Frequently Asked Questions
Our experienced and caring staff are available 24/7 to assist you with your funeral needs.
Please call us on 03 9585 2622
When a death occurs in the family there are a lot of decisions that need to be made quite quickly. Such as whether your loved one wanted to be buried or cremated, how soon you would like to have the funeral, where you will hold the service and whether a Celebrant or Clergyperson is required. There are also considerations about what celebratory aspects you would like to include in the service, such as slideshows, flowers and order of service booklets.
At Browne Brothers funerals we have experienced staff and funeral directors in Melbourne available to guide and support you through the experience. Our team can be contacted on 03 8779 2570.
Burial or Cremation
One of these significant decisions is whether your loved one will be buried or cremated. This decision may depend upon the wishes of the deceased person, or may be decided based on other considerations, such as family wishes or budgetary contraints. Cremation is more cost effective as burial requires the purchase of a grave or an existing grave to be re-opened.
If you are unsure as to which option you would like to select don’t hesitate to contact our staff on 03 8779 2570 or visit our pricing page to view our package options and inclusions.
Funeral Venues
There are a wide variety of options when it comes to selecting your preferred venue for the funeral, and at Browne Brothers we also offer our own chapel among these options. To learn more about the venues throughout Melbourne and where you can hold a service, please click on the View Venues button below. We encourage you to contact our experienced Funeral Consultants in discussing any further details.
During the process
There are a number of things that happen between your loved one’s passing and their funeral or memorial service. We at Browne Brothers Funerals have our own mortuary facilities at 146 Argus Street, Cheltenham and generally this is where your loved one will go when in our care. However, if there are unexpected or suspicious circumstances surrounding the death then they will be transferred to the Coroner’s and then later released to the Funeral Home.
Some small Funeral Homes don’t have their own mortuary facilities and therefore we would encourage you to check to make sure you are happy with where your loved one will be located.
A Eulogy is a an important part of the funeral service and saying farewell to your loved one. Here are some tips on writing a eulogy:
1. Decide on the tone of your speech, keeping in mind the personality of the loved one who has deceased i.e. should the tone be serious, light-hearted, conversational etc.
2. It’s a good idea to write it out in full and then read it with a timer to see how long it is going to take. Type it in larger than normal font size so you can easily read it. Clarify with the family on the duration they would like you to keep to – this will usually be determined by whether you are the principal spokesperson or will others also be recalling their memories. As a guide 5 minutes is ideal.
3. Always start your speech by introducing yourself to the audience and let them know where you fitted in the person’s life.
4. Share personal stories and anecdotes of your relationship and experiences with your loved one.
5. Always avoid negativity. A funeral is not the time to vent or ‘get things off your chest’. A eulogy should be written in such a way to celebrate the person’s life and achievements.
6. If you are speaking on behalf of others then ask family, friends or colleagues for their recollections and add these to yours.
7. Before finalising your eulogy have it proofread by someone who knows you and knows the person being remembered. It’s a good idea to have a sounding board and their feedback may be helpful to finalise your speech.
8. On the day of the funeral dress appropriately, have a glass of water close-by and have a back-up person available to take-over in case you are unwell or not able to deliver it – this would generally be the Celebrant, Priest, a close friend or family member.
9. Remember that everyone will understand if at any stage you become emotional – just take a deep breath and try to continue if you can.
There is a lot of planning that needs to be done when arranging the funeral of a loved one, even after you have decided whether to have a burial or cremation, and what coffin or urn you would like.
When it comes to personalising your funeral, our team at Browne Brothers funerals have a great deal of experience to help guide and support you through the process. Our team can be contacted on 03 8779 2570.
Some key planning to be taken into account:
Flowers for the casket and service
It’s a nice idea to consider the favourite flowers of the person whom you are farewelling, or perhaps their favourite colours when selecting the flowers for the funeral. At Brown Brothers we have a wide selection of floral arrangements and if you wish our local florist can work with you to customise your flowers. Or indeed you may like something different like vegetables for other flora.
Music for the Service
Again, here it is a nice idea to consider the favourite music of the person whom you are farewelling, or perhaps music that means a lot to the family. You will need a selection of songs for the arrival of the guests, through the ceremony (for example whilst a slideshow is playing) and then as guests leave.
Order of Service Booklet
We have an extensive range of funeral stationery available for families to choose from, including Orders of Service Booklets, Mass Booklets, Thank You Cards, Prayer Cards etc. Our in-house Senior Graphic Artist can help you create a custom design, or any of our designs can be tailored to your needs
Slideshow or DVD tribute
People often show a slideshow of images to encapsulate the life of the person who has passed. Taking this concept further, we can create for you a DVD Tribute, which is a collection of 30 photos, accompanied by a piece of music coming together to create a beautiful montage of memories. Of course additional photos and music can be accommodated where necessary, and this DVD is a great keepsake and many families view it at a later date.
Catering for guests
You may like to offer your guests tea, coffee and snacks or finger food, which we are able to arrange for you. It can be catering at your home or chosen venue, and we can provide everything from simple ‘delivery only’ through to a fully staffed service.
Writing a Eulogy
A Eulogy is a an important part of the funeral service and saying farewell to your loved one. See our steps for writing a eulogy in the FAQ’s above.
