Cremation offers a certain level of flexibility that one wouldn’t get with a burial. However, there’s a mistaken belief by families who work with Walla Walla, WA funeral homes that this flexibility doesn’t include visitation.
A visitation is an event that typically occurs before a burial where attendants mourn alongside and offer support to the bereaved. For a burial, it’s normal for the body to be present, which is why many people wonder if the same can happen with cremation.
It is, and there are two ways to combine both.
Direct Cremation with Visitation
Unlike other types of cremation, direct cremation doesn’t explicitly leave room for additional services before the cremation. The cremation provider removes the body from the place of death and transports it to the cremation center. The process begins after completing the relevant paperwork.
This offers two windows of opportunity to have a visitation. You can arrange a visitation with friends and family who live nearby before the cremation professional arrives. It will have to be quick and simple, giving them a chance to say goodbye to the body.
Another option is arranging one at the cremation center before the body enters the cremation chamber. Not every funeral home offers this option with their direct cremation package. For those who do, it may attract additional costs.
In this case, attendants, usually close family and friends, are allowed to see the body before the process begins. The funeral home may even allow you to hold a committal service.
Either of these is a way to combine direct cremation with visitation before the process occurs. But you can still have one after the cremation.
Contrary to popular belief, a visitation is different from a viewing, where the body is the focus of the event. In a visitation, the focus is on the bereaved, and condolence visits can be arranged after the cremation. And the urn may be present instead of having the body in an open or closed casket.
Traditional Funeral with Cremation
Direct cremation doesn’t allow time for an elaborate visitation. If that’s what you want, having a traditional funeral provides room for it in your schedule.
The cremation isn’t happening immediately, so you can have a proper visitation. The body is embalmed, dressed, and placed in a rental casket made specifically for this purpose. Distant relatives have the space to travel down and see the body before heading to the cremation center.
Beyond visitation, a traditional funeral with cremation also allows you to do more before the cremation. You can have a ceremonial funeral service or a wake, all with the body present.
However, this comes at a far higher cost than direct cremation. Embalming, rented casket, and the costs of hosting the visitation and other services add up.
Ultimately, how you choose to combine cremation with visitation is up to you and the deceased’s wishes. The key takeaway is it’s possible to have both.
Contact us if you would like to know more about how to combine visitation and cremation. As a funeral home in Walla Walla, WA, we specialize in helping families craft funeral arrangements specific to their needs. Call us now to speak with one of our professionals.
