Planning a Memorial Service

Things To Know When Choosing Cremation For A Loved One

by Wade Watkins

You might need to help plan a close loved one's funeral after they die, which is a big responsibility. The first thing the family should do is to see if the person left a will stating their final wishes. You must follow the instructions on their will if they left one, and one instruction might be to cremate the body. Cremation is a common option today, as it's more cost-effective, but you might wonder about a few other things. Here are several key things to know if you choose cremation for your loved one.

You can still show their body 

The first thing to understand is that you can still show your relative's body even if they choose cremation. The funeral home will have to prepare the body for this to occur. Additionally, it will cost more for this service. The funeral home will prepare their body for the showing, and you can rent a casket instead of buying one. They will place your loved one's body in the rented casket for the funeral and will cremate the body afterward. If the person's will doesn't state if they want a showing or not, you might have to use your discretion to determine if you should do this or not.

You can choose what you do with the cremains

The second thing to know is that you can choose what you do with the cremains. When the funeral home completes the cremation, they'll give you the remains in a box. You can order an urn to hold the remains, but you can also order necklaces for close family members. Then, you can place some of the remains in the necklaces. You can also divide them between multiple urns so several families can have them.

You can still have a gravesite

Finally, it's important to know that you can still have a gravesite even when choosing cremation. While you won't have a body to bury, you can have a place to go to remember this person's life. You can order a headstone and have it engraved with their name and dates of birth and death. Then, you can have a place to visit them on their birthday or other special days.

Contact a funeral home to learn more

Contact a funeral home if you have questions about your loved one's funeral. They can answer your questions about cremation services and other funeral preparations. So, contact a funeral home of your choice today.

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