Cremation: Do I need to have a memorial service at a funeral home?

Cremation: Do I need to have a memorial service at a funeral home?

By: Forever Yours Memorials

Do I need to have a memorial service at a funeral home? The answer is simple, No. And by not having a memorial service at a funeral home you can potentially save thousands of dollars.

Here's how:

When it comes to cremation you have unlimited options. I am going to tell you about an option that most people over look. Please keep in mind that this article is not to shy people away from funeral homes and funeral directors, they are caring talented people that are available to help do the job that almost nobody wants. With that being said, I shall continue to explain a great option for a memorial service that is very inexpensive.

First, let us look at the difference between a funeral service and a memorial service. A funeral service is traditionally a service with or without a viewing accompanied with a burial or entombment at a cemetery/memorial garden.

A memorial service is traditionally a service for one who has been cremated. Some families elect to have a memorial service with a viewing, with cremation to follow. To keep things simple we are going to discuss a memorial service in the traditional aspect of a service with only the cremated remains of the deceased being present in an urn.

A memorial service is usually when a family gathers at the funeral home and has pictures and other mementos neatly arranged to provide a tribute to the deceased allowing family to receive friends and family to pay their respects. The typical cost for this service is roughly $3,000 +/- to have a funeral home arrange this for you.

How to save on a memorial service:

Most large communities have cremation societies or places that specialize in performing only cremation and offer this service for a minimal fee. On average around 500-650 dollars. If you use a cremation society and purchase your memorial products such as: register book, thank you cards, prayer cards and an urn for cremation online you can cut your expenses in half or better. For example, if you purchase a memorial package on our website and use a cremation society for the cremation and rent a hall, church, or pavilion at a park, you would likely spend under one thousand dollars! Remember at a funeral home it was estimated to be +/- $3,000.

By selecting this option you can fully customize your memorial gathering and potentially have unlimited space and options. A lot of families who choose the pavilion at a park option have dove or balloon releases, finger food and aren't limited to a few hours time like with funeral homes. What about people knowing about the service dates and times? Simple. You just put that information in the obituary.

A shorthand example would be:

Jane Doe, of Your town, passed away, Thursday, January 19, 2012, at her residence surrounded with the love of her family. Cremation rights have been accorded and a memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Sunday, January 29, 2012 at Windmill Park, with a dove release, following a prayer by Rev. John Doe. All are welcome to attend.

So the basics of this is if you want to save there are options. You just have to take a few minutes to think about them, which is hard to do when dealing with grief from a loss. Which is why it is always a good idea to pre-plan. We will discuss pre-planning in our next article.