Differences Between a Funeral and a Memorial Service No One Will Ever Tell You

Funeral services are an important step in the grieving process. Deciding what is most appropriate for the departed and their family is a difficult decision, but many things must be considered before making any choice.

Planning a funeral is a truly important and delicate decision. The funeral is the last chance for family, friends, and colleagues to come together and celebrate the deceased. With careful preparation and selection of services, you can create a memorable farewell event that will be treasured by everyone who knew your loved one.

Have you heard the term ‘memorial service’? In this article, we will explain the difference between that and a funeral. Something they have in common is that they are both a farewell ceremony.

The most important thing in both a memorial service and a funeral is farewell. Both ceremonies seek to say goodbye to your loved ones, let you see them one last time, with all this done in an unforgettable way while honoring their memory.

Now, how are they different? First, let's define memorial:

In this event, the body remains do not have to be present. An urn with the ashes or a portrait of the deceased may be. Also, the memorial has a designated time and space for people to mourn.

Something particular is that the service can be carried out weeks or months after the death. This allows relatives and loved ones more planning time. In addition, it can work as something additional to the funeral, either for different reasons, such as a larger audience or for those who could not attend.

Rather, at a funeral, the body is present, commonly in a casket/coffin, displayed in a place of honor or designated space. This ceremony is considered the traditional way; identifying elements of a funeral are the presence of a casket, rituals or religious services (if the person was religious), and of course, the burial after the ceremony. 

Differences between a funeral and a memorial 

Both terms refer to the same concept—a ceremony that honors the life of the deceased. As we have seen, the body is present at a funeral, but usually not for a memorial service.

Memorial services focus on honoring the deceased, whether in a funeral home, religious center, home, or any other place of significance.

 For their part, funerals also honor the deceased but add the part of the burial or scatter the ashes.

It is becoming more common for memorial services that take place sometime after the funeral to replace or supplement "traditional funeral services", allowing for a more private ceremony if desired.

 Currently, personalizing ceremonies is more and more common. It should be noted that a memorial service is more casual than a funeral since it has fewer rules.

 Usually, the memorial service is planned by the loved ones of the departed and can be personalized according to their wishes and tastes. Normally, there is some structured component to a memorial that ranges from music and memories of family and friends.

Something very common are presentations with photos or video sequences of the deceased, which can result in a wonderful tribute. Likewise, some also create a table of memories with the beloved objects of the deceased or souvenirs for the guests.

 Beyond their similarities or differences, the important thing is to have a farewell ceremony of some kind and that the wishes of the deceased are fulfilled, paying tribute to both them as a person and their life.

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