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Reasons You Might Choose Cremation Services For Yourself

If you have thought far enough in advance, you might have a will prepared for the future. It’s a good idea to have things ready for that time when your family will need to know your wishes after you pass on. You might also think even further than that and plan your own final services with a funeral home. If you are considering that, you will want to decide whether you want a traditional funeral and burial or cremation services in Tukwila, WA. Here are a few reasons why you might choose cremation over a burial.

Reason 1: You Like The Price

Cremation is always going to cost less than a traditional funeral and burial. There are far fewer products and services needed for a cremation, so there is less you have to pay for. You might like that price because you want to pay for your services in advance and the smaller price makes it easier for you to do so. You might also like the smaller price because you aren’t going to pay ahead and the less expensive option will make it easier for your family to pay in the future.

Reason 2: You Want A Certain Final Resting Place

If you go with a traditional funeral and burial, the final resting place is a plot in the cemetery. If that’s not what you want, then cremation is a good option for you to consider instead. You can have whatever final resting place you want if you go with cremation. You can ask your loves ones to keep your ashes in an urn at home. You can have them scatter the ashes in a certain location. Cremation opens the options and lets you dictate what your final resting place will be.

Reason 3: To Remove The Timeline

As you think about what kind of service you want for yourself when you pass on, you might realize that you really want your family to all be together. It can take time to plan and time for your family to travel to the right location. Using cremation takes the timeline away from the memorial service to make those things easier on your family. They can have your cremation done and then set a date for the memorial service so everyone can plan their travels and attend without too much trouble.

There are plenty of other reasons why you might choose cremation services in Tukwila, WA and any reason that seems valid to you is a good one to choose. It can help to have reasons behind your decisions because when you talk to your family, you can tell them what you are thinking and why, which can help them understand your choices. The professionals at Columbia Funeral Home & Crematory will take whatever decisions you make and support them so you will feel good about the options you are choosing. We’ll write up the plans and hold onto them for the future when you need to use them.

Funeral Home Advice For Budget-Friendly Services

It’s always hard to lose a loved one, but it can feel even harder when you lose someone and the budget you have for their services with funeral homes in Tukwila, WA is on the small side. Don’t worry, though. You can get your loved one what they need and keep your budget intact. The professionals have plenty of tips for you to help you get what your family needs at the right price. Here are a few to consider.

Tip 1: Don’t Order Extra Flowers

When you have a funeral or memorial service, you know that the most popular gift for people to send is flowers. While you can order arrangements yourself to decorate the room, you can also skip that part and just let the arrangements that other people send act as the decorations. You know there will be at least some and you can save money and stick to your budget by avoiding that cost.

Tip 2: Consider Something Short

While you can have a full funeral or memorial service, if you skip the larger part and go right to the end, you can save money and still honor your loved one. For example, have a direct burial service without having something in the funeral home and that can save you money. Skip right to the ash scattering and avoid having to pay for a more elaborate service. Your loved one still gets what they need and you are able to pay less and afford the option.

Tip 3: Consider Methods

Traditional burials are always going to cost more than cremation services. If you really need to save on a tight budget, you could automatically drift toward cremation. It costs less because there are fewer products and services involved in the process. You don’t have to buy a casket, a burial plot, or a headstone, among other things. It’s perfectly fine to go with cremation because of costs. It’s an honorable and respectful method that allows your loved one to get what they need.

Tip 4: Listen To Professional Advice

When you are working with professionals at the funeral home, you know they are doing their best to help you every step of the way. If you let them in on the budget restraints you have, they will offer you advice and options that you can afford so you are able to get what you need and stay within those parameters.

When you have to plan services with funeral homes in Tukwila, WA for a loved one who has passed on, it is hard to recognize that you don’t have endless funds to spend on their services. You want your loved one to get everything they need, and they still can, even on a limited budget. The professionals at Columbia Funeral Home & Crematory are here to help you ensure your loved one’s needs are met, no matter what amount you have to spend on the process. Our support and compassion is here for you the whole way through.

