How Does a Memorial Service Compare to a Funeral?
Memorial services often take place after cremation services in Boones Mill, VA. They are different from funerals in several ways, but can also look similar.
A funeral and a memorial service can look very similar to each other, but they can also appear vastly different. While there are some things that traditionally differentiate one from the other, there is really only one essential difference. This is the presence or absence of the person’s bodily remains during the service. If your loved one decided to undergo cremation services near Boones Mill, VA, for their disposition, you have the option of holding a memorial service or a funeral in their honor. Here are some ways that the two types of services compare.
A funeral service must have the person’s body present, whether it is in an open or closed casket. As a result, a funeral must take place prior to cremation or burial. Because of this, there is a relatively short amount of time in which the funeral can take place. There is often a viewing or visitation beforehand, and after the funeral services have completed, the person’s bodily remains will be transported to the cemetery for burial, or to the crematory.
A memorial service can look very similar, but the person’s bodily remains are not present. That means that you aren’t under the same time constraints when planning a memorial service. You can have a member of the clergy lead a service for those in attendance, but there won’t be a viewing or visitation beforehand. Some reasons to have a memorial service instead of a funeral might be the need or desire to have it take place at a later date. Perhaps you want to hold the service during the warmer months, or maybe there is a lot of family that lives far away and needs extra time to make travel arrangements. You also have the flexibility and freedom to plan the service in any unique way that you want. If your loved one wanted a celebration of life to be held in their honor rather than a traditional somber funeral service, this is completely possible.
For some people, it is necessary to have a traditional funeral service where the body is present. This may either be due to personal preference, or it could be due to religious beliefs as well. In the end, it all comes down to what the person would have wanted, and what will work best for the family.
If you’re facing the difficult situation of planning a loved one’s final arrangements, you’ll need to consider whether you want to hold a funeral or a memorial service in their honor. Your provider of cremation services near Boones Mill, VA, can help you decide which one will work best for your family and circumstances. They can help you make arrangements at their funeral home, or they can help direct you to other resources in the area. That way, you can make a confident and informed decision when it comes to how you want to honor your loved one’s memory. Family and friends can take comfort in the fact that everyone can gather to pay tribute to the one they lost.
