Losing a loved one is one of the hardest situations that any family member can go through. It is even more difficult to process if their death is sudden or untimely. It’s because their unexpected death is a realization that neither one of you has had the chance to say your last goodbyes. So, it is important to have a form of release or a strong support system that can help you get through this difficult time. One of the many things that can help is to commemorate the decedent’s life through memorial or funeral services.
Holding a service to honor the death of a loved one provides an avenue where bereaved members can grieve their loss. It’s a way to help them acknowledge the reality that someone they love has died. It’s a step that will allow them to process their feelings and accept what has happened to move on.
In the same way, these events also create a safe space where family members and other close relatives or friends can come together to support each other. They can talk about moments and experiences they once shared with the decedent. In that way, even if they’re not physically around, they are always remembered through their memories. To give you an overview of how to do funeral planning, listed below are all the things you’ll need to arrange.
Body Disposition
The first step in planning service is to choose the final disposition for your deceased loved one’s remains. There are many options to consider, depending on what you and your family are comfortable with. But, the two main types are burial and cremation.
If you decide to bury the deceased person, you need to select among some of its options. They include natural burial, in-ground burial, and above-ground burial. The latter also means that the body will be placed either in a private or community mausoleum or in a lawn crypt.
On the other hand, cremation can be direct, which happens 48 hours after a loved one’s death, or witnessed, which is done with a few family members in the crematorium. You may also choose how you want the ashes to be spread through trenching, raking, casting, ringing, water scattering, or aerial scattering.
Type of Service
After deciding how you want a loved one’s body to be disposed of, you’ll also need to choose which type of service will be held. There are two main kinds: funeral or memorial services. Both are ceremonies held to honor the decedent, but the difference is in how they are held.
A funeral service is done with the body present, and it is held in three main parts: visitation, funeral, and committal. On the contrary, a memorial service is done the same way except that the body is not present during the ceremony.
- Visitation – Visitation is also commonly known as the viewing or wake where people express their sympathies to support the bereaved family. It’s also the part of the ceremony where attendees come to pay their respects to the decedent.
- Funeral – The funeral is the part of the service, which usually takes place at a funeral home or in a church. It’s the main event of the service where religious passages and eulogies are read.
- Committal – The committal service occurs if the family wishes to bury the decedent. It involves a procession to the cemetery, wherein the casket is taken to the vault.
These steps are part of an important decision to make because they affect the other elements of funeral planning. So, you should choose the option that works best for your family.
Location of the Service
There are many factors to consider when selecting a venue for the service. They include the itineraries you’ve set for the ceremony and the religious preference of your family. You may also opt for a place that is special to the decedent as a way of personalizing the event. But of all these aspects, the most important thing to remember is that it should be accessible to all the attendees.
Other Elements
The whole service will not be complete without all the other essential elements that need to be settled. They include the type of casket, flower arrangements, music, the officiant, and, for some, the urn and the cremation container. These details will complete the overall experience of the funeral ceremony, so friends and family can grieve their loss properly.
Consult a Local Funeral Service Provider
Funerals and memorials allow family members to look back on the good memories shared with their deceased loved ones. It’s a way to bid them goodbye before they are laid in their final resting place. For that reason, planning memorial or funeral services is personal, and, as mentioned above, there are a lot of factors to be considered.
However, it is understandable if these things can be overwhelming while you’re in the process of grieving. If it comes to that point, don’t hesitate to ask for assistance from a funeral service provider. In this way, you can focus on helping your family through this difficult time while being assured that only professionals are handling the ceremony.
