Graveside
Graveside
A graveside is a funeral ceremony held at the grave of a person who has died, usually immediately before the coffin or casket is lowered into the grave. It can be the entire funeral ceremony or can follow a longer service held somewhere else.
Any length and any style. A graveside can be as simple as a few words and a moment of silence or as elaborate as a full funeral ceremony. Families have considerable freedom in how they use the time, but cemetery owners will generally expect people to move on within about an hour. This allows cemetery staff to complete the burial, backfilling and other work associated with the grave, while also managing other services and cemetery activities.
The person is present. A graveside is a Funeral because the coffin or casket is present. The ceremony can include a eulogy, readings, music, prayers, tributes, rituals, participation by family and friends, or simply time together at the grave.
A graveside is not a direct interment. A Direct Interment is the burial of the coffin or casket without a funeral ceremony or attendance by mourners. A graveside, by contrast, involves people gathering at the grave for a funeral and requires the undertaker, funeral director or funeral service provider to be present to conduct and manage the funeral.
Why it costs more than a direct interment. When a graveside funeral takes place, the cemetery owner, such as a council or private cemetery operator, will generally hand responsibility for the area and the associated activity to the funeral service provider for the duration of the ceremony. Cemetery staff also need to be allocated to the burial and associated work. This is one reason a graveside costs more than a direct interment.
It can follow another service. A graveside does not have to be the only part of the funeral. For example, a family may have a service at a church, chapel or other location, followed by a shorter graveside ceremony where the coffin or casket is lowered into the grave.
A place for the final farewell. For many families, being present at the grave provides a physical and participatory ending to the funeral. The lowering of the coffin or casket, the final words and the act of leaving the graveside can provide a clear sense of completion.