Choosing a direct cremation is one of the most practical decisions a family can make. It removes a great deal of cost and complexity from an already difficult time. But the need to say goodbye does not go away. It just arrives differently — on your own terms, in your own time, in a place that means something.
This guide is for families who have chosen a direct cremation and are wondering what comes next. How do you mark the moment? What does a gathering look like when it is not tied to a crematorium slot? And what, if anything, do you need to print?
You are not alone in doing this
Direct cremation has grown rapidly in the UK — around one in five funerals now takes this form. What surprises many families is that the vast majority of people who choose a direct cremation still hold a separate gathering afterwards. According to SunLife’s 2024 Cost of Dying Report, nearly 90% of families held some kind of ceremony, wake, or memorial after the cremation itself.
That figure matters, because it tells us something true: people need to come together. The form of the gathering changes, but the need does not.
The freedom this gives you
Without a crematorium booking to build the day around, you can choose almost anything. Families gather in pubs and village halls, in gardens and on hillsides, at a favourite restaurant or a community centre that meant something to the person who has died. There is no fixed timeslot, no funeral director coordinating arrivals, no pressure to be somewhere at a particular hour.
Many families find this freedom feels right. The gathering becomes a celebration rather than a schedule — something that reflects how the person actually lived, rather than fitting itself around the practicalities of a chapel service.
You can also choose when. Some families gather within a week of the cremation. Others wait a month, or until a date that carries meaning — a birthday, an anniversary, a summer weekend when everyone can travel. There is no wrong answer.
What to print — and why it matters more than you might expect
A memorial gathering after a direct cremation often calls for something printed — not a formal order of service with a running order tied to the chapel, but something warmer: a memorial booklet that tells a story.
It might include a photograph on the cover and more inside. A favourite poem, a short piece about who the person was and what they loved. The music you will play. A word of welcome from whoever is leading the gathering. A page guests can keep.
Because the body is not present at the gathering, the printed piece often carries more weight than it might at a traditional funeral. It can be the primary record of the occasion — something passed around, read quietly, taken home and kept. Families tell us that a well-made memorial booklet is one of the things they are most glad they arranged.
A few practical things to know
You have time. Unlike a funeral where stationery needs to arrive the day before the service, a separate gathering gives you room to breathe. You can gather the right photographs, think about what to include, and work with a designer at a pace that feels manageable. A three-day turnaround is available if you need it, but there is usually no reason to rush.
Think keepsake, not schedule. A memorial booklet does not need a running order if there is not one. It needs to reflect the person. Your designer will help you work out what to include and how to structure it.
Order a few more than you think you need. At a relaxed gathering, booklets get picked up, read, shared and taken home. People who cannot attend often ask for one. It is better to have a handful spare than to run out.
The design can be anything. A memorial booklet is not a chapel order of service — it does not need to look like one. Our design gallery includes hundreds of options across a wide range of styles, and everything can be adapted to fit the person you are remembering.
We are here when you are ready
There is no deadline and no pressure. When you are ready to think about what you would like printed, we are here. You will speak directly to your own designer from the very first call — no forms, no automated systems, just a conversation about your loved one and what you would like to create together.
Call us free on 0800 612 6484, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5.30pm, or browse our designs whenever you are ready.
