If you are planning a funeral service or memorial for a loved one, there are various factors you need to take into consideration to set up a well-planned event.
1. Venue
First, you need to consider where you want to hold the memorial or funeral service. If your loved one was part of a church, you might want to contact the church and hold the service there. Another standard option is to hold the service at the funeral home. Those are two of the most traditional choices, but they are not your only choice.
You can hold a memorial service just about anywhere a group can gather, from a park to someone's backyard to a banquet room at a local hotel or restaurant. The key is to have a place where everyone will feel comfortable gathering to pay respects to your loved one and can accommodate everyone who wants to attend.
2. Celebrant
Second, you need to decide who is going to conduct the ceremony. This person is officially known as the celebrant. You can have clergy or a member of your loved one's church conduct the ceremony.
Or you can have a certified celebrant who isn't associated with a religion. Still, you will work with you to get to know your loved ones and hold a ceremony that memorializes them in a personal manner. Or you can have a friend or family member be the leader of the service.
3. Flower and Donations
Third, it is common for people to want to give a donation or bring flowers after someone dies. Let people know if flowers are welcome, and work to display them throughout the venue where the memorial is being held. Afterward, you can arrange to have the flowers donated to a hospital or senior care facility.
Many people want to donate instead of giving flowers. If you need assistance with paying for the services, you can provide information about how or where to donate to assist with the costs. Or you can provide information about a charity or cause that people can donate to in your loved one's name that is meaningful to you.
4. Memorial Gift
Finally, it can be nice to give the people who attend the funeral or the memorial service a memorial gift. This is something that will remind everyone of your loved ones. For example, a recipe card of their favorite dish, or a picture of your loved one, or something else that relates to your loved one.
When planning a funeral or memorial service, you will want to consider where to hold it, who you want to conduct the ceremony, what you want to do with flowers and donations, and if you want to offer memorial gifts. Contact a local funeral service near you, such as Union Funeral Home-Lytwyn & Lytwyn, to learn more.
Share5 October 2021
Hi everyone, my name is Sari Blakenship. My first time visiting a funeral home was an extremely comforting experience. Although I was blindsided by the death of my loved one, the funeral director helped me through the planning process without taking advantage of my grief. I was allowed to work at my own pace to cope with the grief in a healthy way. I was never rushed or pressured, despite the necessary timeline. Whenever I couldn't move forward, the funeral director held my hand and offered words of comfort. I would like to share each step of the funeral planning process to help others through this difficult process. Planning a funeral takes a lot of thought and time during a particularly difficult period. Please visit whenever you need a hand.