Navigating Cremation Choices: Understanding Full Service vs. Cremation Only Options in Australia
When you’ve recently lost a loved one, arranging their funeral can be an emotional and stressful time. So it helps if you’re aware of their last wishes, whether it’s a burial or cremation. If a cremation has been chosen by your loved one or your family, then you need to decide whether you want a full service cremation or a simple direct/no service cremation.
More than three quarters of all funerals in Australia are cremations with nearly a quarter of these being cremation only. So what’s the difference between these two options and why would you choose a direct cremation without a service?
What’s included in full service cremation?
When you opt for full service cremation you will meet face to face with the Fueral Director in what is referred to as an arrangement meeting. This meeting can be held at your home, the Funeral Home or some other place of your choice. You will be asked to sign off all the required forms and make some decisions.
including whether the service is to be held at a church or crematorium chapel, or club house etc.
It also includes transporting your loved one to the funeral home (from home or the hospital) and on to the crematorium. Hygienic preparation or embalming is also performed, as necessary, as well as presentation for a viewing, if requested.
The funeral director will organise all the floral displays for the family, as well as provide a visitor book, facilities and refreshments for the mourners if required. You will be asked to select a coffin from a range of cremation appropriate ones.
You will be asked to select either a Celebrant or Minister. With them you will be able to select the music, songs, prayers, readings, video presentations and any other personal requests for the funeral service.
You can go with the standard plastic urn or choose a more elaborate one from a catalogue. The funeral director will also help with obtaining an official death certificate from Births, Deaths & Marriages and a Cremation Certificate.
What’s included in cremation only?
If you select the cremation only option, basically you exclude the service at the funeral home or crematorium. Your loved one is still transported to the funeral home and on to the crematorium by the funeral directors.
The funeral home still helps you obtain the death certificate and the cremation certificate. The big difference is that without a full service, there is no need for floral displays or an expensive coffin, so this option includes a simple cremation coffin, rather than a more elaborate or custom coffin. However, you still have the option to select an urn for the cremation only option. This cremation option is aimed at being very simple for the family and the arrangement of it is done over the phone and via online paperwork.
Why choose cremation only?
There are two reasons why the cremation only option is gaining momentum across Australia – lower costs and more flexibility.
Lower costs: When you select a cremation without the attending services, you can save more than 60% of the costs. That’s because all you need is the transportation and preparation services, as well as the costs associated with the crematorium, death certificate and simple cremation coffin. There’s no funeral service, Celebrant fees flowers, viewings, hearse or expensive coffin.
Increased flexibility: Without a full service funeral, the cremation can be held as soon as possible. This gives you flexibility to organise the arrangements for a wake or send-off much later without feeling rushed. There’s no pressure to organise a funeral service in just a few days when everyone is emotionally distressed. This is particularly relevant when people need to fly in from overseas, other states or drive for hours to attend a funeral.
With a cremation only option, rather than a full service cremation, you can take your time and plan a memorial service that suits everyone after the cremation happens.
To find out more about these options, check out Heaven Funerals Cremation Services, the first fully qualified New Zealand Funeral Directors and Embalmers in Brisbane.
