Planning a Cremation Service

Planning a Cremation Service in Brick & Wall, NJ

With more and more families choosing cremation as their preferred method of disposition, many area residents have expressed an interest in learning more about the process. At O’Brien Funeral Home, we are proud to serve our community and offer affordable cremation services in Brick and Wall. To help you better understand cremation and how to plan a cremation service, we have dedicated this section of our website to providing information about cremation and the planning process.
Throughout each step of planning a cremation service, our staff will be here to assist and support you. We understand that the loss of a loved one is never easy and strive to provide families with complete care. We make sure to account for every detail while making the planning process as easy and stress-free as possible. In doing so, we can help you plan a meaningful service that provides your loved one with a dignified goodbye and helps you with the grieving process.

To help get you started with planning a cremation service, please review the information we have provided below. Not only will it further educate you about the cremation process, but it also offers a helpful step by step checklist to follow from initial consideration to after you have decided upon cremation.

If you have any questions about the information we have provided, please do not hesitate to contact us.

The Decision to Begin Planning


What are some factors that you will have to consider when deciding on cremation?


All of them are deeply personal and significant: there are your spiritual/religious beliefs, your level of environmental consciousness, financial considerations, and the expectations of your immediate family and your wider social group.


The first 5 steps to planning a cremation ceremony actually happen before the decision to cremate happens and are about learning and understanding what options are available to you to make the most informed decision. There are 5 final steps once the decision has been made to continue with cremation. These steps surround preparing the arrangements and ensuring everything that you wish is recognized and present. 

Cremation Planning Checklist

To help you through the cremation process, we have provided you with a cremation planning guide below.

Before the Decision to Cremate is Made

  1. Learn about your cremation options. Review the cremation information found on our website. 
  2. Engage your family in a discussion. We urge you to bring your family into the conversation to get a better idea about how they feel about cremation and what they would prefer.
  3. Speak with a funeral professional. If there are any questions or concerns, please turn to us for the insights you may need at this point.
  4. Document your cremation intentions in writing. There are a number of forms we can provide to take this step. Call us to learn more.
  5. Arrange for the transportation of your loved one's physical remains. We can escort them to our facility or directly to the crematory.

Once Cremation is Chosen

  1. Consider what kind of ceremony you would like to have. You can plan for a traditional funeral followed by the cremation or delay the ceremony until you have the time to plan a memorial service, celebration-of-life, or scattering ceremony.
  2. Ask for assistance from your family and friends. When making plans for a meaningful event, encourage everyone to get involved. Ask them to gather family photos, write down the stories they'd like to share, and talk to them about the best location for the event. If you would like a eulogy, this is the time to ask someone special to take on that task.
  3. Select the music, prayers, or other readings. You don't have to have any of these things but you should decide exactly what you and your guests will do at this event. There are endless possibilities.
  4. Contact guests well ahead of time. This is especially important if they will need to travel or request time off from work.
  5. Decide what will be done with the cremated remains. Commonly the urn is a visual focal point of a celebration-of-life. Will you then take it home? Will the scattering of ashes be a part of the event? You may want to purchase keepsake urns for family members.


Call On Us

We've had years of experience helping other families make cremation service arrangements. Never hesitate to pick up the phone to call us. We would be privileged to serve you and your family. Simply call to speak with one of our funeral professionals.
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