Death Planner Reveals London's Most Unusual Funeral Requests
Sam Grice, the 37-year-old founder of estate planning business Octopus Legacy, has become London's go-to expert for preparing people to die with everything legally in place. But what he never anticipated were the extraordinary, often unachievable, funeral wishes that clients bring to his all-black meeting room, themed to his own funeral song choice: AC/DC's Back in Black.
The Most Extraordinary Funeral Requests
One of Grice's earliest clients requested that his ashes be mixed with molten cheese, rolled into a cannonball, and fired over the River Thames while a full pipe band played Scottish music. 'Failing that,' Grice reveals, 'he wanted his ashes mixed with cheese and poured down the toilet while the music played on Spotify.'
Another surprisingly popular request involves Viking funeral practices. 'A request we get quite a bit is wanting to be burned on a Viking funeral pyre, they want the fire and arrow flame out,' says Grice. While open-air pyres remain illegal under the Cremation Act 1902, these requests often serve to lighten the mood around death planning.
Some Londoners prefer unconventional outfits for their final appearance. 'I had someone who wanted to be buried as Batman,' Grice laughs. Yet alongside these whimsical requests come more heartfelt ones, like the client who wanted an apple tree planted in their honor so their family could make apple crumble each year.
The Emotional Legacy of Death Planning
Grice, who experienced sudden loss when his mother was killed in a traffic accident a decade ago, emphasizes the emotional importance of proper death planning. 'I was on autopilot dealing with grief, and it was crippling,' he recalls of his mother's unexpected death at age 60. 'I wouldn't wish anyone to go through it.'
This personal experience inspired Octopus Legacy's focus on emotional legacy alongside practical estate planning. About 30% of clients opt for the company's legacy box, which encourages people to leave memories, voice notes, and personal advice for loved ones.
'One man wrote a love letter to his wife which he wanted shared with her years after he died,' Grice shares. 'I read a lot of messages from mums and dads to their children, which is really emotional. I didn't get anything like that, so for me it's lovely to see.'
Practical Planning with Emotional Depth
The legacy box concept originated from a colleague whose grandfather had created a 'For When I'm Gone' folder containing everything from funeral comedy skit requests to practical home repair advice. Each box includes a Dictaphone for recording personal messages that loved ones can hear as if the speaker were still present.
'If I could pick something up and listen to my mum giving me advice while she's not here, that would be amazing,' Grice admits. His most treasured possession from his mother remains a handwritten recipe book containing all his childhood favorites, carefully preserved under his bed.
Grice observes that many people underestimate what they have to pass on. 'A lot of people writing wills think I don't have any more, I don't need a will, but there's a lot of stuff you can pass on that's going to mean more than money.' He also notes the care clients show for their pets, with some specifying high-quality human food and daily rubs for their animals after their death.
Through both practical estate planning and emotional legacy creation, Grice helps Londoners approach death with preparation rather than fear, blending legal necessity with personal meaning in final arrangements.