Keeping Safe Around Cremation Services

While there’s hope on the horizon that the pandemic will someday be a thing of the past, while in the thick of things, it’s better to think about safety when you are planning cremation services in West Seattle, WA. You’ve already lost a loved one. The last thing you want to do is hear that anyone got sick because of the services you had for that person. There are lots of ways you can keep yourself and other safe while honoring someone who passed on. Here are a few tips.

1-Plan Online

To limit your own exposure and the amount of meetings you have to have, you could plan at least some of the service online. There’s always going to be paperwork to fill out and while you might have to meet with the funeral home at some point, those visits can be shorter if you are able to do a lion’s share of the work online, away from others.

2-Outdoor Service Options

While outdoor services aren’t always ideal in this area of the country, you could have something short or wait for the time of year that would be nice enough to be outside. Having the outdoor service may allow you to invite more people and allow them to be more spaced out and safe with the fresh air all around everyone.

3-Limit Numbers

If you want to have a memorial in a church or even in a family home, you should limit the numbers of people that are gathering in that location. You can always have another larger service later as cremation doesn’t prevent you from doing more services whenever you want to hold them.

4-Consider Livestreaming

If you have some older people in your family who you want to protect, or some with health concerns that absolutely cannot be exposed, consider livestreaming whatever cremation service you choose to have. You can set them up with a device so they can watch the services and participate as best they can from the safety of their own home. Everyone can see what is going on as it is happening and not be left out just because they want to stay where they are safest and most comfortable.

There are plenty of other things you can do to hold cremation services in West Seattle, WA in a safe manner and the professionals at Columbia Funeral Home & Crematory are here to help. When things went downhill last year, we worked very hard and very quickly to accommodate clients who still had loved ones that needed attention and honoring services. We have adapted and have plenty of options to consider. There are some industries that can shut down and wait it out. Ours is not one of them. We are still here working hard for you to give your loved one the services they need after they pass on. You can trust them in our hands, and you can trust us for advice on how to keep the rest of your family safe.

Different Cremation Services Funeral Homes Offer

When you work with funeral homes in West Seattle, WA on final services, the first decision you will make is whether you want a funeral or cremation service for your loved one. As you consider your options, it’s good to know that there are lots of different cremation services offered. These types of services are very flexible and can make it easier to plan since the timeline on the services goes away once the cremation is complete. Here are some of the main choices that funeral homes offer in relation to cremation services.

Full Cremation Services

These services feel a lot more traditional because they proceed with a visitation and funeral first, followed by cremation after those services are complete. Your family gets the closure they need through the visitation and they can have a traditional service with readings, music, poems, and so on. If some people in the family want a funeral while others want cremation, this is a nice way to reach a compromise. The funeral moves forward, and the cremation waits till after. Then, you can decide on the best final resting place.

Direct Cremation Services

Direct Cremation services take place a lot faster than full cremation services because they happen soon after death. All the family has to do is get the death certificate and sign cremation consent forms and the cremation can take place. But just because the body is cremated quickly, that doesn’t mean family members can’t have services later. In fact, the family can have any kind of service they want after the cremation happens. Most families like to have a memorial service, but there are many different types of services. The family can have a memorial that feels like a funeral, one that is a bit more light0hearted, or even a celebration of life. They can even have an ash scattering ceremony, either in addition to the other service, or on its own.

There are decisions to make about cremation once you decide that’s the direction you want to go. The majority of clients go with direct cremation and plan whatever kind of services they want afterwards, but that’s not the ideal option for everyone. You need to do what you feel is best for your family and the situation you are in. When you make a decision, the professionals will stand behind you and support the choices you have made.

If you want to learn more about the cremation options and the different services and resting places that could be chosen, funeral homes in West Seattle, WA are here to help. We understand that planning services for a loved one is tough and it’s even harder to get things right when you aren’t sure what they would have wanted. We’ll show you the options and give you the compassion you need to get through these tough times. Contact the professionals at Columbia Funeral Home & Crematory and we can walk you through any part of the process you need help with and then some.

