Making the Choice Between Burial and Cremation

Burial Service Oakland

Funeral pre-planning is a comfort to families in their time of grief, because they can take solace in carrying out their loved one’s last wishes. Flower arrangements and location are two of the many details that must be considered, but they carry less weight than the decision of whether to be buried or cremated. As you or a loved one considers funeral services, keep in mind the differences between burial and cremation , and which fits best with your own beliefs and practices.

Burial
A burial many times follows a service in a funeral home, or at a church or the cemetery. While burial is generally more expensive, some clients prefer it because the body remains intact. Burial can occur immediately after death, after the funeral service, or before a memorial service. The body will be either entombed in a mausoleum or buried in the ground. The added costs of burial come from purchasing a plot and headstone, in addition to a casket and burial vault or grave liner.

Cremation
During the process of cremation, the body is burned until it turns to ash. Choosing this option does not preclude you from holding a traditional funeral service or a memorial service, as the body can be cremated immediately following death or after a remembrance. Many individuals choose to hold a service where the cremains are dispersed in a place that held special significance during their lifetime. Other options include burial in the ground, allowing the family to keep the remains or entombing them in a columbarium. Because fewer costs are tied to interring the cremated remains, this is a significantly less expensive option than burial.

If you need help with the funeral pre-planning process near Oakland, contact Chapel of the Chimes Oakland at (510) 654-0123. Whether the arrangements are for yourself or a loved one, we offer compassionate advice to help guide you through making the right decisions during a difficult time.