What is a Funeral Parlor?

Published: 04/02/2010 by Funeral Home Resource Team

A funeral parlor is another term for a funeral home. The funeral parlor provides burial and funeral services for the deceased and their families. Funeral parlor services can include memorial services, chapels, funeral wakes and other related funeral services.




Funeral parlors arrange funeral services collaboratively with the family, who often request specific religious or cultural traditions. Funeral parlors will usually manage the paperwork for the deceased and their family including paperwork, permits, insurance arrangements, cemetery arrangements, and obituaries.




Funeral Parlors can arrange all of your funeral needs. Some of the following arrangements can include:




• A traditional funeral service arranged by a funeral parlor consists of a viewing (sometimes referred to as a visitation)


• A funeral service at the church of the deceased (or at the funeral home chapel)


• A graveside committal service




Funeral Parlors can also arrange direct cremations which consist of the funeral home receiving the remains of the deceased, filing the necessary paperwork, and completing the cremation process. Direct/immediate burial is when the family of the deceased forgoes a funeral ceremony and solely wishes their loved one to be buried in a timely manner.

When the deceased is brought to the funeral parlor, they are sometimes embalmed to delay decomposition. Funeral Parlors will often use makeup to make a person look more lifelike, especially if there is a viewing.

The funeral parlor often sets aside large areas for families to gather at a visitation. This area may contain a space to display the deceased in their casket for visitors to pay their respects. Funeral services and memorial services may also take place at the funeral parlor.