Types of Funeral
One of our roles as Funeral Directors is to advice you on the different types of funeral which you can organise;
We will help you decide what type of funeral is most suitable.
Here are some things to consider:
– Do you wish to have any ceremony
- If so will the funeral or ceremony be religious or non-religious?
– Will it be a burial or a cremation?
– Where will the funeral take place – a church, a crematorium, a cemetery chapel, beside the grave, or somewhere else?
– Would you like a priest, minister or civil celebrant to be present?
- Do you want to have a one or two-day funeral? i.e. a removal on the day of the funeral or on the evening before?
Burial or Cremation
The choice between burial and cremation is a very personal one and may be influenced by many factors such as religion, the wishes of the Deceased or family tradition.
Burial
People are usually buried in a churchyard or cemetery, and you can choose between using an existing grave or buying a new one.
Cremation
If you choose a cremation service, one of the first things to decide is where you would like to hold it. You might want to hold it the crematorium or, if you prefer, you can hold the service in another place, like a church, and then have a shorter service called a ‘committal’ at the crematorium.
Religious & Traditional Funeral Ceremony
- One-Day Funeral
A one-day funeral involves the removal of the Deceased to a church or place of worship then onto a cemetery or crematorium (one-day ceremony at the church or place of worship).
- Two-Day Funeral
A two-day funeral normally involves an evening removal ceremony in a church followed by a morning funeral the following day with a burial or crematorium immediately afterwards.
Civil/Non-Religious/Humanist
Some people prefer to choose a funeral arrangement with little or no religious content. The non-religious funeral ceremony tends to focus on celebrating a loved one’s life, personality and achievements as an alternative way to saying goodbye.
Non-religious funerals can be conducted by a Humanist, civil celebrant, or by family and friends. They tend to focus on the person’s life, personality, and their relationships with other people.
A non-religious funeral ceremony can take place at a funeral home, family home, crematorium, or in a non-religious venue such as a parish hall or hotel.
The following may be included as part of the ceremony:
- Music by family, friends or by musicians
- Readings – (religious or non-religious)
- Poetry
- A Eulogy
- Speeches of remembrance by family and friends etc.
Direct Cremation without Ceremony
This is an option for those, who for lots of reasons, prefer not to have a funeral service. This option of a simple, straightforward cremation is now being chosen by a growing number of people. There typically is no official funeral mass or service, which means the crematorium/crematory can perform the cremation at a less busy time. This also means no family or friends are in attendance during the cremation with the ashes being delivered to the family after the cremation, making it a cheaper alternative to arranging a funeral.
This doesn’t stop you from holding your own celebration after (or before) the cremation. A lot of families opt for direct cremation and then arrange a celebration with the ashes at a time to suit them or during the scattering of ashes celebration.
