Funerals are a sad part of life, but when done right, they are a great opportunity to memorialize a loved one. Funerals help us grieve the loss of a loved one, and many find comfort in the togetherness associated with funerals.
For whatever reason, trends show that people are moving away from traditional funerals and opting for more personalized experiences. This shift could be for several reasons. The cost of funerals is relatively high, and at times they can leave you feeling like the ceremony wasn't a proper remembrance of a loved one.
The thing is, a funeral can be whatever you want it to be. The goal of the ceremony is to find some comfort through closure. It doesn't need to look any one way, and no specific traditions must be followed.
With that being said, here are some unexpected ways to create a personalized service for the departed, you, and your loved ones.
Decor
One of the best ways to memorialize someone can be through funeral decor. Sitting down with your friends and family to brainstorm memorial service decor ideas could be a great place to start. For instance, if the person you are honoring loved flowers, you can make flower arrangements with some of their favorite ones. Or you can go a few steps further and make some of their favorite objects out of flowers. This is called a flower spray.
What are some things you can do with a flower spray? Well, if the person you are memorializing loved books, you could make a bunch of books out of peonies and lilies. If they loved road trips, make a tire out of petunias. Flowers are a great representation of healing. Seeing these representations will bring comfort to those at the service.
Other funeral decoration ideas involve the use of photos. Gather as many as you can to show off the passions of your lost loved one. Those who experienced these passions with them will take comfort in the memories, while others will be able to reminisce. Photo sprays are a powerful decoration because you can envision your loved one in some of the best moments of their life.
Outside or inside?
This will be an important question as you plan the memorial service. For example, if you plan to do a release ceremony (where you release lanterns or balloons), you will want to ensure you are outside. And if you are outside, you may need some outdoor memorial ideas.
The trick to an outdoor memorial service is flexibility. You never know what the weather will do, so you want to make sure you have a contingency plan, just in case. However, if the weather cooperates, you can do a whole host of things.
Maybe the person you are holding the ceremony for loved late nights and staring at the stars. You could hold a service at night in an area with little light pollution. With the help of a coordinator, you could still have a room decorated with their favorite things inside as well.
Or, if the person you are memorializing loved camping, you could hold the service in a big tent. If they were a hiker, maybe hike up to one of their favorite spots with a ceremony awaiting.
Having a ceremony outside can be the perfect way to memorialize someone as it is less stuffy and gives mourners room to move around if they find the situation too overwhelming. With proper planning, you can decorate just as much as you would with an indoor service.
Other ideas
There's so much room for creativity when it comes to a memorial service. From flower sprays to releases, it's hard to go wrong. Here are a few other quick ideas for your service:
- Tribute videos
- Having guests write down a memory in a book
- Personalized playlist
- Personalized casket or urn
A memorial should be a celebration of life, and with the proper planning and creativity, you and your loved ones can find some solace and peace. If you do end up traveling for your memorial service, transportation, funeral cortege will be a key detail to keep in mind. Here at Shields Professional Vehicles, we can get you set up with a processional. Contact us today.