Exploring The Cremation Service Option

Cremation services in Bellevue, WA are becoming more popular today than ever before, even though they have been utilized for thousands of years. Even so, that doesn’t mean you have ever had the chance to use them or plan such services before. When you are thinking about your own final services, or if you are planning services for a loved one and you want to explore the cremation service option, the professionals are there for you.

When you work with a funeral home and cremation provider, they are always happy to discuss whatever services you want to know about in great detail. Making decisions in any case is important and if you are seriously considering what is the best for your situation, you want all of the details. You might be curious about some parts of the process or, you just want to know what you feel about everything. You can’t get a true read on the whole thing until you have all of the details.

Once you know everything you want to know about cremation, then if you choose it, you won’t have doubts. You will know it’s what you want. You want to know how it works, how much it costs, what the options are around it and so on. While you can get many of the details from the funeral home and cremation provider, you might also want to talk to people who have had cremation done for family members before, or who have perhaps chosen it as their own pre-plans. You can ask them how they felt about how the process went and why they chose that way, if you feel comfortable enough with that person.

The funeral home can also show you different service availabilities and talk to you about the options that people have chosen in the past. Hearing about things you could do with cremation on your side could help you to decide whether or not it is right for you or your family member. There are lots of things that go into the process besides just the cremation and the low cost. Learning more about the options can help you in your thought process a great deal.

When you have to plan final services for a family member, or when you want to plan your own final services in advance for yourself, cremation services in Bellevue, WA are an honorable option. Once you make the decision for cremation, you can feel good about it when you know enough about it to make that choice. The funeral home is there to help you get the information you need so you can make informed decisions. You can make your choices with confidence in knowing all of the details and having all of your questions answered. If you want to look into cremation and have questions, the professionals at Columbia Funeral Home & Crematory are here to help you figure out what you might want to do. We can get you the answers you need to make the right choices.

Choosing The Right Pictures To Use At Funeral Homes

When you work with funeral homes in Bellevue, WA, you want your loved one remembered as they were. That means finding the right pictures for certain parts of the service. You might want a picture for the bulletin you put together that shows the order of events. You may want a picture in the obituary. And also pictures for a memorial display. How can you find the right shots of your loved one to show them in their prime? Here are a few tips to help you figure those things out.

Start By Deciding Between Old And New

While you will want a current picture for the obituary so people will recognize your loved one, you can decide between old or newer pictures for other areas of the service. What do you think your loved one would like? Do they want pictures of recent family vacations? Or would they prefer pictures of their wedding, them with their kids when they were little and so on. On a memorial table, you can even mix and match between the eras.

Browse The Options

Go through your photo albums, pictures your loved one has, and options that family members have available. That will help you to look at a variety of pictures and choose those that highlight your loved one’s personality the most. You want something that will allow you to showcase them in a happy manner and you will likely have plenty of photos from which to choose.

Set Aside Favorites

You might have favorites that you run across as you look. Set those aside as you can choose between them later, include them all in the memorial table, or make a scrapbook of your loved one for your own memorial. These are pictures that show your loved one’s personality and the way they lived their life.

Have Family Members Take A Look

If you can’t decide between certain photos for the bulletin, the obituary, or even the memorial table, you can have family members take a look and give their opinions and votes. That can help to involve more people into the process and it’s also a good way to take some of the pressure off of you to make all of the decisions.

The pictures you pick to use around funeral homes in Bellevue, WA are going to be important to the overall results of the services you have planned. It’s a wonderful way to honor your loved one, show what they were like during their lifetime, and enjoy the overall displays yourself. The professionals at Columbia Funeral Home & Crematory are here to help you figure out all of the details from start to finish, even the pictures. You can bring options to us and we will tell you what might fit in where. Of course, you will get to make the ultimate decisions as to what pictures you will use in any area. It’s going to make the whole service personal and customized.

