Funeral homes are finding new life hosting weddings and golf outings, as the traditional burial business dies out

By Jessica Hall

'It's not my funeral - it's yours - so make it what you want,' one funeral-home operator says

The number of traditional burials is expected to decline in coming years.

Jimmy Olson, owner and funeral director of Olson Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Sheboygan, Wis., has seen his business change drastically in the past two decades. Once based largely on selling caskets and burial vaults, it has shifted to focus on cremations; celebrations of life; and "green," environmentally friendly funerals, as families have become more price-sensitive and eager to choose more personalized services beyond traditional burials.

When Olson bought his funeral home 25 years ago, it had two chapels. He has since converted one into a dining hall for celebrations of life and memorial events. He also provides catering options and has an in-house florist. Additionally, the funeral home opens its event space to the community and has hosted three weddings, as well as meetings for nonprofits and other community groups.

"You don't have to just go to a funeral home for a funeral," Olson said.

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One big driver of this shift has been the switch from burials to cremation: 85% of Olson's business consists of cremations this year, well above the national average of about 64%.

"Funeral homes once counted on selling caskets and vaults. Now we can't count on that," Olson said. "We have to monetize our services and ask what we can do to provide choices and help and options for people."

The shift toward cremation has been driven by changing consumer preferences, weakening religious prohibitions, cost considerations and environmental concerns, according to the National Funeral Directors Association. Also, as American families become more geographically dispersed, the traditional practice of visiting a loved one's burial site may be less practical and, in some cases, less relevant. This change has forced funeral homes to reinvent themselves as more service-focused businesses.

"Cremation rates have been increasing for years," Olson noted. "That has required subtle changes to a more service-oriented business model. This isn't happening all at once - it's been happening slowly."

'I had no preconceived notions of what a burial should be. And that's helped.'Jimmy Olson, Olson Funeral Home & Cremation Services

Due to financial strain, more clients are choosing less expensive options and shopping online for the best prices, Olson said. His clientele in Wisconsin consists of "working families" and "mid-American families in the Midwest" - many of whom work in manufacturing jobs - rather than an affluent community, he said.

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Making it personal

"They are choosing less because of prices," Olson said of his clientele. "Our job is to give them tools to make choices. If they want a celebration of life at a park, we can help make that happen. If someone was a golfer, maybe we organize a golf outing and raise funds for their favorite charity. We encourage families to make it personal.

"If they want an Irish wake with shots of whiskey, then we'll hire a caterer with a liquor license," he added. "I always say that it's not my funeral - it's yours - so make it what you want. Our job is to be the Batman of superheroes - we have a great utility belt that is our superpower - and we help you think outside the box and get things done for people."

Olson began his career as a music teacher before becoming a funeral director and funeral-home owner. "I had no preconceived notions of what a burial should be," he said. "And that's helped."

There were about 19,000 funeral homes operating nationwide as of 2025, according to the NFDA, the funeral-directors trade organization. Revenue for the U.S. funeral industry was about $20.8 billion in 2025, up from roughly $19.5 billion in 2024, with annual growth of 2% to 3% expected through 2030.

The future growth of the funeral industry is being driven in part by the expected rise in the death rate as larger generations, like the baby boomers, continue to age. Total U.S. deaths are projected to rise from about 3.1 million in 2024 to 3.9 million in 2045, a 26% increase, the NFDA said.

Despite that increased death rate, the number of traditional burials is expected to decline from about 1.03 million in 2024 to 912,252 in 2026, and then drop further to 746,714 in 2035 and 593,750 by 2045. Meanwhile, cremations are projected to increase from about 1.95 million in 2024 to 2.53 million in 2035, and then to 3.10 million by 2045, according to the NFDA.

The continued shift toward cremation is putting pressure on some traditional sources of funeral-home revenue.

The national cremation rate surpassed the casketed-burial rate for the first time in U.S. history in 2015. By 2026, cremations are projected to reach about 2 million - more than twice the estimated 912,000 burials - representing a cremation rate of 64.3%, per the NFDA. This shift toward cremation is expected to keep climbing, with cremation projected to account for 79.3% of U.S. final dispositions by 2045, the NFDA said.

The national average cost of a direct cremation is $1,924, or about 62% less than the cost of a traditional burial, according to Funeralocity.com, a website for families planning a loved one's funeral or cremation.

Across the industry, funeral-planning services remain the largest source of revenue, accounting for 33.2% of sales - followed by merchandise at 20.2%, body preparation and interment at 15.5%, cremation services at 11.3%, and transportation at 5.1%. The remaining 14.7% comes from preneed contracts, customized services, food and hospitality offerings, and other services, according to the NFDA.

Cremation services doubled as a share of industry revenue from 5.6% in 2024 to 11.3% in 2025, reflecting a marked shift toward cremation by consumers, the NFDA said.

"Our families have more options than at any time in history," said Allyse Worland, a licensed funeral director and an NFDA spokesperson. "It's a reshaping of how we do things. It's not about a casket, burials, embalmings. It's now about service itself."

About 77% of consumers indicated they would want some type of service of remembrance following a cremation, underscoring the continued importance of memorializing or honoring a loved one - even though the final-disposition method may change.

'Making choices puts [the families of the deceased] back in control at a time when they might be feeling out of control.'Allyse Worland, National Funeral Directors Association

"Religious trends have changed so much. People aren't as religious as they once were," Olson said. "Having friends and family telling stories, looking at photos together, is more meaningful for many than having a formal service with a minister that never even knew the person. So we have a celebration gathering instead.

"Encouraging families to do the choosing gives them control," he added. "Making choices puts them back in control at a time when they might be feeling out of control."

The COVID-19 pandemic also altered the funeral industry, Olson noted, since in-person gatherings couldn't take place. There was a surge in demand during the pandemic for actual burial services due to the high death rate, but demand for gatherings and traditional funerals changed.

"That taught people that they don't necessarily need a funeral. There are other ways to celebrate a loved one," Olson said.

Livestreaming, virtual arrangements, digital memorials and online planning tools have grown increasingly common as well, while interest in "green burials" - such as natural cemeteries and other options with a reduced environmental impact - continues to grow, according to the NFDA.

"Funeral services have always been miraculously adaptable," Worland said. "We have always adapted to the means and changes of the families we serve."

-Jessica Hall

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11-08-26 1224ET