1) one-night visitation with open or closed casket and funeral the next day
This type of service is still the most common today. The body is embalmed, dressed, cosmetized, and placed in a casket for one night of visitation. Visitation is a time when
family and friends of the deceased gather to offer condolences and visit. Usually, a
family will have visitation from 3:00-8:00 p.m.

The next morning, the family gathers at the funeral home or church for the funeral
services. Typically, there are prayers then people are offered a chance to pay their
last respects. From this point, the casket is closed in private and six pallbearers
escort the remains into the funeral coach or hearse. The hearse takes the funeral
procession to the church where an appropriate funeral service is held for the
deceased. A eulogy of some sort is often given. If the funeral ceremony is not held
in a church or other facility, the service is conducted at the mortuary.

After the funeral service, the remains are again placed in the funeral coach and the
procession proceeds to the cemetery. Typically, a member of the clergy and the
pallbearers escort the casketed remains to the grave. At the graveside or cemetery
chapel, a "graveside" service is held and the people disperse at their own pace.

2) one-day funeral service with visitation beforehand
For a traditional same-day funeral service, the entire funeralization process is taken
care of in one morning. The body is embalmed, dressed, cosmetized, and placed
in a casket for a morning visitation. Visitation is a time when family and friends of
the deceased gather to offer condolences and visit. For this type of service, a
family will usually have visitation from one to several hours before the time of the
funeral service.

After the visitation, people are offered a chance to pay their last respects to the
deceased. From that point, the casket is closed in private and six pallbearers escort
the remains into the funeral coach or hearse. The hearse takes the funeral procession
to the church where an appropriate funeral service is held for the deceased.
A eulogy of some sort is often given. If the funeral ceremony is not held in a church
or other facility, the service is conducted at the mortuary.

After the funeral service, the procession terminates at the church if the remains
are going to be cremated. If the remains are going to be buried, they are again
placed in the hearse and the procession proceeds to the cemetery. Typically,
a member of the clergy and the pallbearers escort the casketed remains to the grave.
At the graveside or cemetery chapel, a "graveside" service is held and the people
attending disperse at their own pace.

3) traditional funeral ending with cremation
This service option incorporates all the aspects of a traditional funeral ending with
burial except that cremation is chosen as final disposition. There can still be an
open casket visitation and funeral service of your choosing. When the services
are completed, the remains are directed to a crematorium instead of a grave
for burial. The option always remains, however, to have the cremains buried at
a later time.