Choosing Just The Right Cremation Urn

Once you choose a package for cremation services in Tukwila, WA, either for a loved one or for yourself in advance, you will know that everything you have to have for that kind of service is included in that package. The funeral home provides even a simple container for the ashes after the cremation is complete. But some families like to add things to those packages, including a cremation urn. The urn is the most common addition to a cremation service package. Here are a few things you will want to think about when you are buying an urn for yourself, or for someone who has passed on.

The Necessary Size

The first thing you will want to know is what size urn you will need, and the funeral home can help you with that. There are varied sizes and what you need depends on the height and weight of the person who will use the urn after they are cremated.

Your Budget Range

You might have a budge tin mind for the entire cremation service and after you choose a package that includes everything you have to have, you can use the leftover money for an urn and other items. Put together a reasonable budget for the urn’s purchase and then find something that suits your budget range.

Urn Functions

If you know what you want done with the ashes after cremation, you can use that information to figure out what kind of urn you want. For example, if you know the remains will be scattered, a scattering tube, an urn that makes scattering easier, or a less expensive urn might be in order. The urn will only be in use for a short amount of time. On the other hand, if a family member is keeping the urn, you want something nice-looking and long-lasting.

Look At Samples

Once you work out some of the basics and can rule out certain products or materials, you can then look at samples. If you haven’t bought an urn before, it’s nice to see them in person to get a take on different styles, customization options, materials, and so on. Something might stand out to you as the visual effect you want or, at the very least, you can make a more informed decision based on what you have seen up close.

The professionals who do the cremation services in Tukwila, WA can also help to match you with just the right urn for your purposes. Keep in mind that you do not have to purchase an urn from the funeral home you use. You can get an urn from anywhere and they will still use it. They can even direct you to good vendors if you have something specific in mind. But there are also benefits to working with Columbia Funeral Home & Crematory on your urn purchase, so you are able to keep things all in one place and as simple and easy as possible. Give us a call with any questions you have.

Funeral Home Advice For Grief Over The Holidays

Holidays are a special time of the year and they might include celebrations for birthdays, the 4th of July, Christmas, and everything in between that you enjoy with your family. Once you have buried a loved one through the services offered at funeral homes in Tukwila, WA, the holidays you once enjoyed may not feel the same any longer. No matter how hard you try to get things to where they feel normal, the grief is present.

You may have heard the saying that grief is the price you pay for love. And, in a way, it can be true. When you lose someone you love, grief is the normal reaction. You aren’t ever going to feel the same again, though you can feel better, a bit healed, and like you have a new sense of normal in your life as time goes by.

Whether your grief is fresh when a holiday hits, or it has been nearly a year since you lost that loved one, you are likely going to feel a new wave of sadness when the holiday season comes around. You will notice that your loved one isn’t there, as they normally are, and that will sting. But there are things you can do to help yourself get through those times as best you can.

One of the best things you can do is simply take note of how you are feeling and ensure that you let that guide you throughout any celebrations. It’s okay that you might want to be alone sometimes, but you might also want to create some new traditions and see some of your family around the holiday as well to get the support you need. Give yourself permission to say no to some things, but try and say yes to others so you aren’t complete secluded.

Another thing you can do is create new traditions in honor of your loved one. You might plant something special in your garden around their birthday and watch it flourish. Around Christmas, gather family and volunteer at a charity they appreciated. Whatever you feel is warranted can be something new to do to remember them and honor them, even though they are no longer with you.

It can be hard to get through any holiday that you are used to celebrating with your loved one. Their birthday, your anniversary, Christmas, New Years, and lots of other holidays are going to hurt once they are gone and not there to enjoy things as they once did by your side. But you have others who are there to support you and the professionals at the funeral homes in Tukwila, WA are also here to help you in every way possible with suggestions, grief resources, compassion, and support. Contact Columbia Funeral Home & Crematory when you need final services for a loved one, when you want to plan ahead for yourself, or even when you are struggling with your grief around holidays and needs some advice on how to forge ahead.

