When you’re thinking about a Bellingham cremation, you may not be aware that you have several different options available. Most Americans, while preferring cremation over burial, do not really understand the process itself.

If you’re thinking about cremation for yourself, know what choices you have will make your preplanning, either with the funeral home or just for yourself and your family, much easier.

There are two main types of cremation. Direct cremation, which many people choose, is cremation without a service before the cremation takes place. This type of cremation is attractive because it enables your family to be able to take their time to plan a service for you.

This gives friends and family members the ability to get time off work, make travel arrangements, and making lodging arrangements without being rushed and having to make a lot of hasty decisions.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, this is especially helpful since large gatherings are banned in most states and the funeral home is legally bound to abide by Washington state’s current limitations on gatherings of people.

You can plan to have a service after these restrictions have been lifted and your family and friends can honor your memory in a way that doesn’t leaving them feeling shortchanged.

You can decide what type of service you want after a direct cremation. While you may decide to have a memorial service at the funeral home or a sanctuary, you may decide you want to do something different.

Some people choose to have a memorial weekend at a place that was special to the deceased. While this may or may not include a traditional type of service, it often includes a scattering ceremony, an activity that was special to the deceased, and lots of time spent reminiscing and telling stories and sharing memories of the deceased.

If you decide that you want to have a scattering ceremony and have your cremation remains placed and sealed in an urn (you can do both), you should include those instructions with your direct cremation instructions. Be sure to specify where you want a portion of your cremation remains scattered if it is a different location from where the memorial service or memorial weekend will be held.

You can also specify if you want some of your cremation remains to be used in a living memorial. Living memorials are things like plants, trees, and even ocean reefs. If you choose to have a plant or tree memorial, some of your cremation remains will be mixed with soil that is planted with the seed of a plant or a tree. If you choose to have an ocean reef memorial, some of your cremation remains will be used to construct a habitat that will support and sustain marine life.

The other type of cremation that you can have is an indirect cremation. With an indirect cremation, a service is held before you are cremated. Some people, even though they want to be cremated, want to have a viewing and a traditional funeral service before they are cremated.

With an indirect cremation, you will be embalmed, dressed in the clothes you choose, and placed in a casket. The viewing will usually take place just before the funeral service. After the funeral service, your body will be transported to the crematory and you will be cremated.

Your cremation remains, like those in a direct cremation, can be placed and sealed in an urn and will be returned to your family.

For additional information about a Bellingham cremation, our compassionate and experienced team at Moles Farewell Tributes & Crematory – Bayview Chapel is here to help.