Why Choose Direct Cremation Services?

From body transportation and paperwork help to planning and executing the actual funeral, traditional funeral homes offer a wide range of services. However, funeral homes usually charge a premium for those services, and they’re not always 100% necessary. This is especially true if you’re choosing cremation services in Laplace, LA, like direct cremation. What is direct cremation, and why would you choose it?

In a direct cremation, the body is brought directly from the place of death to the crematory and cremated without embalming, makeup application, or hair care. The ashes are placed in an urn provided by the next of kin, or in a simple container furnished by the crematory. The body is usually cremated almost directly after arrival, unless there are delays or issues with the death certificate and cremation permit. Direct cremation is human remains disposition by cremation without a prior ceremony, visitation, or viewing. Meaning, the body is cremated directly after death and before any memorial or funeral service, so the body is not present at any such service. While traditional cremation, a service offered by funeral homes and cremation services, involves embalming the body for viewing during a memorial, funeral or visitation before the cremation. Direct cremation is another route you can go when you’re planning for your eventual death or dealing with the recent death of a loved one.

Direct cremation offers a smaller service range than a funeral home, but they can also be cheaper, greener, and more flexible. That’s why they are becoming more and more popular over funeral home cremations and services. Direct cremations offer benefits like:

1. Flexibility – Direct cremations usually do have a service or memorial but only after the cremation. Since its later, the scheduling, planning and execution have a lot more flexibility. Family and friends can take more time to make the memorial special and personalized or have out of town guests make it in time.
2. Pro-Environment – Direct cremations are better for the environment because they do not involve embalming. Embalmed bodies release harmful toxins into the air and ground when they are cremated or buried. Direct cremations also use fewer funeral products in general, and therefore create less waste.
3. Cost – Direct cremations are much more cost effective than traditional funerals, cremations, or burials. Cremations in general save money on vaults, burial plots, transportation and other such costs, and direct cremations also save money on embalming and the cremation casket as standard cremations require nice caskets and embalming for viewing.

Millet Guidry Funeral Home is here to help if you want to learn more about direct cremations or Laplace, LA cremation services. You can visit us at or give us a call for more information on how we can help you choose what’s best for you in your time of loss. After all, it’s important to keep in mind that choosing between direct cremation, funeral home cremation or funeral services is a personal. If you want to take the more traditional route because it feels better or more comfortable, you should.