The cost of a funeral can vary greatly depending upon whether you have a church or chapel service as well as a graveside burial or a cremation, and also depending upon your choice of coffin or urn, and your other choices such as catering and flowers.
At Browne Brothers we are proud to offer high quality funerals at very good value pricepoints, and we keep our prices as low as we can to cater for people with any budget in all situations.
At Browne Brothers our Customer Care Team is available 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year to take your call and help with any questions you may have.
In the majority of cases, a death will occur while your loved ones are in hospitals, nursing homes, aged care facilities etc. The staff in these facilities will assist you with the first steps and preliminary information, in fact they may have already asked you to nominate your preference for a funeral home, such as Browne Brothers.
If your loved one does in fact pass away at home please notify the doctor to arrange a certification of death. Legally a Funeral Director is not allowed to transfer your loved into their care until this has happened.
In the case of unexpected or suspicious circumstances surrounding the death, the police will need to be notified. Where a doctor isn’t prepared to sign the Death Certificate then the Coroners will become involved and they will need to transfer your loved one into their care.
If your loved one has passed away interstate or overseas, Browne Brothers will liaise with the appropriate local service providers to ensure all of the correct paperwork and regulations are met.
- Viewing: A period where family can visit and view the person who has died (at the funeral home).
- The service: A funeral service held in a place of worship, funeral home, crematorium or at the graveside.
- Burial or cremation: Following the service, a burial or cremation will take place. In the case of burial, friends and family may go in procession to the cemetery. Hire of a hearse and limousine(s) to follow in procession is usually included in a traditional funeral.
- The wake: A reception held after the funeral, usually with food and drink, where mourners can remember the person who has died in a more relaxed setting.
Melbourne has a variety of Funeral Homes, and at Browne Brothers, we pride ourselves on ensuring families will receive a unique level of personalised care offered by an experienced team of funeral directors, at the cheapest funeral prices in Melbourne.
Click through to learn more about our Funeral Homes or Contact Us to discuss how we can help reduce the burden on your family.
In the majority of cases a death will occur while your loved ones are in hospitals, nursing homes, aged care facilities etc. The staff in these facilities will assist you with the first steps and preliminary information.
At Browne Brothers our Customer Care Team is available 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year to take your call and help with any questions you may have.
Once you have made contact with us, you will be assigned to one of our experienced funeral directors who can walk you through all the decisions that need to be made.
One of the most significant decisions that will need to be made is whether your loved one will be buried or cremated.
If you choose a cremation for your loved one, it doesn’t mean you forfeit a professional funeral service. In fact, when you choose a cremation, you still enjoy the benefits of a full professional funeral service just as you would a burial funeral.
The ultimate advantage of cremation is flexibility to carry out the funeral in a way that suits your family, and you decide what happens with your loved ones remains.
If you are unsure as to which option you would like to select don’t hesitate to contact our staff to discuss.
The cost of a funeral can vary greatly depending upon whether you have a church or chapel service as well as a graveside burial or a cremation, and also depending upon your choice of coffin or urn, and your other choices such as catering and flowers.
At Browne Brothers we are proud to offer high quality cremations at very good value price points, and we keep our prices as cheap as we can to cater for people in all situations.
If you are unsure as to which option you would like to select don’t hesitate to contact our staff or visit our pricing page to view our package options and inclusions.
We offer a range of cremation urn options to suit your needs and budget. Some of these options include:
- Sustainable Timber Urns
- Environmentally Friendly Urns
- Outdoor Urns
- Hand Crafted Ceramic Urns
Click here to learn more about our Urn range.
The decision to view your loved one prior to the funeral can be beneficial.
It is a way to see them in a peaceful state whilst you say your final goodbyes. It also enables you to see them looking more themselves (in their chosen clothes as well as their hair done and makeup on).
We suggest that if you or other family members don’t wish to attend a viewing then that is fine. Some people may feel that their last memory is sufficient enough and that they would prefer to hold onto that memory.
Traditionally families have used newspapers to announce a death or advise the date/time/location of a funeral.
In today’s digital world, many families also take to social media to announce a funeral notice, so family and friends can share the details with their own network.
Firstly, it’s important to think about what music reflects the life of your loved one and their interests. However, some more common funeral songs include:
- Unforgettable - Nat King Cole
- Tears in Heaven – Eric Clapton
- My Way – Frank Sinatra
- In the arms of an angel – Sarah McLaughlin
- What a wonderful world – Louis Armstrong
- Over the Rainbow – Eva Cassidy
- You raise me up – Josh Groban
- Amazing – Alex Lloyd
- Fly – Celine Dion
- Goodbye my friend – Linda Ronstadt
- Danny Boy – Daniel O’Donnell
- The Lord is my shepherd – John Michael Talbot
- Funeral March – Beethoven
- Don’t Cry Daddy – Elvis Presley
- Fields of Gold – Sting
- Goodbye – Lionel Ritchie
- Sailing – Rod Stewart
- Time to say goodbye – Sarah Brightman & Andrea Bocelli
- Angels – Robbie Williams
At the time of death you will be required to complete some statutory forms. Ideally we would like you to complete the forms prior to what’s called the ‘Arrangement Conference’.
Click on the links below to download the forms.
