What a funeral wishes document is
A funeral wishes document is a written record of your preferences for your own funeral. It does not concern your estate; it concerns how you want to be farewelled.
It is not legally required, but it is an act of care for the people you love. It spares them difficult questions at a moment of grief and ensures your wishes can be followed.
Why it helps the family
In the immediate aftermath of a loss, the family must make many decisions quickly. Written wishes spare them uncertainty and potential disagreements between relatives.
For cremation in particular, the deceased's written wish has legal priority and simplifies the formalities, because otherwise the consent of next of kin is required.
What you can include
Funeral wishes can cover, according to your preferences:
- Burial or cremation
- The chosen cemetery plot or columbarium
- The type of ceremony — religious or secular
- The officiant, church, or form of service
- Preferences for the coffin, flowers, or music
- Instructions about repatriation, if you live abroad
Property will or wishes document
Funeral wishes can be placed in a clause of a notarised (authentic) will, or in a separate, simpler document left with the family.
Important: a property will is often opened after the funeral, at probate. This is why, for funeral wishes specifically, it is important that the family knows them in advance.
Notarial information — National Union of Romanian NotariesHow to leave the document
The safest approach is to tell your family your wishes in advance and put them in a straightforward document that is easy to find. For a more secure form, you can include them in a notarised will.
What matters most is that the family knows where the document is and what you wanted, so your wishes can be followed at the right time.
| Form | How it works | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Simple document left with the family | Write your wishes in a document that is easy to find, left with the family or a trusted person | Sufficient for wishes; the family must know where it is |
| Clause in a notarised (authentic) will | The notary keeps the will; the more secure form | A property will is often opened after the funeral, at probate — tell the family your wishes in advance |
| Advance funeral planning | The details and even the costs are settled in advance, usually without upfront payment | Goes further than written wishes; an act of care for the family |
| Wishes left only verbally | No written document | Best avoided: easy to forget or dispute |
Cremation and the written wish
For cremation, the deceased's written wish is particularly valuable. If it exists, it replaces the next-of-kin consent that is otherwise required for cremation.
So if you want to be cremated, a clear written note spares your family a difficult decision and possible disagreements.
Advance planning
Some people go further and plan their funeral in advance — settling the details and even the costs, usually without any upfront payment. It is an act of care for the family.
We can help you put your wishes on paper and plan, calmly and without obligation.
Mistakes to avoid
Some mistakes make wishes hard to follow:
- Wishes left only verbally — easy to forget or dispute
- A document hidden where the family cannot find it in time
- Vague wording, without clear details about the ceremony
- Wishes the family does not know about until after the will is opened
How we help
We help you put your funeral wishes in writing — clearly and completely — and keep them in a form the family can easily follow.
We are available day and night. Call us or see our funeral services for a no-obligation conversation.