Our Services
Grahams Funerals
Our Funeral Directors can also attend to:
- Cemetery and Crematorium Bookings -
In most cemeteries you can choose a plot in a location of your choice and we can arrange for a visit with the sexton to help select the appropriate resting place. - Family Notices -
Most families choose to place a Death and Funeral Notice in the newspaper, be it a local or national newspaper. This serves to inform relatives and friends of the death and where and when the funeral service is to be held.
Our funeral directors can offer advice on the wording and place the notice in a newspaper in New Zealand or overseas. Notices and tribute pages can also be set up on websites like amemorytree.co.nz - Floral Tributes -
Flowers are a traditional part of New Zealand funerals. We can offer advice on casket flowers, arrangements for the church, chapel or funeral venue and farewell flowers. We can arrange for flowers to be sent to the family residence, the funeral venue or overseas. We are happy to liaise with your own florist or with one of our recommended florists.
Or, if you wish, we can arrange the option of donations in lieu of flowers to your chosen charity. A sign, envelopes and a donation box will be set up at the service venue - Audio and/or Video Recording of Funeral Services -
In circumstances where family and friends are overseas or unable to attend, we can arrange for a professional video recording to be taken at short notice. Most churches and chapels have facilities to audio record a service. If not our staff can attend to this for you.
More and more families are requesting this service as it provides a lasting record of a final farewell that can be replayed at a later time if their grief at the time of the service clouded their recollection of events. - Music - Music is a special way to help personalise a funeral service. The right music at the right time can provide a meaningful tribute or remembrance. An organist or pianist, CD/DVD, bugler, piper or other soloists could provide the appropriate effect.
- DVD/Video Tributes -
These allow a professional presentation to help celebrate the life at the funeral service. For a very reasonable price a DVD tribute consisting of a series of approximately 30 photos combined with music can be prepared and is usually played as a reflection time during the service after the Eulogy and tributes.
Further copies can be provided as a special keepsake for families and friends - Service Sheets and Bereavement Cards -
A lot of families choose to have a printed "Order of Service" which can include photos of the deceased, details of service venue, date and time, words to hymns and readings, messages, invitations and thanks. They provide a memento of the service and are often sent to family or friends who couldn't attend.
Bereavement cards provide a way of saying thank you to family and friends for their love and support before, during or after the bereavement.
Technology allows both these to be printed in-house at a reasonable cost and at relatively short notice. - Memorial Registers -
Many families choose to have a memorial register or book to allow mourners to record their attendance and/or note a thought or memory of the deceased. Such a book allows them to reflect on who attended the service if they didn't have the opportunity to speak to everybody. It can also be helpful when sending out bereavement thank you cards. - Catering -
Our reception lounges have an excellent reputation for providing a very comprehensive morning, afternoon tea or light luncheon following the funeral service in our chapel. We can also arrange catering at other reception venues, church halls or at your home. - Financial Arrangements -
Our funeral directors will be pleased to provide an estimate of costs, based on discussions at the time of the initial funeral interview. This estimate should only be used as a guide, as extra items/services are often requested following the initial interview. You will also be asked to sign an authority form at the time of the arrangement. Payment is due six weeks from the date of death. Arrangements for extended credit can be made with appropriate service fee and interest payable.
Because death may occur unexpectedly or when funds are not immediately accessible, financial assistance may need to be sought. A means tested Funeral Grant may be available from Work and Income NZ; or if the death is a result of an accident, from ACC. We can help with such applications.
Payment can be made by cash, cheque, eftpos, internet banking or credit card. - Death Certificate -
The information required for the death certificate will be collected from you when the funeral is being arranged. This, along with the information from a medical or coroners certificate and the date and place of burial or cremation, is used to produce the certified New Zealand Death Certificate.
Certificates are usually available within a week of the funeral service and will be forwarded to the family or solicitor as advised. You will be asked to check a proof of this information before we register through an on-line process.
Our Mission Statement: -
"To facilitate a memorable and meaningful farewell that exceeds the family's expectations".
This guiding principle reflects our genuine desire to care for and help our community when a death affects the lives of family and friends within that community.