Losing someone you love brings overwhelming decisions during an already difficult time. These decisions might feel both impossibly big and painfully urgent. One important decision is choosing how to honor their life.

Should there be a funeral? A memorial? Is a memorial service a funeral?

This guide explains the differences to help you choose what feels right between a memorial service vs. a funeral. We’ll also show you how to choose what feels right for your person, your family, and this moment. 

Memorial Service vs. Funeral: Key Differences

Here is a simple comparison of how memorial services and funeral services are different. Each family may choose what feels best for them.

Not sure whether a cremation or a funeral is the right path? The team at After is here to guide you through your options with transparency, care, and zero pressure. You can call us 24/7 at (844) 717-5170.

What Is a Funeral Service?

A funeral service honors your loved one's life with the decedent present. Families typically hold funerals within days of their loved one's passing. For many families, it’s a deeply meaningful way to gather, grieve, and say goodbye in the presence of both loved ones and the person who has died.

Here’s what a funeral service typically includes:

• Coffin present: The funeral home typically places the casket at the front of the room, either open for viewing or closed throughout the service.
• Viewing or visitation: Often held before the service, this is a time for family and friends to come together, offer support, and pay their respects in person.
• Officiant or speaker: A clergy member, celebrant, or someone close to the family usually guides the service with words of comfort, prayer, or reflection.
• Eulogies or readings: Loved ones may speak, read poems or prayers, or share personal memories that capture the person’s life and spirit.
• Music: The family may include hymns, live performances, or recorded songs to reflect their values or the person’s preferences.
• Burial or cremation follows: The ceremony often ends with a procession to a cemetery or crematory, where the family or provider completes the final arrangements.
• Reception (optional): After the service, many families host a gathering to connect more informally and continue sharing stories and memories.

Other Funeral Service Considerations

What sort of timing will you need? Families typically hold funeral services within days of their loved one's passing. If you need more time, it's okay to ask your provider what options are available.

Do you want it to be formal? Many families follow religious or cultural traditions and choose churches, chapels, or funeral homes. The tone often feels formal, but it can vary.

What’s your budget? Funeral costs can add up with embalming, caskets, and burial fees. Some families choose simpler options to manage expenses.

How much customization do you want? The shorter timeline may limit some personalization options. Many providers welcome personal touches like music or special locations.

What’s a Memorial Service?

Families often hold a memorial service to honor someone’s life after burial or cremation. Unlike a funeral, the deceased isn’t present, but many choose to display an urn, a favorite photo, or keepsakes that reflect who their loved one was.

Memorial services give families more planning time. This flexibility helps bring people together in a way that feels personal and meaningful.

Here’s what a memorial service often includes:

Other Memorial Service Considerations

• Tone: Memorials often feel more informal and intimate. They offer a chance to create something that truly reflects the person, whether that’s a quiet service, a joyful tribute, or a celebration of life at a meaningful location.
  
  
• Cost: Memorial services can be more cost-conscious since there’s no need for embalming, caskets, or burial arrangements. Families often work with a cremation provider like After to keep things simple and transparent.
  
  
• Personalization: With fewer time constraints, families can think through the details like choosing music, photos, readings, or locations that feel meaningful. For example, if you’re wondering how long a memorial service is, then you can decide what works for your family.
  
  
• Planning time: Unlike funerals, memorials don’t need to happen right away. This gives families time to plan thoughtfully, coordinate travel, or simply breathe before deciding on the right way to gather.

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How Long After Death Is a Memorial Service?

There’s no constraint on when you can hold a memorial. Memorials can take place days, weeks, or even months after someone passes. This flexibility gives families time to grieve, gather, and plan something thoughtful when they feel ready.

While some families choose to gather within days, others wait weeks or even months. Both choices are okay. Grief doesn’t follow a schedule. Making space to breathe, plan, and bring people together can be incredibly helpful.

Some families delay because loved ones need time to travel. Others want to honor the person in a certain season or location. For many, it's simply too overwhelming to plan something immediately while emotions are still raw.

That’s one of the reasons families choose After. You can take care of the essentials now, like respectful cremation and secure handling, and decide later how, when, or even if you want to gather. After’s cremation-first approach relieves the pressure to rush into planning a service right away. 

It's a simpler way to start the process, without having to make every decision at once.

Are There More After-Life Services?

You may hear about different types of services as you plan a farewell. Some include the person’s remains, while others focus on bringing people together to remember and celebrate their life. 

This simple chart can help you understand what each option means and when it might feel right:

Families often schedule calling hours before a funeral to give people a chance to stop by, offer condolences, and show support. These gatherings are similar to viewings, but they usually follow a more structured format.

Families may decide between a viewing vs. a wake: A viewing allows loved ones to see the person one last time, usually before a funeral. A wake may be more social or spiritual, depending on cultural tradition. 

A funeral viewing gives family and friends a chance to say goodbye and see the person one last time, usually in a calm, respectful setting.

Some families choose more than one type of service. Combining options could let you have a viewing followed by a funeral, or a small cremation followed by a celebration of life.

