More and more families and individuals today are choosing to be cremated when they pass. Unfortunately, this rise in popularity has also led to many misconceptions, one of the most prevalent ones being that cremation means there cannot be a funeral or memorial service. This, of course, is simply untrue. Such services are always an important part of the healing process, and missing out on such a service may leave individuals unable to face the reality of death.
That being said, if you have a loved one being cremated, you must consider holding a memorial or funeral service to gather your friends and family to aid the grieving process. Of course, planning is essential to ensure the service goes smoothly. To aid you with that, we want to share with you a couple of tips on how to plan the gathering:
A funeral and memorial service aren’t the same things.
A funeral service is held in a funeral home, church, or another setting where the body is present. It is also held before the cremation itself, and the services in funeral service can include a clergy, celebrant, or officiate. After the service, one also requires a casket on which to carry the body to the cremation site.
A memorial service, on the other hand, is meant to be held after the cremation itself, and the body is not present during the service. This means the service can be held at certain places other than the funeral home. The memorial service is also usually more casual.
The venue you choose for the memorial or funeral service will depend on the number of attendees, as well as your personal preferences. Most people prefer venues that are close to them, but you also have the option to have a destination memorial or funeral service.
While you have the option of choosing from a wide range of venues, our general recommendation is to hold it in a hotel. While you may need to spend a little more if you opt to hold the service in a hotel, it offers the advantage of privacy, so it’s well worth the price.
Regardless of your venue pick, however, if you want to host a destination memorial or funeral service, you must also take transportation into consideration.
While you’re sure that your loved ones are ready to attend the event, you should still notify them of your plans. This is especially true if you’re planning the memorial or funeral service at a distant location. Letting your loved ones know beforehand will allow them to prepare the things they need to bring along but also prepare them mentally so they will be more apt to attend.
During all of that, find out if they’re also interested in giving some type of eulogy or speech, as well. Also, if you’re planning to hold an open casket, make sure to inform everyone about it so as to not take anyone by surprise.
Despite the availability of inexpensive cremation services, a funeral or memorial service is still an important part of the healing process. With the above tips, you should now be better equipped to plan the ceremony. And, by all means, if you need help planning all of this and ensuring it happens successfully, be sure to reach out to professionals to assist you with planning, setting up, and more. They can help you focus on healing instead of worrying so much about creating a good service.
Ashes to Ashes Corporation is a state-licensed cremation provider, offering arrangements that can be down through phone, email, or right from home. If you are looking for affordable cremation services in Southern California, get in touch with us today!
