Direct Cremation in Wellington
A direct cremation is a cremation without a funeral service
No chapel, no gathering, no order of service. Everything else is the same as any other cremation we arrange.
Families choose it for all sorts of reasons. Some have already said what they wanted to say. Some are spread across the country and would rather gather properly later. Some never wanted a formal service in the first place, and neither did the person who died.
We will explain how direct cremation differs from a dignified cremation, including the opportunity for family to spend time together and say goodbye at our chapel.
Call us on (04) 385 0745, any time, and we’ll talk it through.
Two options for cremation
| Direct Cremation | Dignified Cremation | |
|---|---|---|
| Service | No funeral service. A private, unattended cremation. | No funeral service. Time together at our Willis Street chapel before the cremation. |
| Saying goodbye | Usually where they are now, before our team arrives to bring them into our care. | In a quiet chapel space, in your own time, with the people you choose. |
| Casket | A basic cremation casket. | A pine casket. |
| Ashes | Back to you sooner, because there’s nothing to schedule around. | A couple of days after the cremation. |
What is included in a memorial service
A memorial service can be useful when:
- The cremation or burial has already happened
- Family need time to travel to Wellington
- The person who died wanted something less formal
- You want to gather at a later date, with more time to plan
- The farewell is being held somewhere personal, rather than at the graveside or crematorium
There is no single right shape for it. We will help you decide what matters, and what can stay as simple as you’d prefer.
Where it can be held
You can hold a memorial service in one of our chapels, at a church, at a marae, in a hall, at a club, at home, or somewhere else that meant something to your family.
We will help you think through the size of the gathering, access, parking, catering and whether people need to join by livestream.
We can help you plan it
Whether the service is soon or months away, we will help you work out what needs deciding and what can wait.
