Cremations are now the most popular form of funeral. Most people will want a ceremony at the crematorium – using their onsite 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 or even a family member or a friend. Doves Funeral Directors can help make arrangements for whichever type of service you would like.
On the day of the funeral the cortege will travel to the crematorium. 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 either by pall bearers, selected family and friends or a mixture of both. Alternatively, the coffin can be taken to the venue prior to the mourners arriving.
A cremation funeral service varies but usually lasts between 30 to 45 minutes. Dependant on your local crematorium, you can request extra time for your service. The service can include a number of hymns or non-religious songs that mean something to you and the deceased, eulogies, readings and prayers. Mourners will be invited to go up to place flowers or say their individual goodbyes. At the end of the service the coffin is usually obscured from view with a curtain, this is called the committal, so that mourners can 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. We can collect these for you and keep them or deliver them to an address of your choosing. At this stage you can think about what you would like to do with the ashes, some inspirational ideas you might like to consider are available here.
Doves 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.
Doves 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.
Call 01233 643 000 visit branch or arrange a home visit