Funerals and memorial services can be touchy in our society; these melancholic topics rarely come up during afternoon tea or family gatherings. As a result, friends and family sometimes have to plan ceremonies without clear directions or wishes. With the advent of once-in-a-lifetime celebrations, traditional funerals have evolved into more personalized end-of-life commemorations.

Regarding time, consider guest availability, time of year, and finances.

You have time to get family and friends to help you. Some families hold a small service immediately after death and then plan a larger event for guests from other cities. Once you know how you want to build the event, look at the location.

Consider choosing a location as an opportunity to reflect your loved one’s desires and personality. Memorial services can take place at funeral homes, parks, homes or gardens, college campuses, places of worship, the beach, and even restaurants or event venues; the options are endless. Knowing if your loved one prefers a secular or religious ceremony can help determine the location.

Most religions accept a cremation as an option for dying, but it’s always a good idea to check it out. Consider who will be reading or eulogizing. Once you have received the contents of the ceremony, let the order settle. You can even print service bulletins or make photo slideshows. Consider what equipment you will need.

Music is a powerful element of the ceremony. It’s hard enough to endure the pain in the shoulders – adding to all this chaos of coordinating events can certainly lead to overload. Make sure you have cremation funeral plans. More importantly, be sure to delegate these tasks and accept help.

The altar is often displayed at the service to attract the guests’ attention. Family and friends will add photos, flowers, keepsakes, trinkets, and anything else that honors the departed. It is here that, in most cases, there is a decorative urn for cremation. Funeral homes rent coffins for this tradition if you want to display the body in a traditional open box before cremation.

Cremation offers variety in the process of memorialization: there are many options for dispelling or storing the ashes. A grandfather who spent his summers fishing or taking his grandchildren on a ski boat can find eternal peace on the lake. The garden is a serene and symbolic resting place where the ashes will forever enrich the soil and become part of the annual flowers.

Many families take pieces of their loved ones, scattering them on new adventures. Partial urns are smaller urns that easily carry portions of the ash or hold the remainder once the dispersion is completed.

Summary

While planning a cremation ceremony may seem daunting, it is also an opportunity to focus your energy and pain on a constructive and creative task.