At this very difficult time, we understand your need for clear information about your options for a Memorial or Thanksgiving service for your loved one.
Although there is no law in Victoria to state that a Funeral Director is required to arrange a Memorial or Thanksgiving service, most families elect to engage a Funeral Director to make this process much easier.
A Funeral Director will make all of the arrangements on your behalf, under your direction, to ensure the service is tailored to your specific needs. This can include liaising with Geelong Cemeteries Trust, a celebrant or clergy to ensure the service runs smoothly and meets the expectations of family and friends.
If you choose to arrange a Memorial or Thanksgiving service yourself at Geelong Memorial Park Chapel and Function Room, without the assistance of a Funeral Director, please use the following steps as a guide to assist you through this process.
01. Viewing the Chapel and Function Room
It is important to contact the main office to arrange an appointment to visit the Geelong Memorial Park Chapel and Function Room prior to making any arrangements for the service. This will ensure that a funeral or memorial service is not in progress when you visit.
Our Function Room is a fully catered and licensed facility operated by a locally renowned catering company and conveniently located in the same facility as the Chapel.
At the time of the appointment, it is the role of our Chapel attendant to show you through the venue and answer any questions you have related to the service and/or refreshments following the service. This will give you a clear understanding of how the venue is laid out to accommodate your requests.
On the day of the service, it is the role of our Chapel attendants to welcome your family and guests into the facility, offer assistance to guests with mobility limitations and operate our state-of-the-art audio visual system.
The family are responsible for the preparation and coordination of the order the service is conducted in, and if desired, can engage a celebrant or clergy to assist with tasks, such as:
- Preparation of order for service booklets
- Eulogies and speeches
- Readings
- Candle lighting
- Laying of flowers or tributes
02. Booking the Chapel and Function Room
Once you have made the arrangements regarding the order of the service and agreed on a possible day and time, you will need to contact our main office to make the booking. Please note you may need to be flexible with these, in case of a pre-existing booking.
CHAPEL BOOKINGS
When making a booking, it is of the utmost importance to ensure you have allocated enough time for your service. Your booked time must include any set up time you may require and time for your family and guests to leave the Chapel. Often services are booked back-to-back and you must leave the premises within your allocated time so as not to affect another family that has a service directly following yours.
The Chapel can be booked in half hour and hour increments. It is strongly recommended you book at least a half hour longer than the expected duration of the actual service. This will allow for any required set up time and give ample time for family and friends to leave.
For example, if the service is to commence at 1.00pm and you expect the service to take one hour, your booking should be from 12.45pm to 2.15pm with an official start time of 1.00pm.
When making the booking, please advise our staff if you require webcast live streaming of the service, as we will arrange for a secure invite and link for you to share with your family and friends that are unable to attend.
FUNCTION BOOKINGS
If you would like refreshments served in our Function Room at the conclusion of the service, this can be arranged at the same time as making the Chapel booking. Our staff will guide you through this process and assist with any requests relating to your catering needs.
03. Arranging your audio
Once you have secured a booking for a day and time, our staff will send you an email with a link allowing you to attach your:
- Order of service (if applicable)
- Song list and order of (if applicable)
- Visual tribute (slide show/video, if applicable)
Alternatively, the content can be loaded onto a USB drive and delivered to our main office at the Geelong Eastern Cemetery, located at 141 Ormond Rd, East Geelong 3219.
04. On the day of the service
If you are in charge of the order of service, or if you have engaged a celebrant tasked with this on your behalf, arrival at least 15 minutes prior to the commencement time of the service will give confidence to ensure the Chapel space is setup to your requirements and that all is in order prior to the commencement of the service.
Your early arrival will also allow for family and guests to be greeted and gather in the foyer and entrance lounge, before entering the Chapel at the commencement of the service.
At the conclusion of the service within your allocated Chapel booking time, family and guests will need to leave the Chapel to allow our staff to clean and reset the Chapel for the next service. Our Chapel Attendant will require your assistance or the assistance of your employed celebrant/clergy in guiding your family and guests out of the Chapel.
If you have arranged for refreshments, family and guests will be ushered into our adjacent Function Room and greeted by the professional wait staff.
We’re here to help ensure a memorable celebration of life.
Our staff are available to answer any questions relating to the Chapel and Function Room at Geelong Memorial Park.
For all enquiries please contact our main office on 5249 3939 or email info@gct.net.au
