How Long Is A Funeral Service

Final Updated on Feb ten, 2022

The funeral service happens very before long afterward your loved one'south death. There are many arrangements to be made, and you probably already have family and friends asking when the funeral will exist held.

Yous probably have many questions about the timing. How long after death is a funeral held? When will cremation happen? What is the best solar day of the week for the funeral? What time of day is best? Tin can I plan a funeral on a Sunday?

Let'southward take a await at these questions.

What is the average time between expiry and funeral?

Typically, a modern American funeral takes identify within a week of decease, or up to two weeks with embalming.

So if it feels similar everything is happening rapidly, it's because it is. In that location are many options to consider and decisions to make when it comes to planning a funeral, and a 5-10 days is enough time to accommodate everything but it can be a bit of a blitz.

Historically, funerals had to happen relatively rapidly, due to the inevitable decomposition of the body. But a week'southward time is past no means the dominion. In some regions and cultures, funerals may take identify every bit soon equally a day or ii after decease. On the other hand, with proper preservation methods, the funeral can occur up to ii weeks, or even a calendar month post-obit the passing.

Assuming that the body will exist present at the funeral, embalming and/or refrigeration will be necessary to go on the deceased well-preserved before the funeral if it will be longer than a few days.

Are the remains cremated? And so this is a different story. In one case cremation has occurred, the funeral can occur whenever the family would similar. On a similar notation, in the example that the deceased is already buried, or the ashes already scattered, a memorial service can be scheduled for whatever later on date.

For more data on the divergence between a funeral and a memorial service, run into here.

How long after expiry is cremation?

Usually cremation takes place a few days following death. While at that place are certain laws outlining exactly when cremation tin occur following a death, this is typically the norm. The next-of-kin need time to sign the cremation say-so, and in some cases a coroner must also authorize it.

Find the perfect cremation urn for your loved one correct here.

Does cremation happen earlier or after the funeral?

Both ways happen. Cremation afterwards the funeral means that you can have the body at the service. But if you lot have the cremation outset, yous won't exist express to the first week or and so after death to concur the funeral – y'all'll have more than options to schedule funeral or memorial service and arrange out-of-town visits and other matters.

What day of the week are funerals usually held?

Funerals are regularly held every day of the week. Saturdays tend to be the about busy day for the funeral manager; many families enquire for Sabbatum availability and so that family unit and friends will non take to take off work for the funeral.

Alternatively, Sunday is the least busy day for funerals. This is because social club traditionally views Sunday as a day of rest. Some cemeteries will even charge a fee for opening and closing a grave on a Sunday.

Can we plan a funeral on Sunday?

Usually, the answer is yeah. Well-nigh funeral homes are more than than willing to accommodate for a Dominicus funeral, but there are some (commonly smaller, family-owned locations) that practise not.

As stated above, be aware of any cemetery policies regarding burial on a Dominicus. Also double-check with the officiant to ensure his or her availability to speak at the service. Otherwise, y'all should be good to go.

What time are funerals usually held?

Late morning to early afternoon is the most common time frame for funerals. Families oftentimes choose this time bracket so that their guests can stay for a dejeuner or reception before heading back domicile.

In contrast, wakes, viewings and visitations are unremarkably occur in the evening, the night before the funeral.

How long after death is a wake?

A wake (sometimes referred to as a viewing or visitation) will usually happen inside a week of decease. And then this answer is very similar to that of the question "How long later on death is the funeral?" The wake itself typically takes identify the evening before the funeral.

More info: What is a Wake? Etiquette, Expectations, & More than

How long tin a expressionless trunk be kept at dwelling house?

State laws dictate how long a family may go on a dead body at dwelling house. This can vary, just typically information technology is less than 5 days. In Texas, for example, a trunk must be at to the lowest degree refrigerated within 24 hours of death.

But if the trunk is embalmed and then transported dorsum to the dwelling for services, it should be fine to stay there for at least several days before burying or cremation is required. However, nosotros highly recommend that you speak with a funeral professional if you are considering waiting longer than a day to have the funeral abode pick up the body.

Special circumstances

There is nothing blackness and white when it comes to planning a funeral. Every family is dissimilar, and each 1'south circumstances volition differ from the adjacent.

That naturally means that every funeral is different, but an experienced funeral director will know just how to program for each situation and time frame.

Here are just a few examples:

Ii funerals. Mrs. Jones had family unit in both Florida and Texas, and then her children wanted her to have two funerals, the kickoff one in Florida. This meant that the funeral managing director in Texas needed to coordinate with the one in Florida, and expect to schedule services a footling later than is per usual.

Special requests. Mr. Brown writes in his will that he wishes for his funeral to exist on his birthday. He passed away four months before that date. So his family decided to go ahead with a direct cremation, and and then held his funeral service on his altogether four months afterwards, simply like he wanted.

Unexpected recovery. Miss Garcia's grandmother wasn't expected to make it through the dark. Then Miss Garcia went alee and called the funeral home to make arrangements. Every bit it turned out, her grandmother experienced a miraculous recovery, and went on to live another three years. The funeral director only files his or her notes equally a pre-organization, and returns to them when needed.

Reasons to delay a funeral

Most people recollect it's best if a funeral service happens as shortly as possible post-obit a decease. This is usually due to the widely held belief that the sooner the grieving process tin can start for the family, the better.

Just sometimes a family has to filibuster a funeral for an unspecified amount of time. There are several possible reasons for this. Allow's take a look at merely a handful:

Information technology'southward the heart of winter, and there has been a bad ice storm. The urban center has experienced a power outage, including at the funeral dwelling house. The funeral director postpones the service until a later date.
The deceased has family unit members from out of state or out of state. They demand fourth dimension to get back home so that they can attend the funeral.
The deceased passed away in a different country. The body ships to the U.S. for the funeral, but there are delays occurring due to customs.
A criminal investigation surrounds the expiry of a family's loved i, and the coroner has non yet released the torso.
The family in demand does non have the funds at this time to pay for a funeral. They are planning for a straight cremation right now, and will return at a subsequently time to plan a memorial service.

When should I schedule the funeral?

While laws may vary from land to land regarding embalming and refrigeration, to put it simply, there is no prepare fourth dimension period in which a funeral has to occur.

Especially when embalming has taken identify, in that location is commonly merely enough time available for the family unit to get their thoughts in order and for the funeral managing director to finalize all of the service details.

Ultimately, it's up to you. But practically speaking, the fourth dimension frame to schedule the funeral is unremarkably inside one week.

Special considerations and possible reasons for delay aside, the of import affair is to remember that it'south all well-nigh memorializing the life and legacy of the person who has died.

In the midst of all the hustle and bustle of funeral planning, here are some helpful tips for keeping your focus on your loved ane:

Keep a photo of them in your wallet or in a frame on your drape.
Listen to one of their favorite songs or watch one of their favorite movies.
Journal about all the good times you had with your loved one (here are some prompts).
Look through former photo albums to learn more well-nigh the life they lived.

We hope that you found this commodity insightful and helpful. Allow us know your thoughts in a comment below.

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