But how exactly do you plan a funeral or memorial service? Truth be told, there is no right or wrong way. It is largely a matter of preference. However, there are some best practices that are helpful to consider when planning and conducting a tribute service for the deceased. 

A caring funeral director can be a boon of support to you and your family as you lay your best plans for a final farewell. They will act as a guide as you navigate the process. With their help, much of the preparation will occur behind the scenes once you have made your wishes known. 

There are several points that they will help you evaluate as you begin to plan a funeral or memorial service. These details largely revolve around two things: What should be done with the deceased’s body, and how should they be honored and remembered. 

Disposition of Remains

Death care involves planning the final resting state and place of the deceased. There are traditional methods, as well as alternative methods. There is no wrong way to disposition a deceased loved one. 

• Traditional Burial involves opening a grave plot with the fallen placed in a casket and vault or liner in the earth. The grave is then closed and a monument or marker is placed at the burial site. An above-ground burial in a mausoleum or sepulcher is another traditional means of dispositioning the remains.
• Natural or “Green” Burial is similar to a traditional burial, with the exception that it does not involve embalmment, expensive casket purchase, or even a headstone if unwanted. People who wish their death and burial proceedings to be more environmentally gentle are often drawn to this increasingly available burial style.
• Cremation is an alternative disposition style that uses flame and heat to accelerate the deterioration of the body to its basic elements of matter. The remaining ash can be containerized in an urn and buried or placed in a columbarium niche. Families may also choose to keep the ashes at home, or to scatter them in a peaceful place. 
• Flameless Cremation is a relatively new alternative method of caring for mortal remains. It uses pressure and heat to reduce the body to an elemental liquid state and bone fragments. The remains are rinsed and fragments are processed for uniformity and containerized, similar to a standard cremation. It is formally called alkaline hydrolysis, and is not widely available.

Remembering a Life

However, you choose to honor the life of your loved one is up to you and your family. For some, it may be tempting to skip the cost of a funeral and memorial service for cemeteries in Columbia, TN. But therapists and grief counselors agree on their importance to healing and adjusting to life without the presence of your loved one. 

You can hold a funeral or memorial service anywhere you’d like. It’s common to hold them in a funeral chapel, a house of worship, a private location, a civic hall, an outdoor venue, etc. The service can include religious elements if that is important to the deceased or family. It can also avoid religion altogether if that is preferable. The occasion itself can be conducted as a meeting with speakers and music. Or it can be less formal, held as a gathering party celebrating a life well-lived. The options are seemingly endless. 

Whatever you choose, it’s a good idea to plan a service that is unique and personalized around the life and story of the deceased. People attend funerals for not for ritual or ceremony, but for the relationship they share with the fallen and their family. They want to remember them in the context of how they knew and loved the deceased in life. For many mourners, an impersonal funeral filled with pageantry or formality can be off-putting, or even hurtful. As you plan, avoid losing sight of why you are holding a funeral or memorial service in the first place. Other traditions will fall into place.

Supportive Cemeteries in Columbia, TN

At Polk Memorial Gardens, our funeral care professionals understand the diverse needs of the community. It is our greatest honor to support families in their moment of need. Whether you need funeral care or cemeteries services in Columbia, TN, let us be your support. Our offices are found at 6465 Trotwood Ave Columbia, TN 38401. Call today at (931) 388-1803.