Funerals and visitations.
The traditional way to gather and say goodbye.
About 2 minutes to read
A funeral gathers people with the body present. A visitation, sometimes called a viewing or a wake, usually comes the evening before, or just before the service.
The choices that come with it
- Open or closed casket at the visitation, or a private hour for family
- Where: a place of worship, the funeral home, or another place that matters
- Who leads: clergy, a celebrant, or family
- The farewell: a graveside service, or a goodbye before cremation
Read more: embalming and viewings
Many funeral homes ask for embalming before a public viewing with an open casket. The law rarely requires it, and a short private viewing for family often doesn't need it.
In your plan, you’ll decide
- Where the funeral is held, and who leads it
- A visitation, with an open or closed casket
- Readings, music, and who speaks
- Burial or cremation afterward
Make it part of your plan.
Start from a sample with a funeral, and change anything.