Articles and Advice

What Is Direct Cremation? [And Other Types of Cremation]

Properly honoring your loved one’s wishes after they leave this life can be stressful. Even if you know they wished to be cremated, there are still a lot of different ways to do that—how can you know which type of cremation they would’ve wanted?

In this article, we hope to help guide you towards a cremation that works best for you, your family, and your dearly departed. We’ll address some common combinations of cremation and funeral services, including what direct cremation is, how much different kinds of cremation will cost, and the benefits of each process.

What Is Direct Cremation?

Direct cremation is cremation without a formal funeral or funeral-like event—ceremonies, viewings, and visitations. Direct cremation occurs within 24 hours of a person’s passing and is the most affordable option for cremation.

The Difference between Direct Cremation and Cremation

The only difference between direct cremation and other types of cremation is the time frame—direct cremation happens as soon as legally and logistically possible after your loved one passes on. Meanwhile, other kinds of cremation can occur after some kind of service takes place.

Features of Direct Cremation

There are a few features and benefits unique to direct cremation. These features include:

• Simple, inexpensive containers. Direct cremation does not require families of the dearly departed to purchase expensive caskets. Instead, cremation centers will often provide cremation containers made from inexpensive materials, like wood or cardboard.
• No requirement to embalm or otherwise preserve the departed. According to California Law, a deceased person only needs to be embalmed or preserved by refrigeration if they are not cremated or buried within 24 hours of their death. Therefore, direct cremation does not require families to preserve their loved one, as it is within that time limit.
• More flexibility when arranging the memorial service. Some families will wish to have a traditional funeral or viewing before their loved one is cremated. This requires those families to schedule the service between the dearly departed’s death and their cremation, often a short amount of time. With direct cremation, you can schedule the memorial service whenever is convenient for everyone who would want to attend.

Can I Witness a Direct Cremation?

All California Cremation, along with other cremation services, allows the family to witness the cremation. The entire cremation process takes a few hours, but you shouldn’t feel obligated to stay for the entirety—you are free to leave whenever you feel it’s the right time.

Cost of Direct Cremation

Expect the cost of a direct cremation to be significantly lower than any other form of funeral or cremation service. You won’t have to spend any money on a casket or embalming—simply schedule a direct cremation and spend as much money as you want on the memorial service to properly honor your loved one.

At All California Cremation, our direct cremation services start at $895. This charge covers:

• Transfer of the departed from the place of passing to an All California Affiliate
• Preparation of the body for cremation
• Acquisition of the death certificate and other necessary permits
• Coordination with medical examiners
• Supervision and communication with the family and other responsible parties
• Payment for the cremation container
• Cremation of the departed

You may also choose to include a premium package, which allows you and friends and family of the departed to witness the cremation process.

How to Arrange a Direct Cremation

To begin direct cremation arrangements with All California Cremation, read our Advanced Cremation Planning resource. This will guide you through everything you need to gather, like necessary paperwork, to properly prepare for your loved one’s direct cremation.

Other Types of Cremation

While direct cremation is a fast and respectful way to handle your loved one’s remains, some prefer other types of cremation. These different cremation processes allow families to have services that may not be possible with direct cremation. With that in mind, here are a few other cremation processes you could consider.

Cremation with a Traditional Service

Cremation with a traditional service allows the family and friends of the departed to have a traditional funeral and viewing before the body is cremated. After the service, the body is taken to a cremation center, where it will be cremated and placed in an urn for the family.

Benefits of Cremation with a Traditional Service

• Allows for a traditional funeral service. Some people may desire a traditional funeral service with a casket and viewing even if they also wish to be cremated. Choosing cremation with a traditional service allows your family and loved ones to experience both.
• Can offer closure. Many people see funerals as an opportunity to express their feelings of grief when seeing the body of your loved one. Thus, having a traditional funeral may help more people find closure after your loved one’s passing.

Average Costs

Cremation with a traditional service is, by far, the most expensive cremation option. Funerals alone are costly, with the need to buy a casket and rent a car for transporting the casket. These costs will also cover payment for a venue and the embalming and dressing of the departed.

In total, this type of cremation can cost upwards of $6,000, which may be more than you’re willing to pay (or more than your loved one would want you to pay).

Cremation with a Memorial Service

This form of cremation allows the loved one’s friends and family to have a memorial service after the departed has already been cremated. In many cases, your loved one’s cremated remains don’t even need to be present for the memorial service.

Benefits of Cremation with a Memorial Service

• Cremation can be done at any time. Since the dearly departed’s remains don’t need to be present for the memorial service, they can be cremated at any time. You may choose to still use direct cremation and then plan the memorial service months later. Or, you may hold a memorial service while your loved one is being cremated.
• Still offers the opportunity to grieve and share memories. Memorial services allow friends and family to share their fondest memories of the dearly departed, which can be helpful for the grieving process of everyone in attendance.

Average Costs

Memorial services are significantly less expensive than a traditional funeral service. While you may still need to rent a venue, depending on how many people you plan on hosting, you won’t need to buy a casket. Whether or not you need to pay for embalming will depend on when the departed is cremated.

If you plan to rent a venue, you should expect to pay around $2,000 between the memorial service and the cremation.

Cremation with a Body Donation to Science

Donating your loved one’s body to science allows medical researchers, educators, and scientists to examine the human body and develop new life-saving practices, though a decision to donate usually comes from the departed rather than the family. Once the facility that studied your loved one’s remains is finished, the departed will then be cremated and returned to you. Most often, the departed has requested that their body be donated to science. 

Benefits of Cremation with a Body Donation to Science

• Advancement of scientific understanding. The primary benefit of donating your loved one’s body to science is so medical students and researchers can use it to improve their understanding of human physiology and biological processes.
• Free cremation. Since cremation is most often necessary for bodies that have been donated to science, the organization will likely cremate your loved one free of charge.

Average Costs

It doesn’t cost anything to donate your body to science. And as we mentioned previously, the cremation will be entirely free, meaning you can spend money on other memorial-related expenses if you wish.

What Should You Choose?

Now that you have a better understanding of which cremation options are available to you, which one is best for your loved one? That entirely depends on what you or they think is best. Think of how each option would help reflect on your loved one’s life, and pick the one that seems to work best.

If you decide on direct cremation or simply have more questions about the direct cremation process, contact All California Cremation. We’ll happily answer any questions and help you plan and prepare for your loved one’s cremation.