Planning Your Own Funeral: Bucks County's New Trend

As the world watched the funeral of Pope Francis this week, some commentators provided the extreme details that the deceased pope had made regarding his own services. While macabre and unusual, planning your final time on the big stage is becoming a growing trend.

From choosing the location to curating the music, selecting speakers, arranging burials, and even deciding between cremation and water burial, funeral planning is becoming an act of empowerment and storytelling.

Let’s dive into why this trend is growing, what elements people are planning, famous individuals who shaped their own memorials, traditions from around the world, and how funeral planning is evolving right here in Philadelphia.

Why Are More People Planning Their Own Funerals?

The reasons vary, but some common motivations include:

• Easing the burden on loved ones

• Ensuring personal values are reflected

• Celebrating life rather than mourning death

• Financial preparation and cost control

Langhorne communications expert Ryan Abramson, who recently started planning his own funeral, reflects,

What Are People Choosing to Plan?

Speakers and Eulogists. Many individuals are selecting who they want to speak at their funeral. Some choose close friends or family members, while others select professional celebrants or clergy. Some even write their own eulogies.

Music. From classical hymns to favorite rock anthems, funeral playlists are now highly personalized. Music evokes memories, and people want their service to reflect the soundtrack of their lives.

Readings. Traditional religious passages remain popular, but personalized readings—favorite poems, book excerpts, or personal letters—are increasingly included.

Locations. Funerals no longer have to be held in a church or funeral home. Popular alternatives include beaches, gardens, parks, and even family homes. Some opt for memorial services at country clubs, wineries, or art galleries.

Burial Choices: Ground, Mausoleum, Water Burial, Cremation

The traditional cemetery burial is still common, but options have expanded:

Ground Burial

• Traditional choice

• Cemetery ownership often influences cost (religious, municipal, private)

Mausoleum Burial

• Above-ground entombment

• Popular among families who wish to visit in protected spaces

Water Burial

• Legal in certain jurisdictions (with permits)

• Can involve scattering ashes or biodegradable urns in the ocean

Cremation

• Now chosen by over 57% of Americans (National Funeral Directors Association)

• Allows for ash scattering, keepsake urns, or burial in memorial gardens

Ryan Abramson shares,

Famous People Who Planned Their Own Funerals

Planning your own goodbye isn’t just for everyday people. Several famous figures took charge of their final act:

• Frank Sinatra famously chose the song "Put Your Dreams Away" for his funeral and had Jack Daniels placed in his coffin.

• Aretha Franklin planned an elaborate four-day funeral celebration with multiple outfit changes for her.

• David Bowie requested a secret, private cremation in Bali without fanfare, showing a preference for dignity over spectacle.

• Queen Elizabeth II meticulously planned her "Operation London Bridge" funeral over decades, ensuring precision.

  
  

Their examples show how deeply personal and powerful self-planned funerals can be.

Burial Traditions from Around the World

Funeral customs vary dramatically by culture:

• Ghana: Fantasy coffins shaped like airplanes, fish, or other symbols of the deceased’s life.

• Tibet: "Sky Burials," where bodies are placed on mountaintops for vultures, in alignment with Buddhist traditions of returning to nature.

• Japan: 99% cremation rate, with elaborate family-centered altars for remains.

• Mexico: Día de los Muertos is a vibrant celebration, showing reverence through colorful altars, food, and festivities.

• New Orleans: Jazz funerals combine somber dirges with lively music to celebrate life.

  
  

Funeral Planning and Burial in Philadelphia

In Philadelphia, funeral traditions reflect the city’s rich history and diversity.Here’s what you should know:

Who Owns Cemeteries? Philadelphia cemeteries are owned by:

• Religious institutions (Catholic, Jewish, Christian denominations)

• Private companies (e.g., StoneMor Partners, based in Bucks County)

• Municipalities like Bucks County (city-owned sites like Mount Moriah Cemetery)

Average Costs According to the Pennsylvania Funeral Directors Association, the average funeral (including viewing and burial) in the Philadelphia area costs between $7,000 to $10,000, excluding cemetery fees.

Cremation with a service typically ranges from $4,000 to $6,000.

Number of Funerals Each year, approximately 25,000 funerals are conducted in the Philadelphia metro area.

Increasingly, Philadelphians are pre-planning their funerals to lock in prices and to ensure culturally and personally meaningful services.

Expert Quotes on Funeral Planning

Dr. Rachel Reeves, grief counselor and author of A Life Well Honored, states:

Johnathan Fields, a Philadelphia funeral director, notes:

Monica Wirth, author of Sacred Departures: Personalized Funerals in the Modern Age, shares:

The Gift of Final Wishes

Planning your own funeral is not a morbid chore—it’s an act of love, clarity, and personal empowerment.

By choosing your speakers, music, readings, and burial method, you create a legacy that speaks authentically to who you were. You also ease the emotional and financial burdens on your loved ones, giving them the gift of certainty during grief.

Philadelphia offers a wide range of funeral services, cemeteries, and traditions to help individuals curate their own perfect goodbye. Whether you envision a solemn church service, a festive jazz sendoff, a seaside ash scattering, or a private mausoleum visit, your story deserves to be told your way.

As Ryan Abramson wisely says,