Columbarium and Funeral Visit Etiquette
Visiting a columbarium or attending a wake can feel unfamiliar. This guide from Nirvana Memorial Garden Singapore covers what to wear, how to behave and what to say, so you can show respect with confidence.
When visiting a columbarium or a funeral wake, wear dark or muted colours, arrive on time, keep your voice low and your phone on silent, and offer simple words of comfort to the family, such as “I am sorry for your loss.”
What Is a Visitation?
People often mix up the terms visitation, viewing and wake. A visitation is a set time when friends and relatives visit the bereaved family to offer their condolences. It can take place at the family’s home or at a funeral parlour.
Funeral rites differ from faith to faith, but the need to grieve and say goodbye is shared by all, and the same basic courtesies apply everywhere.
How Your Visit Helps the Family
A visitation is often where healing begins. Hearing how much others admired their loved one comforts the family, and the stories and memories you share become something they keep for a lifetime.
Your presence also tells the family they are not alone, and helps them feel proud of the life their loved one lived.
Etiquette at a Glance
- Wear modest clothes in black or muted colours.
- Arrive on time for the visiting hours.
- Keep your voice low and your phone on silent.
- Offer short, sincere words of comfort.
Visiting a columbarium in the area? Read about the Choa Chu Kang columbarium, or see what to expect at a Christian funeral or a Buddhist funeral.
Plan your visit
Helpful Pages for Your Visit
Whether you are visiting a loved one or planning ahead, these pages can help.
Hosting a wake for a loved one? Our 24-hour team can arrange it for you.
Frequently Asked Etiquette Questions
Wear modest clothes in black or muted colours. Bright colours are best avoided, as they stand out at a time of mourning.
Speak softly, keep your phone on silent and move quietly, as other families may be paying their respects nearby.
Introduce yourself, and share a warm memory of their loved one if you have one. If you are unsure what to say, a simple “I am sorry for your loss” is enough.
Yes. Nirvana Memorial Garden is at 950 Old Choa Chu Kang Road. WhatsApp us at +65 9684 2263 to book a time with our team.
Plan Your Visit to Nirvana
Our team will welcome you and show you around. WhatsApp us to book a time.
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