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About Funeral Etiquette
- A funeral director prepares dead bodies for burial. You do not tip them. Their fees are included. Send a thank you if they did a good job.
- An honor guard performs ceremonies at funerals. You do not need to stand for Taps unless you served in the military.
- You would not tip a pastor if charged a fee. If no fee, tip $100-300. Tip musicians 15-20%. Tip volunteers $50-100 each. Tip the florist 10-20%.
Key Points in Funeral Etiquette
- The dead may be called deceased. A funeral sermon is 12-15 minutes. You do not need to say anything before scripture.
- Officiants and bands can be tipped $50-100 each. Send the funeral director a thank you for exceptional service.
- Cemeteries bury bodies, called graveyards or burial grounds. Cenotaphs memorialize those elsewhere.
- Funeral costs are traditionally paid by family. Becoming a mortician requires college and apprenticeship. They have communication abilities and behave appropriately.
