How to decide whether to hold a funeral or memorial service

Death usually involves at least one ceremony -- and sometimes more. Community custom as well as the religious, cultural, and personal backgrounds of the deceased and survivors generally determine the tone of gatherings. Some possibilities include:

A funeral, which is the most common after-death ceremony. Funerals often have religious underpinnings and usually occur shortly before the body is buried or interred.
A memorial service, a more informal option than a funeral, is also common. For these ceremonies, survivors generally gather some time after the death to share their memories of the deceased. This might be a good choice if the deceased didn't have strong religious ties.
A wake or visitation, commonly held the night before a burial or interment.
A commitment service, sometimes restricted to immediate family, just before a body is buried.
A witnessing ceremony, at which cremated remains are scattered, buried, or interred.