Preparing the deceased - what the service involves
Dressing and preparation is the outward preparation of the deceased for the farewell: dressing, care of the hair and face, positioning the hands, laying them correctly in the coffin and arranging the religious items. This stage follows the hygienic treatment, and it is what the family and the mourners actually see. Done well, it gives the face a natural, peaceful expression, and very often it is what allows the family to keep the last farewell as a warm memory rather than a painful sight.
Our specialists have a background in medical institutions or morgues and training in funeral cosmetology. The full service includes:
- advice by phone on which clothes and belongings the family should prepare;
- dressing in clothes brought by the family or in our funeral clothing set, including underwear and shoes;
- combing or styling the hair in its familiar way, and for men shaving or tending the beard;
- light cosmetic preparation of the face in natural tones, and for women make-up if the family wishes;
- care of the hands and nails and the traditional folding of the hands on the chest;
- laying the deceased in the coffin on a pillow, smoothing the shroud and arranging the items: cross, icon, candle and the paper band placed on the forehead;
- placing belongings dear to the family, photographs and letters in the coffin as relatives direct;
- concealing stitches and marks after a post-mortem or an operation, so that an open-coffin farewell is possible.
The work takes one to two hours and is carried out in a closed room. Relatives can stay for the closing stage, for example when the hands are folded and the items arranged, if that is important to them.
Clothing and tradition: how the family can prepare
In Georgian tradition the deceased is dressed in their finest, often new, clothes, because it is believed they should set out on their "last journey" with dignity. Some elderly people prepare a "last outfit" during their lifetime and keep it aside. If such a set exists, that is what we use first of all.
| For whom | What to prepare | Worth bearing in mind |
|---|---|---|
| A man | A suit, or dark trousers and a jacket, a shirt, a tie if wished, underwear, socks, shoes | The shirt and shoes are best a little loose and in a soft material, so the specialist can dress him easily |
| A woman | A long-sleeved dress or suit, underwear, tights, a headscarf or shawl in the Orthodox tradition, shoes | Bright colours are traditionally avoided; dark or soft tones are preferred |
| An elderly person | The "last outfit" prepared in advance, if there is one, or favourite everyday clothes | Families often do not know such a set is kept in the wardrobe, so it is worth checking |
| A young person | What they loved: a favourite T-shirt, jeans, a sports kit, if the family so decides | Tradition does not forbid this; many families choose a personal style over a formal one |
| A serviceman or a cleric | Uniform with decorations, or the appropriate vestments | The specialist knows how decorations are placed and how the uniform is worn; the family need only bring it |
If there is no time or opportunity to prepare clothing, we keep funeral clothing sets in all sizes for men and women: suit, shirt, dress, headscarf, shoes and underwear. The specialist will bring a set in the size you mention when you call.
Our way of working, step by step
- Call and advice: the operator asks where the deceased is, how much time has passed since death and whether clothes are ready. From your answers we assign a specialist - a woman or a man - and a time, because dressing is best done in the first six to eight hours, before the muscles stiffen.
- The specialist arrives: they come within an hour with a portable kit: disinfectants, combs, a razor, cosmetics, gloves, a spare shroud and the forehead band. At home, a separate room is all that is needed.
- Hygienic preparation: the body is washed and disinfected, the hair washed if needed and the natural openings treated. This stage always takes place without the family, behind a closed door.
- Dressing: clothes are put on using a special technique; if necessary the back seam is opened and then stitched up again so that nothing shows from the front. Shoes are fastened on the feet or, if they do not fit, placed at the feet in keeping with tradition.
- Face and hair: the eyes and mouth are closed naturally, light cosmetics give the skin back its natural tone, and the hair is styled in the familiar way. We ask the family for a photograph so the hairstyle and expression look recognisable.
- Placing in the coffin: the deceased is laid on a pillow, the shroud is smoothed, the hands are folded on the chest - right over left - the band goes on the forehead, the hand holds a cross or icon, and a candle burns close by. The family may be present at this stage if they wish and add photographs or personal items.
Dressing and preparation prices in Tbilisi
The price for dressing and preparation is a single fee that includes the specialist's visit within Tbilisi, all hygienic and cosmetic products and placing in the coffin. Only what the family asks for on top is charged separately: a funeral clothing set, full make-up or complex restoration.
| Service | Price | Included |
|---|---|---|
| Standard dressing and preparation | from 150 GEL | Hygienic preparation, dressing in the family's clothes, hair, shaving, hands, placing in the coffin with the religious items |
| Cosmetic preparation for a woman | 80 GEL extra | Full make-up in natural tones, nail care, hairstyle based on a photograph |
| Funeral clothing set for a man | from 180 GEL | Suit, shirt, tie, underwear, socks, shoes, all sizes |
| Funeral clothing set for a woman | from 160 GEL | Dress or suit, headscarf, underwear, tights, shoes |
| Concealing stitches after a post-mortem or operation | from 100 GEL | Treating visible stitches, wax and cosmetics, choosing a high collar |
| Coffin interior set | from 60 GEL | Pillow, shroud, forehead band, hand cross, icon, candle, mourning ribbon |
| Travel outside Tbilisi | 1.5 GEL/km | Travel costs both ways; the work itself at the same rate |
Two circumstances affect the price: the time since death, because after 12 hours dressing requires more technique and time, and the condition of the body after a long illness, surgery or a post-mortem. In both cases the specialist gives the price when you call and does not change it after arriving.
