When planning on how to memorialize your loved one, you might have come across the terms “funeral service” and “memorial service.” While you might think these terms are interchangeable, the team at Meyer & Geiser Funeral Home in Cincinnati, OH, hopes to clarify the distinction between these two commemorative services. 

In simplest terms, a funeral service is a ceremony where a deceased person’s body is present; a memorial service is a ceremony where the body is not present. As such, while the only real variants in a funeral are whether to have an open or closed casket service, there are a few more varieties of memorial services that families may consider.

For example, many families elect to hold a memorial service after a loved one’s cremation. These services may involve burying the cremated remains in a cemetery with a monument, or spreading the ashes in a designated place requested by the deceased. Regardless of whether the remains are present, any post-cremation service is considered a memorial.

In other situations, it might be necessary to bury a loved one before a funeral service can take place. Memorial services held after a loved one’s burial are sometimes less formal than traditional funeral services, but they still provide family and friends an opportunity to celebrate the life of a past loved one. 

This type of memorial service is especially common when a large number of close friends and family members live far from the burial site and would be unable to attend the burial service. Some families may choose to hold multiple memorial services in different locations to accommodate all those who were close to the deceased. 

Whether you wish to conduct a memorial service or a traditional funeral, the team at Meyer & Geiser Funeral Home will help you find an appropriate and meaningful way to memorialize your loved one. To learn more about their funeral planning services, visit them online or call (513) 921-4144.