Month: March 2025

One of the most difficult things to do when planning a funeral is selecting your loved one’s viewing and burial attire. This is especially true if your loved one did not make their wishes known. However, there are some guidelines you can follow to ensure that your loved one is dressed and prepared for their service in a way that honors them. For instance, many people choose to dress their departed loved ones in clothing that resembles what they would wear at home. This may include a dress, sweater or even pyjamas. Other clothing options can also be used as viewing and burial attire such as a suit or tuxedo. Funeral directors often have a selection of burial gowns that can be worn to honor your departed loved one. These garments are typically made from lightweight fabrics such as cotton or linen and are designed to drape easily over the body. This is an important feature as it makes it easy for loved ones to put on the gowns without adding too much stress to an already emotional event. Additionally, burial gowns are designed to allow your loved ones to move naturally while in the casket which can help them feel more comfortable during a visitation and during their final resting place. For those who wish to dress their loved ones in clothing that they would normally wear at home, there are several things you should consider before making your choice. You should consider their style and how they tended to dress in life, as well as any specific needs or preferences you have for them. For example, were they someone who preferred formal dressing or did they take a more casual approach? This can give you a clue as to what they might want for their own final outfit. When choosing accessories, it is important to remember that a person’s appearance will be significantly altered by the embalming process. For this reason, it is best to avoid jewelry that requires a piercing. In addition, it is not advisable to bury your loved one with shoes. This is because shoes can not be seen in the casket and they can be difficult to get on the body, which is often swollen and rigid. For this reason, some families choose to forego footwear altogether. However, some may opt to add a pair of sandals or slippers for convenience. Another thing to keep in mind is that it is generally not a good idea to bury your loved one with any jewelry they might wear, since the necklace may end up being lost or misplaced in the casket. While some people prefer to bury their loved ones with personal items like favorite books or wedding rings, it is best to consult your funeral director about what they recommend. In general, a few small personal items will be acceptable as long as they are not too large to fit inside the casket and do not add too much weight.

When it comes to wedding dresses, most people only wear them once. Rather than hanging onto the dress as an expensive heirloom or taking part in the popular “destroy the dress” tradition, many brides find a more meaningful way to dispose of their gowns: by donating them. In addition to allowing others to experience the joy of wearing the gown for their special day, donating it also offers an opportunity to get a tax deduction (though this may be more difficult now with new federal laws). According to Zola, a bridal site that allows you to buy and sell used gowns, many charities accept donated wedding dresses as well as other wedding accessories like veils and tiaras. One local option in the capital region is Albany, NY-based Angel Gowns of the Capital Region. These volunteer sewers transform wedding dresses into infant burial gowns—also known as angel gowns—which they then offer to families of babies lost too soon at hospitals, birthing centers, and funeral homes free of charge. Another nearby option is the Michigan-based Brides Project, which raises money for family-focused programs and services through the reselling of donated dresses at its shop locations. Those interested in donating a gown to this nonprofit can visit their website to learn more. In addition to these nonprofit bridal stores, there are a variety of thrift and charity shops that accept wedding dresses as well as other bridal accessories. The website Adorned in Grace lists many options across the US, and most charities and thrift shops will clean your dress before reselling it or giving it to someone in need. Be sure to hold onto your receipts and purchasing documentation to help determine the fair market value of the dress in the event you want to claim a charitable donation. If you aren’t able to donate your gown, you can still make it a part of your eco-friendly lifestyle by transforming it into something else. The fabric can be reused to create home decor or cherished keepsakes, such as pillows or baptism gowns for children. You can even use the buttons and trimmings to create DIY jewelry or accessories. Alternatively, you can cut the dress up and use it as a table runner, photo prop or wall art. The environmental benefits of donating your wedding dress go beyond saving space. According to GreenDrop, when clothing is thrown away, it sits in landfills and releases hundreds of toxins into the air. Reusing your wedding dress reduces waste and saves the resources and energy it takes to produce new textiles and apparel. If you’re unsure about where to donate your gown, start with your local churches or charities that support those in need. You can also look for local bridal or wedding expos, which often host a sale or swap of pre-loved wedding gowns. Additionally, check out social media and online groups in your area, as they may have specific threads or discussions around gown donations.

