Both traditional funerals and memorial services take place after a person’s passing, and they serve very similar purposes. They can look almost identical, or they can appear very different, depending on the wishes of the departed and what their family decides to do. If you are faced with putting together a funeral or memorial service for your loved one, your funeral home near Marietta, GA, can help you with making arrangements, no matter what your needs may be. Here is some more information on the differences and similarities of funerals and memorial services.

Most traditional funerals follow a similar timeline. They often take place over the course of a couple days. During the first day, a viewing or visitation is held, where family members and friends can come to offer their condolences, pay their respects, and say a final goodbye to the physical form of the person who has passed. A viewing is held with an open casket, and a visitation is held with a closed casket. This part of the service is what differs most from a memorial service. With a memorial service, the bodily remains are not present. With a funeral, they are. Many people prefer to have a viewing or something like it, because it can provide an important step in the grieving process, which is accepting your loss. However, a memorial service can be just as meaningful and touching.

Going back to traditional funerals, the second day is when the actual funeral service takes place. This normally takes place in either the funeral home, or at a chosen place of worship. It can have a religious aspect or not, depending on the family’s preference. Someone will be chosen to officiate the service, and someone else, usually in the family, will be picked to deliver the eulogy. Sometimes different family members or friends can contribute to the service in other ways, for instance, by reading a special poem or prayer, or by playing a song. You can also offer a period of time where people attending are welcomed to come up and share a memory of the departed.

Now, taking this example of a funeral service, you can actually find many memorial services that look very similar. The only difference might be the absence of the bodily remains. However, many memorial services can look quite different. They can take place in the form of a “celebration of life”, they can be held outside or in an alternative location, food can be served, and more. There seems to be a bit more freedom when it comes to planning a memorial service. However, the family is welcome to be as creative as they wish when it comes to making arrangements for their loved one, and the funeral home will do their best to accommodate their wishes.

As you can see, both a memorial service and a traditional funeral are important ways to pay tribute to the memory of a loved one after their passing. Your funeral home near Marietta, GA, will be glad to help you make any kind of arrangements that will fulfill the needs of your family and the wishes of your loved one.