IF you have never arranged cremation services in Parkland, WA before, you may not really know how to go about figuring the process out and what you need to do first, second, or third. There are going to be a lot of details to decide, some of which are more important than others. Here are some of the most important decisions you will have to make as you move forward with the plans.

The Type Of Cremation

While the cremation process itself is the same, you will have to decide when the process takes place. Will you have cremation done right away without any services? This is called direct cremation and costs the least and is the most straight forward and to the point. You can still have memorial services and whatever else you want after the cremation happens. Or, you could go with a full cremation, which means you have a visitation and funeral first, and then the cremation takes place after that. Once you decide on cremation, figuring out what type of cremation you want is usually the next step.

Memorial Service Options

If you have full cremation, you will have a funeral service so you may not need a memorial, though you can still have a memorial later, if you’d like. Memorial services are most often coupled with direct cremation and they can be whatever you want them to be. The service can be large and open to the public and feel more like a funeral or it can be a small ash scattering. IT’s also popular today to have something that’s more like a celebration of life. Go through the options and see examples of what people have done before. Then, customize the ideas and come up with something unique that would work well for your family and for your loved one.

Urn Choices

Cremation packages, you will notice as you look through them, are all-inclusive. That means that anything you absolutely have to have for the process is already included. But you can add whatever you want to the packages and change things up as well. Even those who want to keep things simple and budget-friendly might consider adding an urn. The packages come with a simple container for your loved one’s ashes, but you can add an urn to that package and choose something that feels more customized and personalized if you wish.

These are just a few of the decisions you have before you as you plan cremation services in Parkland, WA for a loved one. The professionals at Weeks’ Dryer Mortuary are here to help you every step of the way. While we won’t make decisions for you, we will lay out the options and give you advice along the way. We can also offer ideas and suggestions once we get to know what style you are going for. We’re here to support your decisions as you make them and implement as many of them as you need so you have fewer burdens on your shoulders.

If you have attended a funeral service in the past, and you are invited to another one in the future, you can expect that those events are going to run in a similar manner. They have certain traditions and ceremonies to them that are very common. They will have a similar, somber feel to them as well. But if you go to a cremation service in Spanaway, WA today, and then another one next month, they can be completely different, unique events. Here are outlines of a few different cremation services to help you get the feel for just how varied they can be.

Cremation Service 1: A Traditional Memorial

Traditional memorials feel similar to funerals. They might be held in a funeral home or a church. They have an order of events that you go through including songs, readings, and perhaps even a eulogy. Really the only difference is that instead of a casket, there’s an urn. And instead of a burial processional after, the event ends or moves to a reception. You would be surprised to attend a memorial of this nature one time, and then another type of cremation service another time because they are quite different.

Cremation Service 2: A Unique Memorial

Memorials that have more of a unique feel to them can be radically different. You could attend a memorial in the park where people have a picnic lunch and simply share memories about the person who passed on. You could attend a memorial scattering service where close family and friends gather at the lake, say a few words, and scatter the ashes of the person who passed away. Memorial services that aren’t “traditional” can be anything the family members want. It’s good for you to know what type of event you are walking into so you can dress properly and act accordingly.

Cremation Service 3: A Celebration Of Life

Celebrations of life can also be very unique and they focus on happy memories and a life well-lived instead of the actual passing. You might attend a celebration of life in a ballpark as friends and family gather to watch a game. You might also attend a celebration in a family home with a party-like atmosphere. These events have a more joy-filled feel to them and they are generally much more casual.

One of the things people appreciate the most about cremation services in Spanaway, WA is that the services held after the cremation process can be whatever the families want them to be. They can be uplifting or somber. They can be large or small. Whatever fits the person who passed away and is what the family wants to honor their memory is what they can be. The professionals at Weeks’ Dryer Mortuary are here to help you with every part of the process. Once you decide on cremation, we’ll lay out options and ideas until you find something just right for your family and your loved one’s personality and style to remember them the best.

There are two main disposition methods within the funeral industry today: traditional burial and cremation services in Tacoma, WA. Both of these services are completely honorable and respectful. There are no wrong choices, here. But when you compare them, some people feel that cremation services are a more peaceful avenue. If that’s what you feel, that might be the way to go for your own pre-plans, or for the loved one you are planning for after their death. Here are a few reasons why some feel this way.

The Body Isn’t Messed With

While traditional burial methods are dignified and done with great care, with cremation, you don’t have to worry about your loved one going through anything extra. They don’t have to be embalmed to preserve themselves for a funeral. They don’t have to have makeup put on so people can see them looking natural. They don’t even have to be dressed in anything special, if you don’t want. They are laid to rest in peace and they remain that way. The paperwork is filled out and they are sent into cremation. It’s that simple.

They Are Remembered As Is

While many people find comfort in visitations, it’s not for everyone. Some people like to see their loved one a final time and get that last goodbye in. But that might not be the best fit for you. Perhaps you would rather people remember you (or the loved one you are planning for) as they were when they were alive. You don’t want their last memory to be of how they look when they have already passed. Cremation is a nice, peaceful way to take care of their body while preserving their memory in a certain way.

