Funeral? Memorial? Celebration of Life? How to Decide
The loss of a loved one is one of the most difficult events most people will ever go through. Grief is already difficult to bear. The added cost and complexity of planning a funeral can feel even more overwhelming in this hectic time.
This is one of the many reasons that more and more people are choosing the simplicity of direct cremation. But choosing cremation doesn’t mean giving up an opportunity to say goodbye alongside friends and family. A memorial service or celebration of life provides an outlet for grief that can reflect your loved one’s life without needing to be elaborate, complex, or expensive.
How Is a Memorial Service Different from a Funeral?
When you think of a traditional funeral, most likely what you are picturing is a church-run service where the body is present, displayed in a casket, and then buried in a cemetery. While this may be the chosen process for many, others find themselves looking for an alternative that better reflects the wishes and personality of the deceased. Rather than feeling pressured into an elaborate and often expensive funeral service, you can honor a loved one in a simpler, unique, and personalized way.
A memorial service is generally held after the cremation. The ashes may be present at the event, but they don't have to be. Flexibility is one of cremation's greatest values. You can pay tribute to a loved one at any place, and any time, based on your needs.
What About Celebrations of Life?
A more personalized alternative to a traditional funeral is a celebration of life. It's a way for your loved one’s memorial to be less an experience of communal grief and more a celebration of the life they lived and opportunity to share memories with friends and family members.
Celebrations of Life have long been a tradition in some communities, including African Americans, Irish, and South Koreans, among others. They're also growing in popularity among those who simply want to personalize the experience.
Perhaps you feel the best send-off for your lost loved one isn’t a tear-filled ceremony in a musty old church, but a picnic and scattering of ashes in their favorite place. Perhaps they’d rather you had a party in their honor? From putting ashes into fireworks for a big memorial light show, to an intimate dinner with your closest friends, there are countless ways to honor the life of a loved one.
Advantages of a Memorial Service:
- Personalization: A memorial service can be whatever you want it to be. Some people find this freedom and creativity to be helpful for healing. Others may be overwhelmed by choices. Know that there is no one "right way" to honor a loved one.
- Simplicity: Unlike a funeral, you do not have to make choice about caskets, programs, or venues on the spot. Your service can be as simple or complex as you like, and you're free to take your time with planning the details.
- Flexibility: A memorial service does not have to happen within days of death. The deceased can be cremated, and the event can be held at any befitting time.
- Cost: Funerals can be very expensive. Direct cremation cuts that cost significantly, allowing you to spend as much or as little on the memorial as you wish.
How Much Does a Cremation with Memorial Service Cost?
The answer to this question can vary significantly. Unlike funerals which can require a number of expensive purchases – a casket, a gravesite, a venue for the funeral, and potential travel – a memorial service doesn’t require you to buy anything you don’t want or need.
Direct cremation itself can be as inexpensive as $895. From there, (within legal specifications) the rest is up to you. A memorial service can be as simple as a picnic or as expensive as a destination-based spreading of ashes. Instead of pouring all your money into a casket that will never be seen again, you can put that money toward taking your loved one’s remains to a beloved spot or a dream destination.
Whatever helps you grieve your loss or celebrate your loved one’s passing is the right choice for you. With a memorial service, that’s exactly what you get.
How Do I Get Started?
When deciding between burial or cremation, funeral or celebration of life, or any other end-of-life decisions for your loved one, remember: a memorial is for the living. The deceased has passed on and will not be able to attend. This is a final opportunity for those who will be in attendance to connect with the person they lost and celebrate their life. With that as your guide, planning a celebration of life or memorial service becomes a little simpler.
If you’re ready to get started or even need to talk to someone before making up your mind, reach out to CremationSociety.com by calling 800-922-7773.