How to Let People Know About a Funeral
Arranging a funeral can be a really difficult time, especially if you're dealing with an unexpected loss. You might feel overwhelmed by everything you need to do and are unsure of how to get the word out about your loved one's funeral. Here's some advice on how to let people know about a funeral so that you don't have to worry and nobody feels left out. You could use one or several of the methods - choose those which you think will work best in your unique situation.
Ask family or friends to help you share the news
Sharing the news that a loved one has passed away can be really challenging, and you might have to deal with some difficult reactions. If you have a large family or group of friends, try to split the responsibility evenly. Instead of one person calling twenty people, have four people call five people each. This will make it much easier on everyone and should stop you from feeling too overwhelmed.
Decide between phone calls and face-to-face meetings
When deciding how to share the news of someone's passing, it's important to consider their relationship to the deceased. For close friends and relatives, you'll want to break the news in person, preferably face-to-face. For extended family and acquaintances, a simple phone call is completely acceptable and will usually be easier for both parties.
Create electronic invites
Using electronic invites is a convenient way to let a large group of people know about a funeral. This is ideal if your loved one had a large group of friends, or belonged to lots of clubs or societies. It's not practical to call or meet every single acquaintance, but an electronic invite keeps them in the loop and lets them know that they're welcome at the funeral.
Use social media where appropriate
Social media can be a good way to spread the news about a funeral or memorial service, particularly if you don't have the contact details of all the friends of the person who has passed away. Make sure you break the news to all close friends and relatives first though - it could be very upsetting for them to hear about the death via social media without hearing it directly from you first.
Dealing with funeral arrangements can be a huge challenge. Use the tips above to spread the news of your loved one's service as easily and compassionately as possible.