For families experiencing the loss of a baby, especially one born prematurely, that baby is considered an angel. And these tiny gowns are made from donated wedding dresses to give that little angel a dignified, beautiful dress or suit to lay in at the hospital. They are offered to parents free of charge. For Mayo Clinic nurse Lynn Gaber, creating these gowns is a way to pay tribute to those who never get the chance to come home. It is also a way to help support the grieving parents who need something to remember their little one by. Every year in the United States, 626,000 babies are born through still birth or miscarriage. And for the parents, they will never take their baby home. That’s why a Hot Springs Village woman has turned her first floor into a workshop for these tiny angel gowns. She makes them from donated wedding dresses, and she’s donating them across the country to comfort grieving families. The gowns are a labor of love for the seamstresses behind them. They work from their homes to transform the dresses into infant burial gowns and suits, a simple way to honor the life of an angel baby. The group’s goal is to make sure all families in need receive a burial outfit for their baby, regardless of their financial status or where they live in the country. It’s an international effort, with volunteers from around the world helping to make these beautiful gowns. Each package includes the gown, a message and keepsake for the parents and a blanket to swaddle their baby. For many of these families, it’s the last thing they get to do for their baby before they say goodbye. Gowns are made from a variety of fabrics, including silk, lace and satin. Some are even adorned with rhinestones or flowers to add to the beauty of each dress. The gowns are available for hospitals, birthing centers, funeral homes and directly to families to help them say their final farewells. KATV spoke to a few of the seamstresses behind the project. We met a Camden woman who lost her daughter to SIDS, and another who lost her son to an emergency C-section. They all said the loss of their babies was one of the hardest things they’ve ever had to endure. A Camden mother, Haley Clark, who was in a similar situation, says she wishes the hospital would have given her an angel gown for her baby. She’s now a volunteer and plans to bring gowns to hospitals in her area. Another volunteer is a retired labor and delivery nurse, who lost her own baby at 18 weeks gestation. She found solace in making these angel gowns, and now spends her retirement helping other families find that same peace. She calls herself Grandma Angel, and her work is truly a labor of love. In addition to angel gowns, her group also makes prayer shawls and blankets for people who’ve experienced the loss of a family member or friend. They’re always accepting donations of repurposed wedding dresses, fabric, ribbons, thread, gallon zip-lock bags and more to make these special garments for grieving families.

A child funeral can be a powerful way for families to express and honor the life of a loved one, especially a baby or young child who was stillborn or died in the womb. It can also be an opportunity to share your loss with a community of friends and family who may not have known your child. However, a child funeral is not right for every family and it is important to make a choice that is best for you and your children. Many parents choose to use a celebrant to guide them through the ceremony planning process and help them arrange a meaningful service that is in keeping with their child’s wishes and needs. This person can also be a good source of support on the day of the funeral, particularly if you are feeling emotional or overwhelmed yourself. Before the funeral you can take your child to the funeral home and other places that will be part of the ceremony to familiarize them with their surroundings and what they might expect. Explain everything in a very straightforward and honest manner and encourage their questions. If your child is going to be able to see their sibling’s casket at a visitation or the funeral itself then it will be important to reassure them that they are not being buried alive, and that their sibling cannot feel cold or pain. If the body is being cremated then you will want to explain what that means and that the ashes will be kept in an urn on a memorial table or perhaps in a beautiful garden space. Depending on your child’s age and emotional maturity level you might want to consider asking them whether they would like to play a role in the ceremony itself, such as reading a poem or delivering a short speech. However, if your child is not comfortable with this then they do not have to participate in a public way. Instead, you can ask them if they would like to draw a picture, write a letter or leave something special in their sibling’s casket for others to remember them by. If your child is old enough to understand, you can also consider having them sign a book of condolences, or allow them to create a permanent or temporary memorial such as a plaque, flower arrangement, candlelit display or digital photo frame. You could also consider a donation to a charity in your child’s name or a memorial fund for research into stillbirth and miscarriage. You might also consider appointing a point person to accompany your child during the service. This can be a friend, family member or even another child from the funeral home who can keep an eye on your little one if they start to get restless or overloaded with emotion. They can also be on hand to bring them a snack, their favourite cuddle toy or quiet game. This can give you the peace of mind that your child is being well looked after, and allows you to fully attend to the service and other rituals that may be challenging for them to engage with.