Memorial cremation is the right path for families who want to gather and say goodbye together but choose cremation over burial. It costs less than a traditional funeral with burial (about half), gives families flexibility on venue and timing, and accommodates almost every religious tradition that permits cremation. Families who don’t plan to gather at all usually choose direct cremation instead — for cremation alone with no service, our dedicated direct-cremation service, Cremations of Dallas, is the simplest way to arrange it. Families who want a traditional viewing followed by burial usually choose a traditional funeral.
What’s included at $4,995
| Line item | Included |
|---|---|
| Everything in a direct cremation ($1,750): transfer, refrigeration, paperwork, cremation, basic urn, return of remains | Yes |
| Memorial service planning with a licensed funeral director | Yes |
| Use of our chapel or coordination at a venue of your choice (church, temple, masjid, graveside, home) | Yes |
| Order of service, printed program design, and memorial cards (up to 100) | Yes |
| Coordination with clergy, officiant, or celebrant | Yes |
| Audio and visual setup at our chapel (microphone, slideshow display) | Yes |
| Optional viewing with rental casket before cremation | Yes — rental casket included |
| Music selection, hymn books, and rehearsal coordination | Yes |
| Livestream of the service (private link to family) | Yes — on request, no charge |
| Coordination of VA military honors for eligible veterans | Yes — no markup |
| Floral arrangements, additional printed materials, honoraria, certificates, upgraded urn | Add-ons — billed at cost |
Every line item is itemized on the General Price List required by the FTC Funeral Rule (16 C.F.R. Part 453). Families pay only for what they choose; nothing is bundled into the package without disclosure.
How it works, step by step
Memorial cremation moves through four phases. Carlos Vargas, our Texas Licensed Funeral Director (TFSC #119648), supervises every arrangement personally.
1. Call any hour — we coordinate the transfer
Call (214) 550-7369 day or night. We coordinate transfer into our care from the place of death — a home, hospital, hospice, care facility, or anywhere in the DFW metroplex. Typical at-need response is 60–90 minutes from our Dallas operations center. While the 48-hour cremation wait runs, we begin planning the memorial service with the family.
2. Plan the service together
A planning conversation usually takes 30 to 60 minutes. We help the family decide on venue (our chapel or yours), date and time, officiant or clergy, music, scripture or readings, eulogies, and whether to include a viewing with rental casket before cremation. Families who want to livestream the service get a private link to share. We design the printed program and memorial cards in the family’s preferred style.
3. The memorial service
Services typically run 45 to 90 minutes. Our chapel seats 90 guests comfortably; for larger gatherings we coordinate at the family’s church, temple, masjid, gurdwara, or graveside. We handle setup, audio/visual, registry book, transport between venues, and any cultural or religious specifics (Catholic vigil and funeral mass coordination, Jewish service with the rabbi, Muslim janazah after a graveside ghusl, Hindu antyesti, African-American home-going traditions, bilingual Spanish/English service — we coordinate all of these).
4. The cremation and return of remains
The cremation itself follows Texas law’s 48-hour wait (Tex. H&S Code § 716.054) and is performed at a licensed Texas crematory. Chain-of-custody identification is verified at four separate stages: transfer, preparation, cremation, and return. Cremated remains are returned in a basic temporary urn; families may upgrade or use their own. The service can be held before the cremation (with a rental casket if desired) or after (with the urn present); either is a respected tradition.
The 48-hour wait, and timing the service around it
Texas Health & Safety Code § 716.054 requires a minimum 48-hour wait between the time of death and a cremation. For memorial cremation, this means families have two timing options:
- Service before cremation (most common). A viewing or visitation with the rental casket happens within the first few days, the memorial service is held immediately after, and the cremation follows. Total timeline: typically 5 to 10 days from passing.
- Service after cremation (also common). The cremation is performed once the 48-hour wait clears, the urn is returned to the family, and the memorial service is held later — sometimes weeks or months later, often to accommodate out-of-town family. The service is the same; only the urn replaces the casket at the front.
Either approach is defensible religiously and emotionally. We help families decide based on travel logistics, religious considerations, and personal preference.
