Pre-planning your own funeral or cremation service is very helpful for your nearest and dearest loved ones. Since people are typically saddled with having to make important memorial service decisions at a time when they are in their deepest grief, you can take a huge weight off the shoulders of those who are closest to you by making those choices for yourself. While most people choose to pre-plan their burial or cremation to assist their loved ones, there are also some very selfish benefits of taking on this task. Here are some of the reasons to pre-plan your own memorial service.

Reason #1: You Can Ensure That the Guest List Meets with Your Approval

When your loved ones choose who to contact and invite to your funeral or cremation service, they may not realize how important certain people were to you. When you plan your own memorial service, you are in control of adding anyone's name to the list.

Reason #2: You Get the Final Say in What Is Stated in Your Obituary

As part of planning your memorial service, you can also draft a rough outline of your obituary, or you can work on it until you have nearly everything you want to say in it. Since you cannot predict your own date or time of death, they may need to update it, but you will get the final say in how you are presented in it. You can also choose to omit certain things you don't want remembered.

Reason #3: You Can Make Sure You Are Cremated or Buried

If cremation is very important to you, pre-planning your cremation service is crucial. It can help your loved ones know that you were very serious about your desire to be cremated instead of buried. On the other hand, if you want to avoid cremation, you can also specify how you want to be buried, too. 

Reason #4: You Can Select Where You Want Your Ashes Scattered or Interred

As part of the pre-planning process, you may also choose an exact location for the cremation service and where you subsequently want your ashes to be. With cremation, you have a lot of freedom. You may even opt to leave your ashes with a certain loved one. Alternately, you can also choose where you want to be buried.

Reason #5: You Can Choose the Music That's Played at the Service

Sometimes the music that is played at a funeral or cremation service can seem like it does not represent the person it is intended to honor. Your loved ones may be influenced by how they want to run the show, rather than keeping your intentions and preferences in mind. By choosing your own music, you know the tunes that the guests will hear as they say good-bye to you.

Finally, keep in mind that planning a memorial service doesn't have to take a lot of effort. It is just a matter of taking the time to think about what you really want and making choices that best reflect how you want to be remembered. You can speak to the manager or director of the funeral home for assistance in planning your own memorial service.