How do you know what to do when someone you love dies, and you are responsible for planning the funeral or burial services? The best way is by reading the deceased person's will. A will often states the person's wishes for their body and funeral services, and you should always aim to do what the person wanted.
If your loved one stated that they wanted cremation, you might have some decisions to make. Of course, you can choose cremation to meet their desires, but you'll have other things to decide. If you know they want cremation, you can choose from these three options.
On-site cremation with no funeral or memorial service
The first way to handle a cremation of a loved one is to hire a funeral company to handle the cremation without offering any other services. If your loved one didn't want a funeral or memorial service, you don't have to have one. In fact, you shouldn't have one if your loved one doesn't want one. The person's will might say what they wanted. If it doesn't, you should try to determine what they would've wanted.
Cremation with funeral or memorial service
The second option is choosing cremation and hosting a funeral or memorial service. A funeral service generally occurs within one week of a person dying. On the other hand, a memorial service might take place later. Many people choose memorial services to provide time for family members to travel to the location of the service. You can determine what type of service to have and when to have it.
Show the body or not
If you choose to have a funeral service with the cremation, you can still show the body at the funeral. When you choose this option, it will cost more, as the funeral home must prepare the body for the showing. After the funeral, the funeral home will cremate the prepared body. Again, you can refer to your loved one's will to see if it tells you what your loved one wants for their body and funeral.
Choose a funeral home that offers on-site cremation services
When your loved one specifies that they want to be cremated, you must abide by their wishes. Therefore, you should look for a funeral home that offers on-site cremation services. They can handle the cremation for you and assist with planning other necessary details for the funeral or memorial service.
For more information, contact a funeral home like Guiding Light Cremations and Funerals.
