Many families face important decisions after the cremation of a loved one. How do you best honor that loved one? How do you properly celebrate his or her life? What should the right kind of ceremony look like, and how should it feel? Should you plan a funeral or memorial service? These are all perfectly good questions, and you should never hesitate to ask them. Having some support throughout the process can help. If you or someone you know is looking into cremation services in or near Indianapolis, IN, you should know that there are professionals in your area who can help answer your questions and address your concerns. That kind of help is all but essential as you embark upon the attempt to honor your loved one the right way. No one should feel as though they must do this alone. And the reality is that you really don’t. 

Planning a memorial service may make sense for your family. For one thing, you have plenty of additional time to remain involved in the planning itself. A funeral generally takes places just days after losing a loved one. To the contrary, a memorial service may not happen for weeks. That means you can spend plenty of time making arrangements. That may be especially helpful when it comes to making photographic or video tributes, planning certain music arrangements, or organizing any number of readings you’d like to be a part of the ceremony. The additional time may also be helpful for families that will have to travel. Traveling on short notice can be difficult, which may make funerals less practical in some circumstances. 

Of course, every family is different. You have your own priorities and objectives, your own bottom lines. You may also be working with wishes provided by the deceased, and it is always important to honor those requests as much as possible. So it is important to remember that there really is no right or wrong answer when it comes to deciding on a memorial service. Something may be right for your family, and that may be entirely different from what’s right for the next family. Keep that in mind as you compare the virtues of a funeral and memorial service. They both have something to offer. 

Either way, the important thing is that you get the right kind of help. Even with the additional time to make arrangements, professional support is generally essential. The right funeral home will assure that planning doesn’t become an unwanted burden. It will handle logistics, address any number of needs, and simplify your life a great deal. You shouldn’t approach this like it is a do it yourself project. Trained professionals have a broad range of expertise that can be extremely valuable. Even if you wish to remain in the driver’s seat, some guidance can really help when it comes to going through the process. We can help. 

If you are interested in cremation services in the Indianapolis, IN, area, consider reaching out to O’Riley - Branson Funeral Service & Crematory. We are always happy to speak with you initially and walk you through the process of planning a funeral or memorial service. We look forward to meeting your needs.