangular, whereas coffins are tapered at the head and foot and wider at the shoulders. 

Both are excellent funeral options and are crafted to a high standard, though caskets are usually more premium-quality and, as such, cost more. Come speak with our funeral directors, and we’ll talk you through the options we have available. We offer a comprehensive selection of coffins and caskets, ranging from traditional to modern options. 

Sending flowers as a gesture of sympathy has long been a tradition, so every funeral should feature flower arrangements. Perhaps the deceased had a favourite type of flower. Or maybe you’re looking for something appropriate for the occasion. Whatever the case may be, we boast an excellent selection of funeral flowers, including: 

• Orchids 
• Lilies 
• Chrysanthemums 
• Carnations 
• Roses 

We can arrange these flowers in different ways, from wreaths and baskets to casket and standing sprays. If a viewing is to occur as part of the funeral service, half-casket sprays can be created for an open–casket viewing. Alternatively, you can also opt for garlands or casket inserts. For closed casket funerals, we usually recommend a casket spray combining several flowers and greens. Remember that religion will play a role here, so it’s important we know of this. For instance, red flowers would be inappropriate for a Buddhist funeral. 

Once you’ve made your selections, our funeral directors in Hedge End will get your flowers sorted. If you’d prefer to use your own florist, we only ask that the flowers arrive two hours before the service begins. 

One of the many aspects to consider when planning a funeral is the transport. At J Lawrence & Sons, we provide Hedge End residents with various options, such as a limousine and a traditional classic Daimler limo as part of our funeral transport selection. You should consider capacity when booking funeral transport. We’ll need to know how many mourners will require transporting as each limousine can seat up to seven people. 

Regardless of how many vehicles you choose, you and everyone else will be transported to the venue where the funeral service is taking place. You can also use your own cars, just let us know if you require limited funeral transport or no transport at all. A hearse will, of course, be arranged to transport the deceased, and it’s up to you whether you meet the hearse at the venue or follow it there. The hearse can be driven from your home, the home of the deceased, or our premises. 

If you prefer something more traditional than our Jaguar hearses, you can also book a horse-drawn hearse. Please let us know if this option would be more suitable. 

An advantage of cremation services is that you have more choice over where to spread the ashes than you would with a complete set of remains. If your funeral arrangements include cremation, you’ll be given the choice of three crematoriums. These are Southampton Crematorium, the Wessex Vale Crematorium, and Test Valley Crematorium. We also work with council–owned cemeteries – Hollybrook, St. Mary Extra, and Southampton Old. 

Alternatively, you can choose other cemeteries during the funeral planning, located in surrounding boroughs. You can also spread the ashes in the crematorium garden, over a family grave, or in a favourite location of the deceased. Finally, you can choose to take them home in one of the beautifully designed urns we have here at our funeral home. Don’t worry about deciding quickly, as we’ll hold onto the ashes until you’ve reached a decision. 

When making funeral arrangements, you should note that burial services are not all the same. They are usually reflective of the deceased, such as whether they were religious or not. As such, our funeral directors need to establish certain details when planning a burial service. We’ll guide you through this process, helping you make the right decisions. One main advantage of burial is that it provides a permanent resting place. 

As mentioned above, we work with the main council–owned cemeteries – Hollybrook in South Stoneham; St. Mary Extra in Millbrook; and Southampton Old. If you’d prefer to bury the deceased in a cemetery in one of the surrounding boroughs, we can make the necessary funeral arrangements. The service itself will be either religious or non-religious. We can offer non-religious funeral services in our chapel and work with many independent speakers and the British Humanist Association Celebrants. 

Whether the service takes place in the church or chapel, hymns can be sung or recorded music played if preferred. Please let us know in advance what sort of funeral you’d prefer to take place. 

Memorial services usually follow on from the funeral service and are a fitting way to remember and honour the deceased. Our funeral directors can make the necessary arrangements, ensuring a memorial service that meets your requirements. 

Following the funeral, you may wish to hold a memorial (though some people opt to skip such services). During the funeral, you wouldn’t have a lot of time to come together, reminisce and comfort one another. That’s why memorial services are so popular because they provide a relaxed setting in which to interact with other funeral attendees. Such occasions can be a challenge to put together, but J Lawrence & Sons are here to help. 

Our funeral directors will tailor the service exactly the way you want it, providing a cost-effective service ensuring the service suitably honours the deceased’s memory. We personalise the service in any way we can, from flowers to music requirements. Get in touch to find out more. 

Funeral arrangements are usually very expensive, which can only add to the already mounting stress and anguish. If you’re concerned about leaving your family with a hefty bill to pay after you die, you should consider taking out a prepaid funeral plan. At J Lawrence & Sons, we’ve partnered with Golden Charter Funeral Plans to provide flexible plans that are affordable and entirely bespoke. 

A funeral plan gives you the option to plan your funeral, making all the arrangements, so your loved ones will not have to face such a burden. You’ll also be able to pay for these arrangements through monthly instalments. This helps you spread the cost of your funeral so that when the time comes, your family won’t have to spend a penny. And all we’ll need to do is simply execute your wishes as outlined in your plan.