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Cremations are now the most popular form of funeral. Most people will want a ceremony at the crematorium – using their chapel – but you can also hold the service in a church or other venue of your choice prior to the cremation.
It is entirely up to you if you want the service to be religious or non-religious. A religious service will be conducted by an ordained minister or clergy from a specific faith or religion whereas a non-religious ceremony can have a civil celebrant or officiant from the humanist society.
Alfred Smith Funeral Directors can help make arrangements for whichever type of service you would like.
Depending on your preference, mourners may assemble outside awaiting the arrival of the hearse, or may take a seat in the chapel before the coffin is brought in. Alternatively, the coffin can be taken to the venue prior to the mourners arriving.
Unless you have asked for extra time for your service, a cremation funeral service usually lasts between 35 to 45 minutes. The service can include a number of hymns or non-religious songs that personally meaningful, eulogies and readings. At the end of the service the coffin is usually obscured from view for mourners to pay their final respects before the cremation.
Most crematoriums are able to return a loved one’s ashes one working day after the cremation, and sometimes even the same day. At this stage you can think about what you would like to do with the ashes — some ideas you might like to consider are available here.
Alfred Smith Funeral Directors can assist you in every step of the funeral and cremation arrangements, so please don’t hesitate to ask us about any aspects or queries you may have.
Get a quoteWe have a wide range of urns and caskets for this purpose in a variety of styles and materials such as wood, marble and stone.
Funeral prices vary depending on the type of ceremony you would like for your loved one. There are many options to choose from to make it unique and special.
It is now really easy to plan ahead, making a huge difference by easing the burden on your family when the time comes, so they can focus on the arrangements.
Alfred Smith Funeral Directors can assist you in every step of the funeral so please don’t hesitate to ask us about any aspects or queries you may have.
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