Documents and preparations before the specialist arrives
Dressing and preparation is not an invasive medical procedure, so few documents are needed. What matters most is that the specialist knows for certain that death has been confirmed and that a forensic examination is either not required or already completed.
- the medical certificate of death or a hospital discharge note confirming the death;
- after a sudden death, confirmation that the forensic examination is complete, since until then it is forbidden to touch or dress the body;
- verbal consent from a family member together with instructions on clothing, cosmetics and items, which the specialist writes down;
- where an infection was involved, guidance from the doctor on which extra protective equipment the specialist must use.
What the family can get ready beforehand
- a full set of clothing from underwear to shoes, ironed and folded into one bag;
- a recent photograph of your loved one, for the hairstyle and expression;
- glasses, a watch, a ring or a small cross, if you would like them to stay in the coffin;
- an icon and a cross, if you want to use your own - otherwise we use ours;
- a clean towel and a separate room for one to two hours.
Special situations and religious rules
After a post-mortem or surgery
After a forensic post-mortem and some operations, stitches remain on the body that could be visible during an open-coffin farewell. The specialist chooses clothing with a high collar or a scarf, covers the stitches with a special coating and wax, and evens out the skin tone with cosmetics. In most cases an open-coffin farewell is possible, and the family is told so beforehand.
The Orthodox rite
For an Orthodox deceased the hands are folded on the chest, right over left; a cross or a small icon is placed in the hand, a band bearing a prayer is laid on the forehead, and a candle is lit at the head of the coffin. The shroud is traditionally white, often with an embroidered cross. A woman's head is covered with a headscarf or shawl.
Muslim and other traditions
Under the Muslim rite, after the ritual washing, performed by people of the same sex, the deceased is wrapped in a white cloth, the kafan, instead of ordinary clothes. Our specialists know this rite and work in the presence of a community representative. We also follow the particular customs of the Jewish, Catholic and Armenian Apostolic traditions, as directed by the family or a cleric.
Reasons families entrust this work to us
- Day and night, 24/7: dressing is time-sensitive, and putting it off until morning gives a poorer result. That is why our specialist comes within an hour even at night and does the work in those first hours.
- Difficult cases handled: our specialists have helped families in the hardest situations, after an accident or a long illness, when the family had already given up hope of an open coffin.
- Transparency: one price covers everything, from the specialist's visit to arranging the religious items. An extra charge appears only if the family itself asks for a clothing set or full make-up.
- A specialist of the same sex: a woman is prepared by a woman and a man by a man. This is not only a matter of religious rule but of basic dignity, which many agencies overlook.
- Discretion: the specialist never shows the family the process itself and never takes photographs, revealing only the finished result. Every instruction from the family, down to the photograph and the details of the hairstyle, is followed precisely.
Frequently asked questions
What clothes should we prepare, and are shoes needed?
A full set from underwear to outer clothes, ideally one size larger. By tradition shoes are put on or placed at the feet if the size does not fit. Soft, flat shoes are the most practical.
How soon should the dressing be done?
Ideally within the first six to eight hours, before the muscles stiffen. It is possible later too, using a special technique, but it takes longer, so it is best to phone as early as you can.
Can the family dress their loved one themselves?
Yes, this is part of the tradition. In that case the specialist carries out the hygienic preparation, explains the technique to the family and stays nearby, then finishes the care of the face and the placing in the coffin personally.
Is an open-coffin farewell possible after a post-mortem?
In most cases, yes. The stitches are hidden with a high collar, a scarf and a cosmetic coating. The specialist first shows the result to one family member, and only then is the coffin opened for everyone else.
Should we leave the ring, watch and glasses?
That is the family's decision. Many leave the wedding ring; others keep it as a memento. The specialist places belongings only as the family instructs and hands a signed list to the family's representative.
Do you apply make-up to men?
For men we use only a natural tone that evens out the skin colour, and a moisturiser for the lips so the face does not look dry and pale. It is unnoticeable and looks natural.
The way a family last sees someone they love stays in memory for years, so it should be dignified and peaceful, and we carry out this work gently and with respect. Even at five in the morning, +995 568 33 03 18 will put you through: a specialist will arrive within the hour, help you choose the clothing and prepare everything exactly as you wish.