Back when my father did funerals in small country towns they were a pretty standard format. Nearly always held in the church with solemn hymns sung by the congregation, prayers and eulogy read by the minister. The ladies from the guild, helped by the ministers wife would arrange the flowers, quite often white canna lilies (funeral lilies). They were always perfectly arranged with very little colour apart from white flowers and the green leaves. After the church service the congregation would follow the hearse in procession to the burial ground where the committal service was held. A few of the ladies in The Ladies Guild would stay back and prepare afternoon tea in the church hall. The ladies would have brought a plate with home made cakes, scones and made sandwiches which would be served with cups of tea when the family and friends of the deceased returned from the cemetery.
The Sassy Marriage Celebrant 