Consider Pre-Planning Cremation Services

If you are thinking about planning your own cremation services in West Seattle, WA, that is a good idea. When you think about what you want, you have two main options: you can leave the plans up to your family members or you can plan things yourself ahead of time. If you have decided that you would like cremation for your final service, there are benefits to planning that in advance. Here are a few to consider:

Get What You Want

Since you know you want cremation, it’s good to know that this final disposition method is what you would get for sure. The best way to ensure that is to have the plans in place. Make an appointment with a funeral director, get it all down in writing, and your family only has to call them to put your plans into action. You know what you will get your wishes met since the plans are in place and ready to roll whenever they are needed.

Family Doesn’t Have The Burden

Your death will be hard on your family members and the last thing they really need when you pass on is the burden of having to make plans on your behalf. It’s especially hard if they don’t know what you want and have to guess and wonder if they are doing the right thing. When you have plans in place already, it’s a nice final gift to your family. They know what you want, and they are able to give that to you without question. They don’t have to guess, and they don’t even have to make any plans at all.

Peace Of Mind

After pre-planning, many people feel like they have a sense of peace over the situation and what will happen in the future. They know things are set up and they can even be paid for, if that’s what you want. You know your family is covered and that you will also get what you need. That can help you forget about that part of the future and just enjoy your life, knowing all is well when the time comes.

The Option To Pay

After you have your plans laid out, you have the choice as to whether or not you want to pay for those plans ahead of time. While you don’t have to pay now, it brings even more benefits. You know your family doesn’t have to worry about the costs in the future and the costs today are much lower than they will be years down the road when you use the plans, so you save a lot of money, too.

There are lots of other benefits to planning your own cremation services in West Seattle, WA, and if you are ready to take that step and start looking into the choices you have to make, the professionals at Columbia Funeral Home & Crematory are here to help. Give us a call and we’ll set up a convenient time for you to come in and talk to us about the packages and options available.

Buying A Casket From The Funeral Home

When you are trying to give a loved one an honorable funeral and burial service, you will need a casket to accomplish your goals and meet their needs. When you work with funeral homes in West Seattle, WA, they are going to be able to give you everything you need for the process. There are final service packages that account for things like floral arrangements and even caskets. While you don’t have to buy the casket from the funeral home, it is the easiest way to go and brings you a lot of benefits as well. Here are some of the reasons why you might want to stick with the funeral home when it comes time to purchase the casket.

They Know Caskets Well

There are people who are experts in many different fields and those who work at funeral homes are experts in the products necessary to hold a funeral, including caskets. They know what size you need, and they know everything you want to know about the materials, different options, price points, and so on. You are creating something lasting for your loved one and it’s best to do so with people who know the ins and outs of this important product.

See The Caskets

While you can buy a casket from an online vendor and have it delivered, it’s to your benefit to actually see the caskets in person so you can ensure their quality is up to your standards. You can ask questions, get things customized, and actually see in person what everything will look like when it comes together. You want everything to be just right for your loved one and that can mean seeing things right before you to make sure it’s perfect.

Endure Less Stress

If you are planning a funeral for a loved one, your time is limited. You might feel pressured to get the right casket into place so your loved one has what they need. You don’t have to visit another, company, find a vendor, and investigate their experience and history. Instead, you can just work with the funeral home and make it more of a one stop shop so you don’t have as much stress as you would have if you had to go elsewhere.

When you work with funeral homes in West Seattle, WA, you should be able to get all of the products and services you need from them for the final services without going elsewhere. While you are certainly welcome to look around and get a casket and other items from other vendors and locations, it is often convenient to stick with the funeral home to get everything in one place. The professionals at Columbia Funeral Home & Crematory have what you need, and we will give you the support and compassion you need to have through this process as well. Give us a call and tell us about your family and your loved one and we’ll help you find the right path for everyone involved.

Call now: 1-206-722-1100