Traditional Services
We believe strongly in helping families choose the right service options at an affordable price. Our traditional services offer families experiencing grief a choice on how they want to memorialize their loved one.
Funeral Services
Planning a funeral, whether it's your first time or not, can feel overwhelming with so many details to consider, from writing the obituary to selecting the flowers. At Bryan-Lee Funeral Home, we're here to support you every step of the way.
To help guide you through the process, we recommend reading our comprehensive funeral planning guide. If you have any questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
What is the Purpose of a Funeral Service?
A funeral not only pays tribute to a life, but also supports loved ones on their journey through grief. By incorporating personal touches, the service can capture the individual's unique story and provide a meaningful way for loved ones to honor their memory.
What Happens at a Funeral?
A typical funeral includes a visitation, service, burial or cremation, and a post-funeral reception, though these traditions can be tailored to fit your religious and personal beliefs, allowing for a truly unique experience.
During the visitation, you can pay your respects to the deceased, offer condolences to the family, view memorial displays or videos, and sign the funeral register book. The funeral service, usually held at a church, funeral home, or other significant location, may feature eulogies, scripture readings, prayers, and meaningful songs.
If burial is chosen, there may be a procession to the cemetery. Following the burial or cremation, loved ones often gather for a post-funeral reception to share a meal and reflect on cherished memories.
Funeral Service Types
"Funeral service" is a broad term that includes several different options:
- Traditional funeral service: This includes a visitation, ceremony, and either burial or cremation. While you can opt out of a visitation, we encourage having one to help family and friends process their grief.
- Celebration of life ceremony: Similar to a funeral, but with more flexibility and creativity, allowing for a less traditional approach to honoring your loved one.
- Graveside funeral service: This can be held in place of, or alongside, a traditional funeral or celebration of life ceremony.
- Direct burial or cremation: This involves no visitation or service, but we encourage having a service to honor your loved one and support loved ones in their grief journey.
Burial Services
For many decades, burial has been the most common choice for families when arranging final disposition. Traditionally, this involves embalming the deceased, placing them in a casket, and holding a viewing for loved ones. After the funeral service, the casket is buried, with a grave marker placed to allow family and friends to visit the gravesite in the future.
What is a burial?
Burial is a method of final disposition where the deceased is placed into the ground. Traditionally, this involves embalming and placing the body in a casket for burial. However, natural burials, where the body is not embalmed and may be buried as is or wrapped in a shroud, are becoming increasingly popular.
Burial can also occur after cremation, where ashes are buried, often with a grave marker or headstone. Some families choose to keep or scatter their loved one's ashes instead. Additionally, above-ground burial, or entombment, involves placing the casketed body in a mausoleum.
Why Choose Burial?
A burial service provides a meaningful way to give your loved one the proper ceremony they deserve. Witnessing the burial helps you honor their life, while also aiding in processing the loss and coping with your grief. Many choose burial based on religious or personal beliefs, finding comfort in these traditions.
Being in nature during this time can also provide solace. Studies show that spending time outdoors helps regulate serotonin levels, which can stabilize mood during the grieving process. Additionally, a gravesite offers a meaningful place for family and friends to visit, allowing you to feel close to your loved one and create traditions of leaving flowers, sharing memories, or simply reflecting.
Burial Service Types
Whether you prefer a traditional in-ground burial or above-ground entombment in a mausoleum, our funeral home's staff is here to help you plan a meaningful burial service.
Here are some burial service options to consider:
- Immediate burial: This option skips visitation or service, often chosen if your loved one requested no formal service. However, a funeral also helps family and friends begin their grief journey.
- Visitation: Held with an open or closed casket before the funeral or burial, this allows loved ones to pay respects and offer condolences to the family.
- Funeral service: Conducted at a funeral home, church, or another location, this includes prayers, readings, hymns, and a eulogy celebrating the deceased's life.
- Graveside service: Taking place at the cemetery, this service may be held in place of or in addition to a traditional funeral service.
- Celebration of life: A more personalized and celebratory option, often held at a unique location, this service can include a burial or take place after the funeral to continue honoring the loved one’s memory.
