Whether you are pre-planning your funeral or planning services for a loved one, the first decision that needs to be made is whether the person will be cremated. Cremation is a cost-effective option and offers many of the same services as a traditional burial.
Viewing
You will need to decide whether a viewing will be part of cremation. Foremost, the option for viewing will be contingent upon the state of the deceased. There are many reasons the person may be in a state where they cannot be viewed or the family may simply want to eliminate viewing regardless of whether the person is in good condition. If you will have a viewing, you can have a viewing as a separate event or alongside a funeral, such as an open casket during the funeral.
Traditional Funeral
Although cremation is chosen as the final disposition method, families can still have a traditional funeral service before cremation takes place. This option provides an opportunity for family and friends to gather, share memories, and pay their respects. The funeral service can be held at a place of worship, a funeral home, or another meaningful location. The event typically includes elements such as readings, prayers, music, eulogies, and the display of photographs or personal items that celebrate the life of the deceased. For many people, it is customary to have visitors sign a funeral book if they attend a viewing before the funeral or at the funeral. This is an opportunity for visitors, whether they attend the funeral or not, to leave their condolences and show the loved ones they were present for support during this time.
Post-Cremation Services
Direct cremation occurs when the deceased is cremated shortly after their death and there are no services before their cremation. For some people, this can be a better option because it is more cost-effective and it can be easier emotionally to move forward with the process faster. Some options after cremation include a graveside service or memorial service. A graveside service can be held at a cemetery, mausoleum, or other place of interment. This service can give families an opportunity to offer kind words about the departed and observe any religious or traditional customs before the container with the cremated remains is interred.
Memorial services are another option since they can occur independently of or in lieu of a funeral or graveside service. Sometimes the memorial service might be the time when the person's ashes are spread. Memorial services can have any number of activities that are used to honor the deceased. For some families, this is a time of mourning, whereas other memorial services might be treated as a "celebration of life" and have more upbeat, but meaningful activities. Some people choose to have the memorial service aired live online and available for replay, so people who cannot attend physically can still participate. This can be especially useful for people who have a lot of online friends.
Remains Placement
If a family chooses not to bury or inter their loved one's ashes, there are many other options. The most common is to spread the person's ashes in meaningful places. This could include spreading them at a family cemetery, or at a location the deceased wanted to go or had deep meaning to them. If the ashes are not spread, they can be divided up into smaller urns or other containers and shared with several friends and/or relatives. Incorporating a loved one's ashes into jewelry is another popular option. The most cost-effective option is to contain a small amount of ashes in mini-jars with corks or lids, or lockets and wear them as a necklace.
Cremation is an increasingly popular option because it offers many of the same funeral and memorialization options as a traditional burial. One of the main benefits is cremation is more cost-effective for families.
For more info about cremation, contact a local company.
It can be a difficult time for the entire family after a loved one passes away. While some people pre-plan their funerals to make it easier for their loved ones after they pass away or create legal wills that outline how they would like their funerals performed, others leave the funeral planning process up to their loved ones.
Thankfully, this process does not have to be difficult when you learn all of the funeral planning steps ahead of time and tackle each step with confidence. The firs step to planning a funeral is choosing a funeral home. The funeral home staff can assist you with the funeral planning process every step of the way.
We created this blog to help people like you learn how to tackle the funeral planning process with ease. We hope we can make planning your loved one's funeral easier and less stressful.