Choosing the Right Type of Service

When it’s time to make decisions about what comes next, you may be hearing different opinions, seeing unfamiliar terms, or feeling pressure to plan quickly. But the truth is, there’s no single “best” way to honor someone.

The right service is the one that feels manageable for your family. It should reflect the person you lost and give you space to grieve in a way that feels natural.

Here are a few things to think about as you decide:

Cultural or Religious Traditions

Many families follow meaningful cultural or spiritual customs when planning a farewell. Some faiths encourage holding a funeral with the casket present soon after death, often within 24 to 72 hours. Others honor the person with prayers or remembrance gatherings on certain dates later in the year.

If your traditions are important to you, they can be a helpful starting point. If you’re not sure what to expect, or if your family is blending different beliefs, it’s okay to find a path that honors both meaning and practicality.

Budget

Costs can vary depending on the type of service, the provider, and what’s included. Traditional funerals often include caskets, embalming, venues, and transportation, all of which can add up quickly.

Memorials, especially when paired with direct cremation, tend to be more affordable and flexible. For example, After’s direct cremation packages start at $995 and include care, transportation, and support. Families can then plan a memorial later, in a setting and style that fits their budget.

Timing

Do you need to plan something soon? Or would you prefer more time to do things in a way that feels meaningful? Most families hold funerals within a few days, while they plan memorials whenever the timing feels right. 

You might choose to wait until loved ones can travel, or plan a memorial weeks later in a favorite park or meaningful location.

Emotional Needs

Some people find comfort in a structured, traditional funeral. Others need more time before they’re ready to be around others or speak publicly. Think about what would feel supportive, not just for guests, but for you.

If standing in front of a crowd feels too hard right now, maybe a smaller gathering later would be easier. If your loved one was outgoing and joyful, a celebration of life with music, laughter, and stories might feel more fitting than a formal service.

After Is Here To Help With Any Path

Whether you want to hold a quiet memorial at home, plan a larger celebration months from now, or choose not to have a service at all, After gives you the space to do what feels right. There’s no rush to decide and no pressure to follow a specific format.

You can begin with a simple, respectful cremation and take your time planning any future gathering on your own terms. 

When you're ready, After offers helpful resources, guidance, and clear information to support your choices. Our team can connect you with trusted partners if you’d like help organizing a memorial later on.

Explore Preplanning Options

Making decisions about what happens after you’re gone is never easy. It can feel overwhelming, confusing, or even uncomfortable to plan something so personal. But putting a plan in place is also one of the most thoughtful and caring things you can do for yourself and for the people you love.

After is here to make that process simpler and more gentle. With clear pricing, compassionate support, and an online-first approach, it’s easier to take that first step without pressure.

If you’re considering preplanning, you’ll have:

• A choice of simple cremation packages starting at $995
  
• The ability to make decisions from home, in your own time
  
• Help from a dedicated care specialist when you need guidance
  
• You gain peace of mind by clearly sharing your wishes, so your family won’t have to guess.

These are big decisions, and you don’t have to make them alone. Explore preplanning options and find a thoughtful path forward that reflects who you are and what matters most.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is a Celebration of Life the Same as a Memorial Service?

A celebration of life isn’t the same as a memorial service, but they’re closely related. Families hold a memorial service after saying goodbye through cremation or burial. 

A celebration of life is one type of memorial that tends to feel more relaxed and less structured. It can be joyful or somber, formal or informal. Both offer meaningful ways to honor a life well-lived.

Can I Have Both a Funeral and a Memorial Service?

You can have a funeral and a memorial service. Some families choose to hold a funeral shortly after death, then plan a memorial or celebration later for a larger group or more personal setting. Others prefer to hold just one.

What matters most is choosing the option that fits your needs, budget, and what feels right for your family. After can support the cremation, and then you can plan any gathering at your convenience.

When Do Families Usually Hold a Funeral?

Families typically hold a funeral within 1 to 5 days after a death. This timing often depends on religious customs, service availability, and when loved ones can come together. If you need more time, planning a memorial service instead can offer greater flexibility.

What’s the Purpose of a Remembrance Service?

A remembrance service is a way to gather and reflect, often on a meaningful date like a birthday, anniversary, or holiday. It gives family and friends space to honor the person’s memory, even long after the initial funeral or memorial has passed.

Do I Need a Memorial Service To Use After’s Cremation Services?

You don’t need to hold a memorial or any kind of ceremony to use After. You can arrange cremation on its own and decide later whether to hold a service. After gives you the flexibility to decide if, when, and how you want to gather.

Is a Viewing Required Before Cremation?

You don’t need to have a viewing before cremation. With After’s direct cremation model, we care for your loved one with respect. Cremation takes place without a public gathering. If your family wants a viewing, you can arrange it separately before cremation begins.

Can I Pre-Plan a Memorial or Funeral?

Using After, you can pre-plan cremation and make notes about the kind of service you’d like, if any. Preplanning helps ease future stress for your loved ones and ensures your wishes are clear. After offers simple online preplanning with transparent pricing and support.

Do you have more questions about memorial services vs. funerals? Our caring team will support you through the next steps.