Pros And Cons Of Having A Private Funeral Service For A Family Member

One of the funeral-related decisions that you'll need to make soon after the death of a loved one is the form that you want the funeral to take. While there are many specifics that you'll need to think about and discuss with your family members, one decision is whether to have a private funeral or an open funeral. The latter is advertised widely and anyone is welcome to attend, while the former is closed to everyone who isn't invited, and may not be advertised at all. This is a big decision to make, so it's something that you should discuss with those around you. Here are some pros and cons of a private funeral:

Pros:

You Control Who Attends

Sometimes, you won't want certain people attending the funeral. Perhaps there has been a rift in the extended family and you feel that the presence of certain individuals would be greatly upsetting to the immediate family members. In such cases, the immediate family members' stress will be greatly augmented because they know that they'll have to see people with whom they have issues. By having a private funeral, this burden is eliminated.

It's Ideal If You're Anxious About Speaking

Perhaps you wish to give the eulogy, but are anxious about speaking in front of a large group. A significant crowd may attend an open funeral, which could leave you in extreme distress when you look up from the podium and see the size of the room. When you have a private funeral, giving the eulogy may be much less daunting; for example, you might see it as simply speaking in front of family and close friends.

Cons:

People May Feel Excluded

A negative aspect to a private funeral is that some people who aren't invited may feel excluded. Put yourself in these peoples' shoes — it doesn't feel nice to think that you can't attend a funeral to grieve the loss of someone you know.

It May Be More Work

With an open funeral, you can simply include the funeral time, date, and location in the obituary, and not have to worry about these details otherwise. A private funeral takes a little more effort, as you'll need to decide who will be on the list of invitees. Sometimes, family members may have differing opinions over who should attend the private funeral, which can lead to some arguments that may be unpleasant at an already challenging time.

Contact a company like Thomas Funeral Chapels Inc for more information and assistance.