As you may have heard, there are a lot of service options that come along with cremation in Reading, PA. If you have already decided to be cremated yourself after you pass on, or you are leaning in that direction for your loved one who has passed on, you then need to decide what kind of services (if any) you would like to have around the cremation.

Some people feel comfortable going with direct cremation. Direct cremation takes place shortly after the person has passed on, once the paperwork is in order. There are no services before the cremation takes place. Families can have as many services after the cremation as they’d like including a memorial service of some kind, an ash scattering, or something else. However, there are benefits to having funeral services first and cremation after. Here are a few to consider.

Read also: Breaking A Family Tradition With Cremation

First, when you have funeral services before cremation, you generally have a visitation as well. That gives family a chance to see the loved one for a final time in order to say goodbye. They might need to see the body in order to get closure over the situation. It can be a nice time of support as well as family members and even friends and co-workers gather to show their respect.

Second, the ceremony and traditions that go along with regular funerals can help people mourn and move along in their grief. They know what to expect and there’s comfort in that. If the family has never gone through a cremation service before, it might feel awkward to them. You can still be cremated after the funeral service, but the funeral itself can be cathartic for family members.

Third, there are fewer costs with cremation, even if you have a traditional funeral first. You won’t have to purchase a casket, for example, but rather can rent one for the services that take place before. You also won’t have to have a burial plot or headstone, if you don’t want. Those items add up and being cremated after the funeral services can cut back on the necessities.

Read also: A Few Facts that Residents Should Know About Reading, PA Cremations

The types of services you have around your own cremation, or the cremation of a loved one, are completely up to you. There are benefits either way and no wrong choices. The best you can do is decide what your family needs and what your loved one would have wanted. If you’re planning your own final services in advance, it’s easy enough to know what you want. You’ll want to consider those left behind as well so they can get what they need to move on.

When you are looking into cremation in Reading, PA, contact Whelan Schwartz Funeral Home, Inc at (610) 374-0962 to talk through the various service options that can come either before or after the cremation process. We’re here to help you pre-plan for yourself, or set up final services for a loved one. We’re located at 444 N 9th St, Reading, PA 19601 where our funeral director is happy to speak with you.