What Is A Visitation?

When it comes to funeral services, there are many different services involved. There could be a traditional funeral or memorial service, burial, wake, and visitation. The visitation is a service where loved ones are able to pay their respects, sometimes with an open casket. Here are some things to know about the visitation service.

Is it the same thing as a viewing?

A visitation service is often confused with a viewing, but there is one main difference. With a viewing, the service always has an open casket. This may be before a funeral, before burial, or around the same time as the memorial service. It is a time when loved ones pay their respects and are able to view the body before burial. However, a visitation is different in that it might be open-casket or closed-casket.

What are the reasons to have a visitation?

The visitation, like other funeral services, is optional. It is up to the close family members and those planning the funeral whether or not they should have a visitation. If you are in charge of planning it, first check the person's will as they might have not wanted one and specifically stated as much. If there is no mention in their will, it is up to you. A good reason to have a visitation is that it gives loved ones a way to pay their respects in an intimate setting, rather than feeling forced to do so in front of the church during a burial service.

Where do you have the visitation?

The location of the visitation depends on your own personal preferences and sometimes depends on if you are having a burial service or memorial service. If you want to have more of a casual visitation with just a few close friends and family members, you can choose to have it in your own home. This provides a comfortable, intimate setting for the closest loved ones of the deceased. It makes the people attending feel more comfortable while going through the grieving process. If you are having a funeral service, you might want to choose the same funeral home for the visitation. You can still choose between an open or closed-casket service.

How do you set up a visitation?

While the visitation is not typically a full memorial service, it is still good to hold a nice service during the event. You can hang up pictures of the deceased and provide a guest book for people to sign. You can also create a scrapbook-style guestbook that has pictures of the deceased with each of the guests, allowing them to sign these pictures. If it is in someone's home, you can also set out snacks and beverages for the guests.

For more information and assistance in setting up a visitation, contact local funeral homes, such as Marine Park Funeral Home Inc.