Is It Possible to Have a Cremation with Visitation?

Yes, it’s possible to have a visitation when you choose cremation. A common misconception about cremation services in Phoenix, AZ, is that cremation can’t be combined with traditional funeral services. This couldn’t be further from the truth. A key practical advantage of cremation is it expands the kind of funeral arrangements you can make, not limit them. Not only can you have cremation with visitation, but other services like a personalized final resting place are possible too.

For those who want a visitation before or after the cremation, here’s how to make it work.

Witnessed Direct Cremation

Much of the worry about combining cremation with visitation comes from those considering direct cremation. The lack of funeral services before the cremation implies there’s no room for a visitation event. This is not necessarily the case. Indeed, direct cremation doesn’t lend itself to an elaborate visitation with an embalmed body with an open casket, but a simple version is possible. Family, friends, and community members who live close to the place of death can visit before the cremation professional arrives to collect the body. It’s even possible to have a committal service led by the deceased or the family’s faith leader.

Those who couldn’t see the body at the home or hospital can also get a second chance at the cremation center. Some funeral homes allow close groups to witness the beginning of the cremation process before the body heads into the cremation chamber. The family can use the allotted time to say goodbye to their loved one and support one another. This type of visitation is inexpensive and saves the family money they can spend on a beautiful memorial service. However, if you want an elaborate visitation with your cremation service, there’s an alternative.

Traditional Cremation

The final disposition method is the only difference between a traditional cremation and a traditional burial. Everything else stays the same, including the arrangement of an elaborate visitation. The funeral home embalms and dresses the body, placing it in a ceremonial cremation casket for public viewing. While the allotted visitation time is short in direct cremation, visitation in traditional cremation can last days. Because the body is embalmed, there’s no need to cremate the body within 48 hours. Therefore, the visitation can last long enough for everyone, including distant relatives, to say goodbye to their loved one.

However, this comes at a higher cost than direct cremation. The additional costs from embalming, casket rental, and dressing the body make traditional cremation the most expensive cremation service. But if you have a limited budget and don’t mind if the body isn’t present, there’s another way to have a lengthier visitation.

Cremation with Memorial Service (with Visitation)

Although families prefer to have the body present, a visitation doesn’t require one to be present. It’s a time when the bereaved make themselves available for guests to offer their condolences. This can happen with or without the body, unlike viewing where seeing the body is the central goal of the event. You can have a visitation after receiving the ashes, hours before the memorial service, or celebration of life. The cremated remains in an urn can replace the open casket as everyone pays their respects. And that’s how you can have cremation with visitation. Whichever arrangement works for your needs, we can help. We provide all three cremation services in Phoenix, AZ, with a caring staff that understands how difficult this time is for you. Call us now to start planning.