It Is A Fast Process

Opening a grave takes time, though your loved one doesn’t have to wait around in the casket on-site for that. However, once you have the graveside service, everyone may end up leaving and the casket will be lowered and buried later. It takes a little time and you might not feel okay with that. Instead, cremation is a fast process that can take place relatively quickly (within a matter of days) and it only takes a matter of hours. You can even often be present to witness the process, if you want, from a special room for families.

There are reasons to go with a traditional burial and there are reasons to go with cremation services in Tacoma, WA. There are not any right or wrong reasons and there are no right or wrong choices. Both are perfectly dignified, honorable, and respectful. If you need help going over the options and working out how you feel about each, contact the professionals at Weeks’ Dryer Mortuary for details. If you already know that you want cremation, that’s fine too. You can start with the cremation packages and weigh the pros and cons of each and figure out what direction to take. Cremation is very peaceful and if that’s what you want, move that way.

There are some people who want their final resting place to be in a cemetery. Burial is a traditional resting place, but it is used in about half of the cases today. But there are others who are uncomfortable with the idea of placing their bodies in a casket and burying them under the earth. For those individuals, having cremation services in Parkland, WA is a better answer simply because it allows them to choose a resting place outside of a cemetery burial. Here are some of the options they can consider outside of a traditional burial.

An Ash Scattering

Probably the most popular resting place for those who go with cremation is an ash scattering. It’s considered a traditional burial within the cremation area. However, where you scatter the ashes is quite varied itself. Ashes can be scattered into water, onto land, into the wind, and in many other locations. You might even scatter some in the water, some on land, and some in another place. Just make sure you understand the rules of scattering before you arrange anything. For example, you can’t scatter on private land you don’t own unless you get permission from the owner.

A Permanent Urn

Urns come in all different types and there are some that are biodegradable and break down. However, you can also get a nice, sturdy, beautiful urn that your family members can keep. You can get one urn for one family or you can split ashes into a few different urns so several family members can have part of your ashes. There are also cremation jewelry options, which takes a small piece of your ashes and places them in a mini-urn that can be worn as a piece of jewelry. You can get many of these to distribute yourself to as many loved ones as you want.

Ash Raking

This method is similar to scattering, but it is a different method. Instead of your loved ones scattering you somewhere, they would pour your ashes into the earth and then rake them into the soil. This is nice if there is a special family garden or if you want to have a tree planted in your memory. Your ashes can be raked in and give new life to something that will live on well beyond your time.

These are just a few of the final resting place variations that cremation services in Parkland, WA allow people to have. When you are planning your own final services in advance — if burial doesn’t feel right to you — look into the many options that come along with cremation instead and see what feels right. The professionals at Weeks’ Dryer Mortuary are here to help you through the process from start to finish. We want you to know what your choices are so you are confident and comfortable with whatever path you decide to take. There are many important decisions to make when you pre-plan and having the options before you can help you figure things out.

Our cremation division is just as client-focused as our funeral services at Weeks’ Dryer Mortuary, and we’re always evolving to better serve you. Many clients have common misconceptions about cremation services in Spanaway, WA, and our team is here to clear them up at our first consultation. Here are five ways that cremation services may surprise you as you plan the perfect memorial.

Cremation Services Are a Bare-Bones Option?

It’s true that cremation services are an effective and efficient way for families to lay a loved one to rest, and we offer a basic cremation package for those who don’t want any of our funeral services. But if you’re looking to host a memorial at our facilities, our cremation services packages make that easy to achieve with an option for every budget. With our cremation packages, you’ll get full use of all our facilities just like our funeral packages.

Cremation Services Come With a Basic Urn?

When you choose any of our cremation packages, you’ll receive a classic cremation container to keep the remains safe. However, that’s just the beginning – you’ll have your choice of hundreds of unique artisan urns that feature customized designs. These urns are also designed to be spill-proof, to keep your loved one’s urns safe long-term. And if you choose to have your loved one’s ashes interred in a grave or mausoleum, we offer a selection of cremation vaults.

Ashes Stay in One Central Location?

It’s common to keep the ashes in a large urn, often on the mantle at the home of the person closest to the deceased. But in large families, it’s becoming increasingly common to divide the ashes among multiple people. This can be done with a selection of smaller sharing urns, or with a smaller vial or pendant that can hold a pinch of the ashes and be worn on the person. This also allows a single person to divide the ashes for multiple purposes.

Cremation Memorial Services Are Held Shortly After Cremation?

One of the biggest pluses of cremation services today is that it gives the family more flexibility in developing a memorial service on their schedule. It’s common to have the cremation performed immediately, followed by the family taking the remains home in their chosen urn. Then the family and friends reunite weeks or even months later at our facilities to pay tribute and share their memories, often with the final interment of the ashes at a nearby cemetery.

There’s Only One Type of Cremation?

Standard cremations take place in a cremator, a powerful oven that heats up to 1,400 degrees fahrenheit and burns the remains down to bone ash. But for clients who want a more eco-friendly approach, we offer aquamation, or alkaline hydrolysis. This method uses a heated alkaline solution to break down the body by accelerating the natural decay process, with the same result in only eight hours.

If you’re considering cremation services in Spanaway, WA, the first step is to set up a consultation. Contact Weeks’ Dryer Mortuary for more information on our service packages today.