How to Plan a Burial Service

How to Plan a Burial Service

For families that have chosen burial, there are many options to consider including the type of service that will be held, the choice of casket and where your loved one will rest. At Bollman's Tribute Center, we’ll help you to plan a meaningful and memorable burial service. 

Why Burial?

The idea of honoring a loved one with a permanent resting place has been commonplace for thousands of years. It is an important, time-honored tradition that many families still prescribe to. When a loved one has their final resting place in a cemetery, it provides a peaceful environment for loved ones to visit, care for and honor their memory. 

Types of Burial Services

There are many different types of funeral service options for those who have opted for burial. Here we will provide information on the options available so that you can determine the funeral arrangements that are most desired. Many families choose a combination of these types of burial service, with some having a visitation only, some a graveside service only and others having multiple visitations followed by a funeral service and committal service. The possibilities are endless.

Viewing or Visitation

A viewing or visitation is typically held at the funeral home. The visitation provides time for family and friends to come together to support the family and provide sympathies. This event is typically less formal than the funeral service and is typically held prior to the funeral service.

Funeral Service

The elements of a funeral service can vary from family to family depending on their wishes and religious background. This is typically the most formal and structured of the funeral service events. This gathering of family and friends is conducted prior to burial or cremation. The casket may be open or closed, depending on the family’s wishes. 

For families that religion plays an important factor, the funeral service may be hosted by a priest, rabbi or minister, and may be hosted at a church. For families that opt for a non-religious route, the service may be led by a family member or friend, by a celebrant, or by a funeral director. We can help you to plan a personalized and memorable funeral service that best meets your family’s needs. 

Graveside or Committal Service

Typically following the funeral service, this type of funeral service is held at the final resting place. It may be a large gathering, or something reserved for close family members only. 

Cemetery Options

Just like with funeral choices, cemeteries also offer options to meet a variety of needs, budgets and desires. Cemetery plots are available for individuals for caskets or urns (for families that have chosen cremation), or, as family plots where multiple spaces are purchased for family members. 

Questions to Ask the Cemetery

Each cemetery is unique in location and environment, but also in management style. We’ve compiled a list of things that you may want to ask when choosing a final resting place.
  • What are the maintenance practices?
  • Is it a ‘perpetual care’ cemetery, where a portion of the purchase price is placed into a fund that covers the maintenance and upkeep of the cemetery?
  • Are there monument specifications? Do they allow upright monuments? Flat markers?
  • Are there rules regarding flower placement, types of flowers (live vs. artificial flowers) or seasonal decorations on graves?

Types of Plots

There are many types of cemetery plots available and each cemetery will offer their own options. Here are some common property options:
  • Single-Depth Burial Space - a space for one person to be buried
  • Double-Depth Burial Space - a space for two people to be buried. The space is the same size as the single-depth burial space, however the grave is deeper than normal, allowing for one to be buried on top of the other.
  • Family Lot - an area designed for multiple family members
  • Mausoleum - an above-ground building with crypts that hold the caskets. Crypts may allow for one or two caskets. 
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