As you prepare your final wishes for when you pass away, you see all kinds of funeral-related terms that make sense to you and seem common, but you also see some that are kind of confusing. For example, what's a graveside funeral compared to a funeral inside a funeral home or chapel? Can you have a graveside funeral should you choose to be cremated? What other funeral home services can be provided to you? This guide will help you understand not just what a graveside funeral is, but other services related to your end-of-life plans as well. Any questions you have should be brought up to your funeral director, who will explain your prearranged funeral in greater detail to help you understand just what funeral home services you are paying for and getting.

What is a Graveside Funeral?

As the name implies, a graveside funeral is a type of service that occurs surrounding the final burial site. You can have this type of funeral service done as the main funeral or as a final goodbye to allow family and friends to gain better closure after you have had a more traditional funeral service done. You can make a specific request to allow people to speak at your graveside funeral or play a favorite song in your honor, which can also be done at the funeral home or other funeral service location in addition to the graveside service. A graveside funeral can be done at a grave site even if you don't plan on placing a coffin inside the burial site. The service is usually done near the location of a headstone or marker, however, so the people who come to the service can honor your resting place properly.

Do You Have to Be Buried to Have a Graveside Funeral?

You can have a traditional graveside funeral even if you don't plan on being buried. For example, you can pay for a burial plot so you can have a marker next to another loved one, but have your body donated to science or even be cremated. The graveside funeral service can be held regardless of whether there is to be a traditional burial. In many cases an urn or marker, or even a favored heirloom or picture can be used in place of an actual coffin. These details can be discussed with your funeral home services company when you prearrange your funeral.

Write down all requests you have for your graveside funeral and let your funeral home services director know of your wishes. This way, there is no confusion when you do pass on and your funeral is underway.

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