You only make your own funeral arrangements once during your lifetime, so it makes sense that you would have questions such as, “What is cremation preplanning?” or “What are the steps for pre-arranging a funeral?”
Before we give you some tips for pre-planning your memorial service and discuss the difference between planning a cremation vs burial, we offer these words of encouragement.
We know this process of preplanning your end-of-life services makes you uncomfortable – but you are doing the right thing. Funeral home employees are trained to work with surviving family members, and we have seen what can go wrong when a person dies without a plan.
Families fight over the “personal wishes” of their loved ones. In addition, the financial burden of funerals can be stressful to the spouse or children of the deceased. People also tend to overspend on services as they experience overwhelming grief over their loved one’s loss.
Finally, families struggle to find the legal documents needed to complete the death certificate.
You are doing the right thing by planning for your final disposition in a pressure-free environment.
Making Your Own Funeral Arrangements
Here’s a breakdown of the key differences between planning for cremations and planning for burials.
What is it like to plan for one’s burial and funeral service?
Planning for burial is more complicated than planning for cremation. Traditional funerals often have a longer timeline due to the need for embalming, casket selection, and coordination of various services.
For example, you must decide whether to have an open-casket or closed service. If the casket will be open during some part of the funeral, you must select clothing and leave instructions to the funeral director on hair and makeup so your body looks as natural as possible.
There are also more transportation needs when planning a burial. At some point, the casket must be transported to the place of interment. You need to choose whether or not to have a family car and pre plan for the approximate number of passengers. You must also select a final resting place – a cemetery plot of space in a mausoleum. You also need to budget for the headstone, vault, and the opening and closing of the grave.
Finally, traditional funerals typically follow a more structured format with visitation, funeral service, and burial. While there is some flexibility in personalizing these events, the process and overall structure are more rigid than cremation.
What is cremation preplanning? How do you preplan for a memorial service?
Cremation can generally be arranged more quickly than traditional funerals since it doesn’t require embalming or extensive preparation of the body. However, preplanning allows individuals to specify their preferences in advance.
There’s less to plan for when choosing cremation, which is one of the benefits of this form of disposition. With direct cremation, one has to reach out to a cremation provider in your area and fill out the required documents for a prearranged service. Some providers allow you to lock in current prices when you plan ahead – even though cremation costs are extremely affordable.
Cremation offers more flexibility in terms of memorialization options. Cremated remains can be kept by family members, scattered in a meaningful location, or even turned into memorial jewelry or artwork.
Finally, the memorial service options are limitless when you choose cremation. There typically are no date restrictions because there are ashes to consider instead of a body. And since there won’t be a casketed body at the service, you can choose a place important to you – where friends and family can gather to celebrate your life.
Ultimately, the choice between cremation preplanning and traditional funeral planning depends on individual preferences, religious or cultural beliefs, and budget considerations. Preplanning allows individuals to make arrangements that align with their wishes and relieves their loved ones of the burden of decision-making during a difficult time. Preplanning also gives you peace of mind.
If you need assistance with preplanning your cremation (or the cremation of a loved one), consult with Smart Cremation. Smart Cremation offers affordable direct cremation in California, Washington, Oregon, Texas, Arizona, Florida, and Nevada. We offer pre-need cremation planning and can help you save up to 44% on funeral fees. Call anytime or fill out this contact form on our website for immediate assistance.
Key Takeaways
- Preplanning one’s cremation is easier and more affordable than preplanning a burial.
- Direct cremation is the most cost-effective cremation option.
- Preplanning allows you to save money on cremation and burial costs.
