Selecting a Funeral Service for Your Loved One

When you are given the task of planning a funeral for a loved one, knowing what to do can be extremely difficult and overwhelming. Your trusted funeral home near Dale City, VA, can help you explore your options and make an appropriate decision. There are generally several different levels of service when it comes to funeral and burial or cremation. It’s important to have a comprehensive understanding of all the different choices you have.

If your loved one wanted to be buried, there are several different avenues you can take. Most traditional funeral services are preceded by either a viewing or visitation. If you choose to host a viewing prior to the funeral, you will need to include embalming costs into your budget. The funeral may take place either at the funeral home, or at a place of worship of your choosing. Alternatively, you may select a plan that provides a graveside service, instead. These are generally still preceded by a visitation or viewing at the funeral home, but the services take place at the grave site afterwards. If you do not want any services at all to take place, immediate burial is an option as well. The cost for this will vary depending on the price of the casket you choose. Make sure the funeral home you choose has upfront and easy-to-understand pricing, so that you know exactly what you’re paying for and why.

If your loved one chose to be cremated, this leaves you further options still. With cremation services, it is still possible to hold a traditional funeral beforehand. This would involve a visitation or viewing, followed by the services held at the funeral home or place of worship. Instead of transferring the body to the cemetery, it would be taken to be cremated immediately after the service. Another option you have is to host a memorial service after cremation. This allows for a little bit more freedom, because the services are not under the same time constraint as they are with burial. You may plan the memorial service immediately afterwards, or at a date set in the future that allows for faraway family to plan their trip. Finally, the most inexpensive option is simple cremation. This does not involve any kind of services, although the immediate family will be able to say a private goodbye prior to cremation. You are perfectly free to plan some type of memorial service of your own afterwards, but that choice is up to you.

When you must assume the responsibility of planning a funeral for your loved one, it’s best to be as informed as possible. Knowing about all your options ahead of time can help you make the best choice for you and your family. At your funeral home near Dale City, VA, the staff can help you learn about all the different types of services that they offer. They should be able to give you details about the pricing, so that you can be sure your plans will fit into your budget. Depending on your family’s beliefs and customs, one of these options will be able to fit your needs.