A funeral service typically takes place with the body of the departed present, whereas a memorial service takes place without the actual body present.
A funeral service can refer to a traditional graveside burial service, or it can refer to a funeral service conducted in a chapel when a cremation is later performed. A funeral service most often is conducted within a week of the death occurring.
A memorial service generally takes place some time after the death and disposition has occurred. It is usually a service specifically to memorialise the life of the deceased. If a cremation has been performed, often a memorial service is conducted to inter or scatter the cremated remains, at the same time as the celebration of the deceased’s life.
How you decide to memorialise your loved one should be an entirely personal choice, and observing the wishes of the deceased. We often hear the quote that “funerals are for the living”, which of course they are. But too often family are swayed into a funeral service that can become overwhelming, driven by our social concerns with what other people will think.