The "last ride" should be traveled as a tribute to, and in honor of the life of your loved one.
The meticulously and elegantly appointed Victorian style hearse is of recent manufacture but is built in the same style as the hearses used for centuries for distinguished and prominent people. The staff will be appointed in vintage style clothing or dress in teh colors you have chosen for th efuneral to further honor your loved one.
Most families prefer to use the hearse from the entrance of the cemetery to the chapel and/or to the grave side service. Depending on the distance to be traveled, the hearse could also be used for transportation from the church or the funeral home to the cemetery. Family members can walk behind the regal and slow procession with the horse(s) and the hearse in the cemetery. This allows for reflection and time to contemplate your final farewell to your loved one.
If desired, various other carriages are available to transport family members during the procession as well.
Please note that horses travel about 3 mph so long distances are not feasible with the horse drawn hearse. Nor is traveling on a very busy road, preferably with a speed limit of 35 mph or less. We will do what we can to accommodate family's wishes, but we must first be safe. We work with the funeral home to establish a safe place to transfer the casket and proceed to the grave site or as directed. We will not travel on the road for any distance (usually ess than 1/2 mile due to the slow speed and holding up traffic on the road.
The Wagonette carriage can be used as a flower wagon and to transport the pall bearers in front of or behind the hearse.
For a funeral with miltary honors, we can also provide a riderless horse for the ceremony.
The hearse will be pulled by either a single horse or a team. Both black and gray (white) horses are available as a single or as a team.
Please note that all carriage rides are weather dependent. Final decision about whether we will being the horses and the hearse will be determined by Willow Wind Carriage.
