How to Arrange a Private Family Goodbye Before Cremation

Basic Cremation is an end-of-life service that seeks to make the process of cremation as quick and hassle free as possible. It does this by stripping cremation down to its core elements which may leave many wondering if it is still possible to have a viewing of the remains or a private family goodbye prior to cremation occurring. In today’s blog we will be going over how to go about arranging a private family goodbye prior to cremation.

Make Arrangements with your Cremation Service Provider

First, you will want to speak to your cremation service provider to determine if they offer viewing services as an option for their cremation services. At Only Cremations we offer viewing services as an addition to our Basic Cremation Service. This viewing service may be attended by up to 20 friends and family members and can last for up to 30 minutes. This service includes washing, dressing and light cosmetics on the deceased but does not include embalming, which we do offer as an additional service, one that is highly recommended should you plan to have a viewing. We also offer an alternative (or additional) service where up to 10 family members can be present when the deceased is placed in the cremation chamber.

Contact Family and Friends

Once you have determined that you wish to witness the cremation or have a viewing you will want to contact the family members and friends that you wish to have in attendance as quickly as possible. This is because basic cremation is often meant to occur within 48 hours of death and many crematoriums that offer basic cremation are not equipped to store the remains for a long period of time but how quickly the viewing needs to occur is up to the individual crematorium. At Only Cremations we include sheltering for up to 7 days as part of our basic package with a $15 per day charge for each additional day that sheltering is required.

Keep it Simple

Having a private family goodbye prior to cremation does not need to be an extravagant affair with readings, music and a eulogy, those things are better left for a formal funeral or memorial service held after the cremation. With a private family goodbye prior to cremation, it is best to keep things simple with little formal ceremony though you may still wish to have a religious officiant present for the proceedings but that is best left up to the individual family. Make sure you are aware of how long your goodbye can be before you start planning anything out. At Only Cremations our viewing service maxes out at 30 minutes and is intended for a simple goodbye.

We hope we have been able to provide some useful information when it comes to planning a private family goodbye before cremation. If you have any questions about cremation services, please feel free to contact us.

Only Cremations, based in Surrey, British Columbia, provides dignified and affordable cremation services. We believe every family deserves respect, reverence, and compassion. If you have any questions about this article or would like to talk to us about cremation services, please call or text (604) 861-9895.