It’s always a sad and challenging time when you have to say goodbye to a loved one. You are mourning their loss while planning ways to say goodbye. If you are organizing their funeral, it can be a challenge to find a memorable way to celebrate the person. A funeral offers a final chance to say goodbye and reminisce with others about their life.
However, there are several ways you can mark the passing of a loved one. A funeral committal is a memorable and personal way to say goodbye to the loved one. It’s a very intimate type of ceremony that occurs at the final resting place of the deceased. Family members often choose this as a final opportunity to say their goodbye at a more personal level.
Here is our complete guide to a funeral committal service and why it might be right for your passed loved one.
What is the committal at a funeral?
A funeral committal is a ceremony that is normally attended by those close family members who want to make a personal goodbye to their loved one. The location of these committals depends on the type of funeral. If it’s a cremation, it normally takes place at a crematorium while a burial will tend to take place at a graveside. Here is everything you need to know about both of these types of committals.
Burial committals
If you have chosen a burial for your loved one, you might decide to hold a burial committal after the funeral service. While you can have a traditional funeral for the deceased or just choose to have a burial committal, this tends to be a smaller gathering for just close family and friends. At this type of burial, the family tends to meet at the graveside where their loved one will be buried. They can then say a few words or reminisce with each other by the graveside of the deceased. The family members can each say a few words or the officiant could even read a prepared speech if preferred. Or a poem could be read out by a family member. A burial committal tends to only be short and then the loved one will be lowered into their grave.
Cremation committals
Cremation committals are another favored option by families that tend to occur just before the person is cremated. This usually happens in the crematorium and tends to be attended by a few close family members or friends although there is no limit on who and how many can attend. It’s a more personal service and can follow a funeral service or there can be just a committal if you prefer. It offers an intimate way to say goodbye before they are cremated which is not attended by anybody.
A cremation committal allows the close family members to say a personal goodbye and may even share a few memories. It’s a common occurrence that the family may hold a committal ceremony after they have received their loved one’s remains. When you have the remains, they might hold a committal ceremony before they bury these in their final resting place, wherever you choose this to be for your loved one.
When is a committal service held?
It can depend on the family when you decide to hold a committal service. It might be the case that you decide to hold a funeral service first and then have a committal after. This can be the case for both burials and cremations. You can then choose just a small number to attend the committal if you so wish. Or it might be the case you want to have a committal with no additional memorial.
This is a good option if the deceased requested a small funeral before they passed. Or if there are only a few people that can attend, these types of committal services work well. The details of committal are private so it’s up to the family and friends to decide if they want others to attend this. When it comes to arranging the committal, it tends to be around 15 minutes long so you know how to add this into the day if you plan on holding one after the funeral service.
What to expect at a committal service?
When you arrange a committal service, you will arrange a time that this will take place at the graveside or the cremation. This time will then be when the family and friends turn up and will be seated. It’s likely some prayers or a poem will be first said by the officiant. You might want to then give some words to be read out by the officiant about the deceased or you may want to talk about your loved one.
Sometimes at a committal, a few family members will speak and share some memories. The family and friends will then say a final goodbye to their loved one. After this has occurred, the casket then will be lowered into the grave with the opportunity for the family to throw some dirt into the grave. If the committal is at a cremation the family will pay their final respects before the casket will continue for cremation. The family will then speak before leaving the service.
How to personalize a committal service
There are several ways you can make the committal service more personal for your loved one. It might be the case that you want some personal music playing during the service. If the deceased had a favorite song or a tune they requested for their funeral, this can be played during the committal. Also offering some words about the loved one is a great way to say goodbye. You can also personalize the coffin and add some special touches such as photos to make it extra meaningful. Some family members choose to follow their loved one from the funeral to the committal too with special transportation. Discuss your ideas with the officiant to make it special for the family member who has passed.
