A standard funeral can be up to about 2 weeks after the date of death. If the body is cremated, the family can wait as long as they'd like, but most are done within a month at the latest. If the deceased is already buried or cremated, a memorial service can be held at any later date.
The answer to this is entirely dependent on you, your family and the wishes of the person who has passed. While there's no formal rules on how long you should wait before holding a funeral, the amount of time you have to make arrangements will depend on the type of service you want to hold.
Typically, funerals take place within one to two weeks after death, given all arrangements can be made within that time.
You can wait as long as it takes for you to make the necessary arrangements before you bury someone. With proper funeral care and the help of a good funeral director, you shouldn't have to wait any longer than a week to two weeks.
A funeral is typically held around one or two weeks after the death, though it may be longer if the funeral director only has certain days available or if there is an inquest into the death. You may wish for your loved one to be buried as soon as possible, depending on their religious beliefs.
Funeral Timing
When to hold the funeral is entirely up to you. Some people believe three days after death is the correct timing; however, in law there is no set time. Given the many matters to consider in arranging a modern funeral, it is not uncommon for a funeral to be held five to seven days after death.
Typically it takes one to two weeks to arrange a funeral. Getting the paperwork sorted, gathering family together in one place and making choices about the service are some of the things that affect the time it takes.
Instead of preparing the body with chemicals, morticians will store it in a fridge that keeps the body at two degrees Celsius. However, like embalming, it's important to remember that this merely slows the decomposition process – it doesn't stop it. A refrigerated body will last three to four weeks.
After four weeks the body has begun to liquefy, with everything breaking down. Nails and teeth fall out.
An open casket funeral typically has to take place within a few days or a week after the person's death. If the funeral is not going to take place for a longer period of time, then the body may not be able to be preserved well enough to host an open casket funeral.
Putrefaction (4-10 days after death) – Autolysis occurs and gases (odor) and discoloration starts. Black putrefaction (10-20 days after death) – exposed skin turns black, bloating collapses and fluids are released from the body.
A funeral service can be delayed for as long as you need to make the arrangements. Generally, between one and four weeks is enough time to plan and hold a funeral. Nonetheless, in some situations, a funeral may need to be delayed for longer (or postponed indefinitely).
This could be because friends and family members must return to the location of the funeral. Others may require or desire additional time to organise the funeral; planning a funeral is a lot of effort, and if the deceased did not leave behind any documents, it may be even more difficult.
Working with your funeral director, you will be able to choose a date to hold the funeral. Usually, the funeral will take place within a week of the death but depending on the crematorium or cemetery, you may have to wait for slightly longer.
How long can the body remain preserved? A body presents little threat to public health in the first day following the death. However, after 24 hours the body will need some level of embalming. A mortuary will be able to preserve the body for approximately a week.
3-5 days after death — the body starts to bloat and blood-containing foam leaks from the mouth and nose. 8-10 days after death — the body turns from green to red as the blood decomposes and the organs in the abdomen accumulate gas. Several weeks after death — nails and teeth fall out.
8-10 days postmortem: the body turns from green to red as blood decomposes and gases accumulate. 2+ weeks postmortem: teeth and nails fall out. 1+ month postmortem: the corpse begins to liquefy into a dark sludge.
At the point of death, muscles no longer work. It takes muscles to open and close eyes. When those muscles relax, a person's eyelids might pop open instead of staying closed.
Over time, coffins underground will decompose and eventually collapse. Covering the face before closing the casket adds an extra layer of protection and dignity for the deceased's face and can act as a symbolic final goodbye.
It is a common practice to cover the legs as there is swelling in the feet and shoes don't fit. As part of funeral care, the body is dressed and preserved, with the prime focus on the face. Post embalming, bodies are often placed without shoes; hence covering the legs is the way to offer a dignified funeral.
A Closed Casket Funeral Preserves Final Memories
Many people choose to have a closed casket in order to preserve their final memory of the deceased. Closed caskets are also better for anyone who passed away from an accident that caused changes to their appearance.
While some people find comfort in seeing their loved ones as they remember them, it may also be uncomfortable to others. If they have an open casket viewing, make sure you follow proper funeral etiquette: DON'T touch the body under any circumstances. Sometimes the casket has a glass to prevent this from happening.
Cremation of a body can be done with or without clothing. Typically, if there has been a traditional funeral (with the body) present, the deceased will be cremated in whatever clothing they were wearing.
So, do caskets lock? Almost all modern caskets are designed to lock. While some caskets use simple clasps, others use internal hexagonal locking mechanisms that require a key to open. Caskets are locked to protect the body during transportation, as well as against the natural elements.
Unless they have chosen to be seated beforehand, the family comes next, chief mourner(s) first, walking with whomever he or she chooses. Close friends may follow, completing the procession. The family and pallbearers occupy the front rows, with friends filling vacant places on either side.