Funerals are the very last personal event for a person. It marks the life lived while allowing loved ones to say goodbye. Each funeral may be conducted in any way by the family or loved ones and may include religious, spiritual, humanist, or secular elements. Some may end in a cremation, while others include a burial. When making arrangements to suit your specific needs and circumstance, the funeral types may seem overwhelming, but it needn’t be with a good funeral company by your side. There are two types of funerals that are popular nowadays that may seem similar but are actually very different: the Family vs the Traditional funeral types. Read on to discover if either is suitable for your needs.

What’s a Family Funeral Service?

A Family Funeral Service takes a personal and unhurried approach to a funeral service. The proceedings may take place in a private chapel or another significant place, but this service is slowed down and more relaxed. The focus is on the family’s needs rather than being rushed or in a prescribed format. Loved ones will be encouraged to take their time and grieve as needed. Options may include a visiting, speeches about the departed, poetry readings, or perhaps playing music that holds memories. The wake or memorial is often held in the same venue to allow time for togetherness and can be tailored according to the family’s needs. 

What’s a Traditional Funeral Service?

Traditional funerals and usually extravagant and prescriptive with every bell and whistle included. They also generally follow a particular format that adheres to rituals and rites laid out by their religion or personal beliefs. A Traditional Funeral in the UK typically has the following:

• A visiting that allows loved ones to say goodbye to their deceased family member. This is an element that some people in the UK prefer not to have, while others feel it’s a vital element for proceedings and their time for mourning. 
• A Service. This event is usually held in a church, place of worship, or at the crematorium or cemetery, but it can take place anywhere the family wishes. An officiant or religious official usually oversees the service. 
• There is a Funeral Procession with a hearse containing the coffin, which leads a line of cars with the immediate family directly behind. Alternatively, people may walk behind their loved one from the church to the graveside.
• A traditional funeral may have a burial or cremation, as either is expected and will depend on a person’s religious beliefs or preference. 
• A wake is the final part of a traditional funeral. This reception marks the deceased’s life and gathers people together in their memory. 

Grief is Personal

Death is not prescriptive, nor should a funeral be. What’s essential is acknowledging the passing of a loved one’s life while providing family and friends with an opportunity to mourn the loss. When you require assistance choosing which type of Funeral is best, consider the compassionate team at County Funerals.

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