A funeral in a hall. How it actually works.
By now you might be thinking “That sounds nice, but how does it actually work?”
Fair question. Here are the things families ask us most.
Who brings the person to the hall?
We do. Your person travels with us in our vehicle and we place the coffin at the front of the hall before people arrive. If the family want to carry the coffin in themselves, that’s fine too. Pallbearers don’t need a licence.
After the service, the coffin goes back to the vehicle and on to the cemetery or crematorium. Family can follow us, or say goodbye at the hall door.
Do we need a celebrant?
No. A funeral can be led by a celebrant, a minister, a family member or a friend. Our Funeral Service includes an experienced celebrant, a display table and a professional audio system. Plenty of families use the celebrant to hold the day together and then have three or four people speak.
Others run the whole thing themselves. Both work.
How long do we have?
That’s the beauty of a hall. You’ve hired it for the half day or the full day. Nobody is waiting at the door for the next service.
The one clock that does matter is the cemetery. If there’s a burial afterwards, cemetery staff generally expect a Graveside to wrap up within about an hour so they can complete the burial. We’ll help you plan the timing so the hall service, the drive and the graveside all fit comfortably.
What about the kitchen and catering?
Most halls have one. Bigger halls like Allora Hall and the Stanthorpe Civic Centre have commercial kitchens. Small halls have enough for an urn and a few platters.
You can do it yourselves, ask the CWA, or bring in a local caterer. Robins Catering in Warwick, Top Paddock Catering, and Brinx Deli & Cafe in Stanthorpe all do funeral catering and will deliver to a hall.
Who books the hall?
You can, or we can. Council halls (Allora, Stanthorpe Civic Centre) are booked through Southern Downs Regional Council, so it’s worth moving quickly. Committee halls usually have a booking officer with a mobile number. Either way, tell them it’s a funeral. In our experience they go out of their way.
What to ask before you book
- Is the hall free on the day, and for how long?
- What’s the hire fee and bond?
- Is there a kitchen, and can we use it?
- Are there tables and chairs, and how many?
- Is there wheelchair access and an accessible toilet?
- Is there a sound system, or should we bring one? (We can.)
- Where do people park?
- Who has the key, and who locks up?
Does it cost more?
Usually less. There’s no chapel hire. The hall fee is a fraction of it. And because the service and the wake are in one place, there’s no second venue.
Our own fee reflects how much coordinating we do. A hall funeral with a celebrant, a caterer and a graveside is more work for us than a simple cremation, and we’ll be clear about that before you decide anything.
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