Once you’ve made the decision to cremate a loved one rather than bury them, there are a number of other decisions to make that not everybody thinks about ahead of time. Understanding the various options makes it less likely anything will come as a surprise during the process.
Visitation or No Visitation
One of the decisions that needs to be made is whether to hold a visitation or not. People may like the sense of closure this type of experience offers, but it often means that the body will need to be embalmed and a casket will need to be purchased or rented. This adds to the expense and takes away a lot of the potential cost savings of choosing cremation services in Renton WA instead of burial. Holding a gathering at a home or other location with pictures taken at various times during the life of the deceased can make it possible for people to share their memories and have some closure while avoiding these particular expenses.
Services or No Services
Another consideration is whether to have some type of funeral service. This could potentially be held at a church, at the cremation, or, if a visitation is held, at the funeral home where there was a visitation. Having a funeral is often expected, but not always a necessity. As with visitation, funeral services will add to the total cost of the cremation services in Renton WA.
The Ashes
The other major consideration is what to do with the ashes after cremation. These can be buried in an urn in a gravesite or stored in an above ground columbarium. They can be kept at home, or they can be scattered. This is often a decision that involves the input from a number of loved ones. Burial gives a place to visit the remains, but not have them constantly in sight like keeping them in the home. The same is true of a columbarium. The main issue with these options is that it will be harder to visit the remains if loved ones move away. Some people prefer to scatter the ashes, but be aware that in certain religions, such as the Catholic church, this is frowned upon because it doesn’t keep the remains of the whole body together. There are also some laws to take into consideration if you plan to scatter the ashes in water.
