When you are planning a funeral for a loved one, there are a lot of options you will want to consider for their final send-off. After all, every family has different needs and personal requests for their loved one. One option you might want to consider for a friend or family member is a graveside service. This is a common option that a lot of families go for when planning how to say goodbye to their loved ones. A graveside service is a service that is held around the grave at the chosen cemetery.
While some families choose to have this after the funeral when it’s time for the burial or to mark spreading the ashes, others prefer to have this as the sole event to say goodbye. For instance, they might want a smaller funeral or a non-religious burial and this meets their needs. A graveside service tends to be a shorter service than a traditional burial. However, elements can be added such as hymns or poems at the family’s request. It can be a meaningful way to say goodbye. Here is everything you need to know about a graveside service.
How Is a Graveside Service Different Than a Funeral?
Holding a graveside service can be very different to a traditional funeral. At a graveside you have a program which would be an obituary that provides the order of the service. The funeral service is pretty much the same as a graveside service except a graveside service does everything at the grave.
At a funeral service you still have an obituary that provides order of service.
For example:
Order of A Service
Scriptures and Prayer – Rev. Raiford
Selection – Mr. Anthony
Reflections – Cousin Mrs. Walker
Cousin Mr. James
Granddaughter – Mrs. Sams
Words of Comfort and Selection – Dea. Greenwood
Obituary – Read Silently
Acknowledgements – Mrs. Walker
Selection – Mr. Greenwood
Eulogy – Rev Ingram
Interment
Benediction
While it’s possible to have a funeral followed by a graveside service, you can also have the graveside service as the sole event. Here is how a graveside service differs from a traditional funeral.
A graveside service normally takes place outside
When you attend a memorial event, it’s normally inside a church, a community center or a funeral home. But when it comes to graveside services, they tend to be outside at the burial site or where you want to bury the cremated remains. There are some benefits to holding a service outside. For one thing, you can keep costs down as you will not have to pay a hire fee for a center or religious venue. Additionally, if the person loved the outdoors, it will be fitting to have the service outside. You can also make space for extra people if necessary when holding a graveside service. But you do need to keep in mind the weather, which can affect your event when he威而鋼 ld outdoors. If it’s planning to rain, you will need to ensure you hire shelter for those attending the service.
A graveside service is usually shorter than a traditional service
Another difference between the two is that a graveside service tends to be a lot shorter than a traditional funeral. A graveside service is usually shorter than a traditional funeral. But a graveside service could be longer than a traditional funeral.
It depends how well known the deceased was. If he/she has a large family, and a lot of friends. The obituary length provides an order that will tell you if a service is going to last a long time. Unless the immediate family stated specifically that each person has a 3 minute slot to speak, sing etc.
For some families, they prefer a shorter do and it might be the preference of the deceased. After all, at a traditional funeral, they might play songs and speeches may be given. While you can read out a poem or even do a short hymn at a graveside service, it does tend to be shorter with limited time due to being outdoors. Therefore, it depends on the family’s personal preference on whether they want a longer event with photos and videos in an indoor venue or a shorter graveside service for their loved one.
Some families prefer this as gifts and donations can go towards other things such as a particular charity. And it can be cheaper for the family to not have to arrange flowers.
Viewing and visitation don’t normally occur
Another difference from a traditional funeral is that a graveside service doesn’t normally have a visitation. Visitation will occur for either service usually it’s a day before the funeral service.
The funeral can either be Graveside Service, Chapel Service, or Church Service, or if it’s a large family, or a popular well known person, a church may not hold the amount of people. So in this case you would need to book a community center, for example in Augusta James Brown Arena, or the Bell Auditorium.
That’s the public viewing that the funeral home allots to the family and friends of the deceased. Friends and family pay their respects by the coffin and often say a few words to the closest family members. But this pre-funeral event does not occur at a graveside service. With this event being shorter, it means the service does not have time for this to occur. Some families prefer a less public event and they have a memorial celebration afterwards where they can thank people for coming.
What to Know About Planning a Graveside Service?
If you do decide that a graveside service is for you, here are a few things you need to know about planning the event.
You need to decide on where you want to hold the graveside service
You need to first decide where you want to hold the graveside service. There may be a burial plot you have already chosen for your loved one. Once you have decided where they will be buried or their cremated remains spread, you can then talk to the cemetery about when you can hold the event. They will help guide you through the process and will be your point of call for communicating about the service.
You need to choose someone to hold the service
You are not limited on who you want to hold the service for the deceased. Whether you want a funeral director or a religious leader, you can discuss with them whether they will be happy to conduct the service. You can even request someone from your friends or family to conduct the service if that is appropriate for the loved one.
Make a plan for the service
While it might be shorter than a traditional funeral, you still want to plan out the service so that it runs smoothly. Decide on who is writing the eulogy and whether you want any poems. You can then plan out how much seating you require and ensure everyone knows about the service. If you are using a company to arrange the service such as M&R Vaults, do ensure everything is communicated to them efficiently/
In Summary
A graveside service offers a meaningful way to say goodbye to your loved one. It’s often cheaper than a traditional funeral and can be more personal to family members. Taking place at the graveside also makes everything run smoothly. However, it is a shorter service and has no visitation on the day of the service.
Therefore, it’s down to the family what their preferences are for their loved one when deciding if a graveside service is right for them.
