Losing a loved one suddenly can be a shocking and emotionally draining experience for anyone.
When this happens, you and your family will be faced with numerous decisions and responsibilities that you may not have been ready to take on.
One of these important decisions is choosing between an open-casket funeral and a closed-casket one. In most cases, the open casket funerals seem like the obvious choice but there may be some circumstances that may compel you to choose the former.
This blog post will help you understand when you should consider closed-casket services over a more traditional open-casket one. Here are some circumstances where a closed-casket service may be the right choice.
1. Honoring Your Loved One’s Wishes
The first and most important factor you need to consider is your loved one’s final wishes. If your loved one mentioned having a closed-casket funeral in their will or verbally when they were alive, you must honor it.
While it’s true that not everyone in your family may agree with this decision, you should sit down and talk with them about why they should follow through with a closed-casket funeral.
Tell them that aligning your loved one’s final send-off with their last wishes is a meaningful way to honor them and provide the family with some much-needed closure, knowing that they did the right thing.
2. Protecting Attendees From Distress
Sometimes, seeing a loved one in an open casket can be very distressing, especially for small children and the elderly. Some attendees, like close family members, who were present during your loved one’s passing may find it difficult to see them in this state.
In this case, closed-casket services may relieve some attendees’ stress and emotional distress due to their loved one’s passing. In addition, this may help make the funeral more about a celebration of your loved one’s life rather than your loved one’s passing.
3. Being Sensitive to the Situation
If your loved one passed away due to unnatural causes, such as an accident, the remains may be in a sensitive state. This can be very distressing for close family members of the deceased and the attendees, so having a closed-casket service would be the best choice.
Through a closed-casket service, you can be respectful towards the nature of your loved one’s remains. This will allow you to preserve their memory so that your family and the attendees will remember them the way they were in life.
4. Considering Practicality
If you’re having financial troubles, you may want to consider bypassing embalming your loved one’s remains. In this case, you should hold a closed-casket service.
Also, if many of the mourners are coming from out of town or overseas and you want to postpone the funeral long enough for everyone to arrive, a closed-casket service may be ideal.
How should you plan a closed-casket funeral?
Once you’ve decided on having a closed-casket service, here are some things you should consider in the planning process:
1. Discuss with Close Family
As mentioned earlier, not everyone in your family may be happy with a closed-casket service. Due to this, gather the family and speak to them about having a closed-casket service and explain your reasons for it.
Make sure to take into consideration everyone’s input before you make the final decision. Only go ahead with the closed-casket service if everyone is fine with it.
2. Contact a Funeral Home
Planning a funeral is not an easy task, especially when you’re dealing with so many feelings of loss. Funeral homes offer professional funeral services that can help you plan out a meaningful send-off for your loved one.
Make sure to also tell the funeral home that you’re planning on having a closed-casket service. They should be able to guide you through the process.
3. Choose a Casket
Since the main focal point of a closed-casket funeral is the casket, you should be careful when choosing one. Think about how your loved one was in life and try to figure out what kind of aesthetic their casket should have.
Take into consideration the material the casket is made of as it can affect the price. For example, wooden caskets can cost between $1,000 to $3,550, depending on the type of wood used, while metal caskets can be more expensive, with bronze caskets costing between $4,125 and $8,100.
Additionally, you should consider personalizing the casket by adding inscriptions and other decorations to reflect your loved one, making it a meaningful tribute to them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some commonly asked questions to consider:
1. Is it common to have a wake or visitation with a closed casket?
Yes, some families choose to have a wake or visitation where the body is presented before the funeral, even if the casket remains closed during the service.
2. Are there any specific clothing requirements for the deceased in a closed casket?
Families can choose appropriate clothing for the deceased, even if the casket remains closed.
3. How long does a closed-casket service typically last?
The duration varies but usually follows a similar timeline as open casket services.
Plan a suitable closed-casket funeral
By working closely with a professional funeral services provider, you can plan the best-suited funeral service for your loved one. These funeral homes provide highly personalized services to alleviate the stress of planning a funeral and help you offer your loved one a meaningful send-off.