What is the best way to honor and say goodbye to your deceased loved one? Is it through a burial service, a funeral service or an interment of ashes service? Dealing with the aftermath processes of death is often overwhelming and very trying. In most cases, many find themselves unprepared for the best course of action, as they have little knowledge of the various processes. Below well help you understand more about funerals, burials and the interment of ashes. What Is a Funeral? A funeral involves a ceremony that often occurs during the final disposition of a body before cremation or burial. Under the request of family members, most funeral homes leave the casket open for viewing and saying the last goodbyes. In some religious respects, funerals are vital as they help the deceased soul to reincarnate, resurrect or go to the afterlife. During funeral services, people prepare eulogies where they can share their beloved memories of the deceased individual. A funeral service often takes place in an area of worship or at a funeral home, and its main goal is usually to: Honor and remember the departed loved one Celebrate the life of the deceased Mourn the deceased Provide sympathy and support to the bereaved Offer room for loved ones to say their final goodbyes Help the bereaved cope with the death of their loved one What Is a Burial? A burial refers to the final disposition of the deceased body. It can happen in a mausoleum, tomb or grave. You can also refer to burial as inhumation or interment. Some of the processes involved in a traditional, grave burial include the following: Excavate a trench or a pit Place the body of the deceased in a coffin or casket Put the coffin in the excavated pit Lastly, cover the excavated pit One vital thing to note is that several other burial options apart from traditional burial are available. Some of the most common burial choices for you include the following: Lawn Crypt: A lawn crypt burial involves placing the deceaseds casket in a concrete building. The crypt is buried deep in the ground with concrete and a drainage system. The main goal behind the drainage system and concrete use is to protect the coffin by ensuring the inside space is clean and dry. Natural Burial: In a natural burial, there is no embalming. It enables natural decomposition to take place. Natural burial, also known as green burial, ensures that you can care for your deceased loved one with minimal environmental impact. Mausoleum Burial: A mausoleum burial involves the use of a memorial building to house casketed remains. Most mausoleums install a climate-controlled feature for the buildings. A mausoleum also allows for above-ground burial to take place where you can always visit your deceased loved one. In most cultures, people see burial as a sign of showing respect for the dead. It also provides the deceased loved ones closure and is crucial in paving the way for the afterlife. Burial services or graveside services occur at the burial site. Some individuals often confuse the terms graveside service and funeral service; however, a graveside service involves a memorial service that takes place beside a mausoleum or at the graveside, occurs during burial and is shorter than a funeral service. A funeral service is usually held indoors at a chapel or similar location. A graveside service, in some cases, is a stand-alone event, or it can follow a funeral service. It is done in connection with cremated remains, burial, interment, memorialization or final disposition. The ceremony often does not have any tributes or speeches. However, some individuals, either a family member or a funeral director, can say a prayer or a few words. The family members will then lay a memento on or near the cremation urn or casket. The final phase of a burial service often occurs when the attendees take their leave and includes the interring of the cremation urn or casket. What Is an Interment of Ashes? The interment of ashes involves the process where individuals place the cremation remains in a final resting place. It may occur in the following ways: Urn Burial: As the name suggests, an urn burial will require you to bury the urn in a cemetery or private location, similar to a traditional burial. When burying on private land, consider a biodegradable urn and ensure you have the necessary permission. Columbarium Burial: It involves placing urns in small compartments known as niches. Each compartment will have a memorial plaque. A columbarium is suitable for anyone who wants a permanent place where friends and family can always pay their respect. Scattering: When scattering, you can disperse the cremated remains in your loved ones special place. You can also consider scattering in a cemetery or scattering garden. Some cemeteries will offer you a permanent marker. Like in a burial or funeral, you can choose to host a ceremony for the interment of ashes. The ceremony does not always occur in the same timeframe as the funeral. Some family members may choose to hold the interment ceremony at any time. It can be years, months, weeks or days after the funeral. The main goal behind the interment of ashes ceremony is to offer friends and family of the deceased a room to say goodbye. Also, it provides a final resting location where family and friends may visit the departed. Family members or a cremation service provider can organize the informal or intimate interment service. Final Remarks Saying goodbye to your loved one is not an easy task. It can be comforting and provide closure to provide your beloved with a suitable resting place and hold a meaningful burial, funeral or interment of ashes service. Whatever you decide, at Southern Cremations Funerals, we are here for you. We help individuals from any culture or religion carry out their preferred end-of-life rituals. Also, we have a team of professional funeral directors that will help conduct these services with sensitivity and compassion.