Being thrust into the role of funeral planner can be a challenge. The passing of a loved one is an upsetting and often overwhelming event, and it can be tough to make decisions when you're in a distressed state. It's even more difficult if you have little to no experience making end of life preparations.
If your deceased loved one requested cremation, here are a few tips to help you plan the arrangements:
Choose Direct Cremation or Viewing
One of the things that you'll be asked to decide is whether you want direct cremation or if you're planning to have a viewing. Direct cremation or immediate cremation is done shortly after death, and it's usually the least expensive and simplest option. On the other hand, you might prefer to have a viewing, where the body is displayed in a casket so that mourners can say a final goodbye before the cremation.
Which option you choose may depend on whether you plan to have a funeral or a memorial service. While the two terms are often used interchangeably, they actually have different meanings. Funerals are to be performed shortly after the death, with the body present.
Memorial services are less formal, and can take place weeks or months after the death. Memorial services are held with no body present, though an urn with the ashes may be present.
If you need to allow time for far away friends and relatives to arrive, a direct cremation followed by a memorial service at a later date is a good choice. If there are many nearby friends and relatives who will want to pay their respects, you may prefer a funeral with a viewing, followed by a cremation.
Consider Renting a Casket
Caskets are one of the largest funeral expenses. In order to help bereaved loved ones defray costs, many funeral homes now offer the option of renting a casket instead of buying one when a funeral is to be held before the cremation. After the funeral, the remains will be removed from the casket and placed in a cremation container.
Consider a Personalized Solution to Store Cremated Remains
Today, you have many choices when it comes to storing cremated remains. If you would prefer not to pay interment fees to have an urn stored in a cemetery, you can choose one of several different storage options. Some families choose to have the ashes split into several smaller urns, to be distributed among the deceased's nearest and dearest.
You can choose innovative storage options, like having the ashes pressed into a diamond or combined with soil around a newly planted tree. Or you can scatter the ashes in a place that was meaningful to the deceased. Take some time to consider your loved one's wishes and preferences, as well as what will bring the most comfort to friends and relatives.
Cremation is a simple, environmentally friendly, and economical way to inter remains. This allows you to put your time and energies into finding meaningful ways to memorialize your loved one. To learn more, contact a company like Suess Bernard Funeral Home Inc. with any questions or concerns you have.
Share15 April 2015
A couple of weeks ago, one of my dear family friend’s suffered the loss of her husband. After a brief illness, he passed away at a local hospital. Immediately after his passing, she started planning the funeral arrangements. She didn’t want his funeral to be a sad occasion. Instead, she wanted the service to celebrate his amazing life. She worked tirelessly with the professional staff at a local funeral home in order to plan the order and type of service for the funeral. On this blog, you will discover tips for planning a funeral service that will celebrate the life of your deceased loved one.