Viewings can last for less than a day, or they can last for several days in a row. They occur after the deceased has been prepared by a mortician. A cremation urn may be present instead, if the deceased was cremated. The dress for viewings is generally formal, but choices like this vary from family to family. Be sure to speak with the family of the deceased, and spend some time remembering their life with the other people at the viewing.
A viewing also called a wake may be brief and take place immediately before the funeral service, or may last for up to three days before the service.
A visitation can take place any time, before or after the funeral service or disposition, and can last for hours or days. If you will be holding a viewing or visitation at a funeral home, the funeral home may charge you for use of the facility and room set-up.
Some funeral homes will charge by the day while others will charge by the hour. Mourners should dress the way that they would for a funeral. A visitation is a period of time in which friends and acquaintances are invited to meet with the family of the deceased and offer their condolences. Depending on the wishes of the family, the body may be present — although this is more common during viewings and wakes.
You should dress nicely, according to visitation etiquette but not necessarily as formally as you would for a funeral. A coffin may be present at a viewing or wake, and less commonly at a visitation. During a viewing , the body of the deceased is present, often in an open casket.
The deceased will have been embalmed and prepared by the funeral home, in most cases, and otherwise ready for the burial or cremation.
This is an opportunity to see the deceased one last time and say your quiet goodbyes. The viewing typically occurs right before a funeral so family and friends can be present.
A wake is often very similar to a viewing, and the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably. The main difference is often that a wake is more religious, and may include a prayer, scripture reading, or rosary said at the beginning and end.
A wake may also be more of a social event than a viewing, with a group gathering to honor the deceased before the funeral. A memorial service can be very similar to a funeral in many ways so memorial service etiquette is like funeral etiquette.
Treat the service with respect and solemnity. The service may be held at a funeral home, a church or other house of worship, virtually, or outdoors. There will typically be a set order of events, along with a eulogy, prayers or poem readings, and occasionally speeches. Visitation etiquette depends in part on where the service is taking place and how long it is set to run for. In many cases, the family will hold the visitation in their home, although they may set a specific time at the funeral home.
The standard protocol for a funeral visitation is to stop by, introduce yourself to the family if needed and pay your condolences, and then leave after a short period of time. How long you need to stay or should stay depends on several factors, such as how well you know the family, how busy they are, how much they seem to want company, and where the visitation is taking place.
You are not required to actually view the body at a funeral viewing. Many people are a bit uncomfortable with the idea of attending a viewing, but keep in mind that funeral viewing etiquette does not require you to actually look at or spend time with the deceased if you are not comfortable doing so.
You should be prepared for the deceased to be in the room with you, however, and for the possibility of an open casket, which is very common. In many cases, a viewing is not a religious service, so there may not be a formal prayer said or even any type of formal order of events. This is simply a time for you and others who knew the deceased and his or her family to stop by and say a last goodbye.
A viewing will often last for several hours and you should not feel obligated to show up at the beginning or stay for the entire time. Expect service to last between half an hour to one hour; longer for public figures, or if there are lengthy readings or speeches.
A clergy member or other officiant presides over the funeral service, and a printed program is generally provided to guests. Typical parts of a funeral include:. A memorial service, as opposed to a funeral, is conducted when there is no body present. In place of a casket, there may be an urn or pictures for mourners to pay respects to the deceased. This service may contain the same elements as a funeral, except for the casket procession. The Interment happens at the gravesite directly following the service.
A short service, typically minutes, is conducted by the officiant. Some families opt to host a post-funeral reception at their home or in a public space, while others disperse following the interment.
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