End of Life PlannerFinal wishes
The notes a family uses on the day: ceremony, gathering, a short message if you want one, and the odd practical details.
Not a will · Not a funeral booking
By End of Life PlannerUpdated
What “final wishes” actually means
Final wishes are practical instructions: burial or cremation, the gathering, who should act, pets, the house, who should have the photos. Plain language. Not a script. Funeral wishes zoom in on the ceremony. A legacy letter is stories and values — not the same document.
They are not a will, a funeral contract, or a medical order. Those are separate. This is the layer around them: what you’d want, written so nobody has to guess.
Brief examples
“Cremation. No viewing. Small lunch somewhere with a garden. Ruth will know who to invite.”
“If there is a gathering, keep it under two hours. The cat food is in the laundry cupboard.”
Those lines are enough to start. The reusable form, completion notes, and a filled sample are the final wishes document.
Check that your wishes are clear
Name the person you would like your family to contact about your wishes.
Separate firm preferences from suggestions where others can decide.
Include practical care for pets and the home, as well as the gathering.
Note where any existing arrangements or related papers are kept.
Date the notes, discuss them with someone you trust, and update them when your wishes change.