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Burials Explained Step by Step and What to Expect

By: Claire Beutel • Subject Matter Expert Reviewed by: Marisa Akerman, MS, LMHCA • 4 cited sources • Updated Oct 14, 2024

Losing a loved one or planning your own end-of-life arrangements is deeply emotional and can feel overwhelming at times. By understanding each step of the burial process, you can find some comfort and clarity as you navigate this challenging time. This article is designed to offer supportive, step-by-step assistance, helping you navigate every stage with care and consideration.

Key Takeaways

• Contacting a funeral home or burial service provider is the first step in making burial arrangements.
• There are several burial types available to choose from including in-ground burials, above-ground burials, and natural burials.
• Caskets range in price, material, style, and color and there are many options to consider.
• Choosing the right burial plot will depend on family preferences, location, cost, and cemetery rules.
• Most burial services follow a similar format when honoring a loved one.

Understanding the Burial Process 

Whether you’re making burial arrangements for yourself or a deceased loved one, there are several steps to consider to ensure a meaningful farewell.  

Making Initial Burial Arrangements

The first step is to contact a funeral home or burial service provider that will conduct the proceedings to you or your departed’s wishes. If you prefer a burial service that will integrate religious or cultural practices (such as a church or synagogue), you should notify the facility to secure an officiate.

Funeral homes typically manage many essential details after a loved one passes away, providing invaluable support during a difficult time. They handle transportation, ensuring the deceased is brought from the place of death to the funeral home with care. They offer embalming or refrigeration services to preserve the body for viewing and burial. Funeral homes also take care of dressing and placing the body in a casket, managing necessary paperwork such as death certificates and burial permits, and assisting families in planning a meaningful funeral or memorial service according to their wishes^[1]​.

Choosing the Right Type of Burial 

While it is generally the most expensive type of burial, traditional in-ground burials remain a popular choice in the United States^[2]. If you’re considering alternative burial options there are above-ground burials, natural burials, and green burials that utilize eco-friendly practices. We’ve listed popular burial types below to help you decide the best choice for you.

• In-Ground Burials: This is when a deceased’s body is placed inside a casket and lowered six feet into the ground.
• Above-Ground Burials: If you live in a big city it may be difficult to find a cemetery that isn’t overly congested, making an above-ground burial more ideal. In this case, an individual’s casketed or cremated remains are placed in a crypt, mausoleum, or niche.
• Natural Burials: These burials are a great option for those concerned about the environmental impact of traditional burials. This type of burial does not use embalming fluids, which can be harmful to the environment. Designated natural burial grounds may include forests, meadows, or other natural settings.
• Green Burials: Similar to a natural burial, green burials follow safe environmental practices and often involve natural body composition within the soil.

Finding the Right Type of Casket to Honor Your Loved One

If you’re considering a traditional in-ground or above-ground burial, you’ll want to ponder the various types of caskets available. A burial casket ranges between $2,000 to $10,000 and the price can depend on factors like material, style, color, and added features^[3]. There are a plethora of caskets to choose from when honoring a loved one. We’ve listed some of the most common casket types below to help you decide what the best choice is for your needs.

• Wood Caskets: These caskets are often made from hardwoods like mahogany, oak, cherry, and maple. 
• Metal Caskets: Ranging from stainless steel to copper and bronze, these caskets are most known for their durability^[4].
• Green Caskets: An environmentally-friendly casket option made from sustainable materials such as wicker, pine, and bamboo.
• Rental Caskets: For those who are looking for a cost-effective alternative, rental caskets can be used for the viewing and funeral service. These caskets feature a removable inner liner. Once the service has come to an end, the liner is removed and the body is transferred for burial or cremation.

Choosing a Burial Plot as an Eternal Resting Place

When it comes to choosing a burial plot to lay your loved one to rest there are several things to consider such as cost, location, cemetery rules, and family preferences. Popular burial plot options include:

• Single-Depth Burial Plots: One of the most common burial plot options, these plots are designed for one person and are often marketed with a headstone.
• Double-Depth Burial Plots: Also called companion burial plots, these plots are intended for two people (often married couples).
• Family Burial Plots: This is a shared resting place for multiple family members and is often marked with a large family headstone.

Individuals with family burial plots have a place where they can visit several members at once, fostering a sense of unity and togetherness. In addition, they may have an understanding of what to expect upon their own death. This expectation can reduce anxiety and provide feelings of calm and comfort about dying. Family plots can serve as a physical representation of reuniting with loved ones after death.

Marisa Akerman, MS, LMHCA

If you or your family are looking for an alternative final resting place that offers enhanced protection compared to traditional burial plots, you may want to consider:

• Mausoleums: An above-ground entombment site that contains small rooms where the deceased’s caskets are stored. They can hold one or multiple caskets.
• Lawn Crypts: These are a mix between in-ground graves and mausoleums and are sheltered craves placed in a natural setting. They can memorialize one or several people as well. 
• Columbarium: Specifically for cremated remains, columbariums are made of niches designed to hold one or more cremation urns.

What to Expect on the Day of the Burial Service

The day of a burial is a deeply emotional and significant time for family and friends. It can be a day filled with sorrow, remembrance, and, sometimes, a sense of peace as you honor your loved one’s life. Below is an outline of what you can often expect the day of the burial:

1. Arrival at the Cemetery: When you arrive at the cemetery, you will likely be greeted by funeral home staff who will guide you through the process. They are there to support you and ensure that everything runs smoothly. The casket may already be in place, or it may arrive in a hearse followed by the family.
2. The Burial Service: The service typically begins with a gathering around the grave. A clergy member or celebrant often leads the ceremony, which may include readings, prayers, and eulogies. This is a time to reflect on the life of your loved one, sharing memories and expressing your grief. 
3. Lowering the Casket: This act symbolizes the finality of the farewell. Family members may be invited to place flowers, dirt, or other mementos on the casket. This can be a deeply personal and poignant moment, offering a chance for a final goodbye.
4. After the Service: After the burial, families often gather for a reception or a meal. This provides an opportunity to offer and receive comfort, share stories, and celebrate the life of the deceased in a more informal setting. It can be a time of healing and connection, helping everyone to begin the process of moving forward together.

After service gatherings provide a tremendous amount of support and connection for the bereaved. It is a space for shared grieving, which is shown to reduce feelings of loneliness, provide a space for emotional release and validation, and foster a deeper understanding of confusing feelings, all positive attributes for healing and growth.

Marisa Akerman, MS, LMHCA

Honoring Your Loved One with Compassion

The journey of planning and experiencing a burial is deeply personal and filled with emotional nuances. By understanding the steps involved, from making initial arrangements to choosing the right burial plot and casket, you can ensure that every decision made honors the memory of your loved one with dignity and respect.

Written by Claire Beutel

My name is Claire Beutel, and I bring over a decade of experience in digital marketing. I specialize in crafting and executing SEO strategies that deliver measurable organic results for businesses of all sizes. Beyond my technical expertise, I am deeply passionate about supporting mental health and wellness causes—a mission close to my heart shaped by my lifelong battle with depression. When Kevin approached me about creating a resource to help individuals navigate the overwhelming challenges of major life decisions, I immediately recognized it as a perfect opportunity. It was a chance to use my skills to truly make a difference in people's lives by providing guidance and support during some of their most difficult moments. I feel privileged to be involved in such a meaningful cause.

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Subject Matter Expert Marisa Akerman, MS, LMHCA

Marisa Akerman holds a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling from Purdue University, Fort Wayne. With over 10 years of experience in clinical settings, Marisa specializes in supporting clients dealing with anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, gender and sexual identity issues, and other mental health conditions.