Direct cremation vs. memorial cremation vs. traditional funeral
| Direct cremation | Memorial cremation | Traditional funeral | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Published price | $1,750 | $4,995 | $6,350 + cemetery |
| Memorial service | Family may hold privately later | Yes, planned with us; chapel or your venue | Yes, before burial |
| Viewing / visitation | No | Optional — rental casket included if desired | Yes |
| Casket required | No — rigid combustible container | Rental only if viewing | Yes (purchase or rental) |
| Burial / cemetery costs | No | No (unless interring the urn at a niche) | Yes — typically $3,000 to $8,000 in addition |
| Livestream | N/A | Yes, free on request | Yes, free on request |
| Timeline from passing | 7–10 business days | 5–14 days, or service later by request | 5–10 days |
| Best for families who want | Simplicity, low cost, flexibility | A service plus cremation pricing | Traditional viewing and burial |
The cremation step itself is identical across the cremation options — only the service around it differs.
Religious and cultural traditions we coordinate
Memorial cremation accommodates most Christian denominations (Catholic, Protestant, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, AME, non-denominational), Hindu and Sikh families (where cremation is the required rite), Buddhist families, Jain families, Reform Judaism, and bilingual or fully Spanish-language services. The Catholic Church permits cremation; we coordinate vigil rites and funeral masses with the Diocese of Dallas, the Diocese of Fort Worth, and individual parishes. For Islamic funerals (which prohibit cremation) and Orthodox Jewish funerals (same), the right path is a traditional burial, not memorial cremation.
Frequently asked questions
Can we have a viewing before the cremation?
Yes. The $4,995 memorial cremation price includes the rental casket for a viewing or visitation before the cremation, if the family wants one. Most families schedule a 1- to 2-hour visitation immediately before the memorial service, both held at our chapel. Some families schedule visitation at the funeral home and the service at a church.
Where can the service be held?
At our chapel, at the family’s church, temple, masjid, or gurdwara, at graveside, at a private venue (a community hall, a country club, a backyard), or any combination. We coordinate setup, transport, and timing across multiple venues at no upcharge as long as it’s within reasonable DFW driving distance.
How long should we plan the service?
Most memorial services run 45 minutes to 90 minutes. Catholic funeral masses run 60 to 90 minutes. Black Baptist home-goings often run 90 minutes to 2 hours. Jewish reform services run 30 to 60 minutes. We plan the order of service with you and rehearse with the officiant in advance.
Can the service be livestreamed?
Yes. We provide a private livestream link on request at no charge. Family members in other states or countries can watch in real time and the recording stays available for 30 days. This is particularly meaningful for families with significant international travel.
What’s the difference from direct cremation?
The cremation itself is identical. Memorial cremation adds the service around it: chapel use, planning, printed programs, viewing with rental casket if desired, audio/visual, and coordination with clergy. Direct cremation is the cremation alone, with no service planned by us; families who want to gather later on their own typically choose direct cremation and skip the $1,600 difference.
Can we hold the service after the cremation?
Yes. Many families hold a memorial weeks or months after the cremation — often to allow out-of-town relatives to travel. The service is the same; the urn replaces the casket at the front. Both approaches are religiously defensible in most traditions, including Catholic (a memorial mass after the cremation is permitted).
Do you provide the printed programs?
Yes. Up to 100 printed programs and memorial cards are included in the $4,995. We design the program in the family’s preferred style — traditional, modern, religious, or secular — using the photos and content the family provides. Larger quantities or premium paper stocks are available at cost.
What if our religious tradition prohibits cremation?
Islam and Orthodox Judaism prohibit cremation; some Eastern Orthodox Christian churches do as well. For families in those traditions, the right path is a traditional funeral with burial, not memorial cremation. We coordinate Islamic janazah, Orthodox Jewish funerals, and Orthodox Christian services with full traditional rites.
Is pre-need memorial cremation available?
Texas pre-need contracts are regulated by the Texas Department of Banking under Tex. Fin. Code Ch. 154 and require a separate state permit. Vargas-London’s pre-need permit application is in progress; until issued, we coordinate pre-need arrangements through a licensed third-party trustee. Pre-need plans can lock in today’s pricing and are held in a state-supervised trust.
Do you serve my ZIP code?
Yes if you’re in DFW. Same $4,995 price in every ZIP. See coverage for 75080 Richardson, 75024 Plano, 75033 Frisco, 75013 Allen, 75230 Dallas (Preston Hollow), 75248 Dallas (Far North) and every other DFW ZIP.
Bilingual care
Carlos Vargas and the Vargas-London staff conduct arrangements and lead bilingual services in English and Spanish. Hablamos español. Llame al (214) 550-7369 o lea esta página en español: cremación con servicio memorial en español.
Memorial cremation is for families who want the gathering and the goodbye, without the cost of a burial. $4,995 is the price we publish, the price we quote on the phone, and the price you pay. We will not pressure you toward a more expensive package, and we will help you decide between memorial cremation and a traditional funeral honestly if you’re weighing the two.