Eminent Scottish poet Thomas Campbell said, “To live in the hearts we leave behind is not to die.” Each of us is remarkably unique and has an extraordinary tale to tell about our lives. When we face the sad demise of our loved ones, we hold special ceremonies to honor their memories. A celebration of life or memorial service offers a heartfelt closure to our loved ones. A meaningful celebration of life program can offer powerful healing and a chance to cherish fond memories of our dear ones.
Families are shying away from traditional funerals as an ‘end-of-life’ celebration with the increasing practice of cremation. Families choose personalized and simple memorial service ideas to celebrate the legacy their late loved ones left behind.
How to Plan a Meaningful Memorial Service?
Acknowledging our dear ones’ unique personalities and qualities is indeed a meaningful way to commemorate their lives and also plays a significant role in how to conduct a memorial service. It has a lot to do with our deceased loved one’s persona. It may be someone with a joyful spirit who did not want a sorrowful event on their honoring day. It may be someone who had a strong affection for nature and would have liked to mourn his absence by planting a sapling instead of having eyes full of tears.
A Memorial service is an alternate term for a traditional ‘funeral.’ Both of the events honor the deceased. Traditional funerals can often feel incredibly heavy and gloomy. If this doesn’t accurately reflect how your beloved one spent their life, perhaps a celebration of life would be a better way to memorialize them. You can decide to concentrate on the happiness your loved one brought to everyone else in their lifetime.
A celebration of life program allows friends and family to bid farewell to their beloved ones. They offer a unique chance to build something genuinely remarkable as a manner to mourn someone who has passed away. They can be as grandiose or as modest as you like. There are no preset rules or instructions for it. It all comes down to the personal preference of bereaved family members or the deceased person’s last will.
Often the deceased’s body is absent in the event of the memorial celebration, and many may wonder how to have a memorial service without a body. Celebrating this event is a good idea by placing the cremains or a photograph of the beloved person nearby. Families of the deceased may consider arranging memorial service weeks or months after one’s death. It gives them the time and space to think about how to plan a memorial service after cremation. Some details require your attention when planning for a celebration of life program. Here are some specifics on How do you plan a memorial service celebration of life?
Pick a date
One can never predict the sad demise of a person you cherish. But you can pick an appropriate date for the memorial service of your beloved person. Even though a memorial service can be on any given date or day, you should be very particular about it. It is better to organize the event on a day when everyone who felt the loss as equally as you is unoccupied.
Picking a thoughtful date will allow everyone who feels emotionally attached the opportunity to mourn and share fond memories. Due to the 5-day workweek and the fact that most individuals are usually more available on weekends, it can be considered appropriate for memorial services. If you are wondering how to plan a celebration of life, asking for assistance might be better than going for it alone.
Don't plan it alone
Planning a memorial celebration alone can be an excruciating task, even more so when you have lost someone close to you. It is okay for you to reach out for help to a family member or a friend.
You can also plan to hire professionals to help out with the memorial celebration. If you are thinking of hosting a personalized event for a celebration of life, event planners can appropriately facilitate you from a wide range of options.
Seeking help to honor the memory of your loved one will ensure a smooth functioning event, from choosing a venue of your liking to welcoming guests and the rest of the event.
Include elements of faith
A memorial service is a farewell gift to the loved one who died and a source of healing for those left behind. Incorporating certain essential elements into a memorial service can become very meaningful. These elements offer a form of grief coping that words alone cannot. So What do you do at a celebration of life party? Although there is no specific set of rules, there are certain elements that can be added.
Good meaningful music
A piece of meaningful music can continuously tap into our emotions, which are both happy and sad. You may choose a traditional hymn or a religious prayer. It can also be a piece your loved ones liked. Beyond words, a well-chosen piece of music can express so much meaning.
Recite Poetry or a Religious Text
Reading meaningful passages or poems can help reminisce fond memories of the departed. You can read a poem or a passage your loved one loved. Reading a religious passage is a better idea if they are religious. The grieving might receive a lot of comfort and support from these words.
A Tribute with Family Photos and Videos
Family photos and videos are very significant for timeless memories. For many, it serves as a journal of their life, a life they have graciously lived. Sharing these fond memories in a memorial service can bring so many emotions into the life that you shared with your beloved ones.
Symbols and Objects of Significance
We are attached to the objects that we value dearly, a trait we all commonly share. Candles, flowers, religious or spiritual symbols, items belonging to the departed, and photographs are a few examples. These offerings in a celebration of life will bring about comfort to the bereaved.
Eulogy
A eulogy acknowledges the significance of the departed soul in our life. It is a way to remember the unique ways they have touched the lives of those left behind. Share treasured memories, a quote that might define them. You can even tell a joke they always used to crack. A eulogy celebrates any fond memories you carry.
A Gathering of Loved Ones
A gathering of close-knit friends and families can provide much-needed support. These gatherings offer those who are left behind the chance to celebrate the memories of a deceased loved one. It helps them strengthen their bonds and courage to face life after loss. A gathering in a place of significance allows mourners to spend time in togetherness. Planning simple memorial service ideas at home is always a good idea. However, selecting an appropriate location is very crucial.
Select the right location
Traditional funeral services take place in a place of worship or funeral home. But nowadays, families choose alternate locations for modern memorial services when honoring the demise of loved ones. Many people pick venues with special meaning for the deceased, like their favorite beach, park, family house, or places that can accommodate a sizable group of people. Before sending out celebration of life invitations selecting the right venue is crucial. Consider the following factors before deciding the ideal location for a loved one’s memorial celebration.
Did they have any Particular Wish?
If your loved one made their wish known for any particular venue to choose for their memorial service, it is best to honor their request.
Was Your Loved One a Person of Faith?
If the departed soul had a strong inclination toward religious faith, it is only appropriate to hold a memorial service in a place of worship.
What Kind of a Person Your Loved One was?
Deciding on a venue for the celebration of life program that sits well with the persona of your loved one you lost is more fitting. Some families prefer planning a memorial service at home. At the same time, others get creative with events like a memory walk or plan a trip to the favorite place of their loved ones. Attention to these details will also give you a better understanding of how you want to personalize a memorial service.
Personalize the service
It can be challenging to personalize a memorial celebration, especially when you are mourning. The fact that there are numerous alternatives when it comes to personalizing a memorial ceremony makes it a very perplexing task. Each of them comes with numerous options, from planning a memorial service checklist to choosing memorial cards for celebration of life.
It can become exhausting if you are hasting it. It is a good idea to take it slow and pay attention to every detail to plan a unique memorial celebration. You want to honor the memory of the person you have lost, so don’t rush it.
Think about what made our loved ones unique. What were their passions? What would they have wanted for their memorial service? It will guide you with better ideas to personalize the celebration of life program.
Talk with others, a friend, a colleague, who was close to the deceased. You will have insight into what they feel is a better way to honor your beloved. You can personalize a memorial service sharing items of significance to celebrate their memory.
Share an item of remembrance
A profoundly meaningful Celebration of Life event does more than solely remember and honor the bereaved. It brings back pleasant memories and creates a richer, more vivid picture of the person’s life. Some of us love to read books, and some are into sports or clicking pictures. It varies from person to person.
Each of us is fascinated by different objects to accompany us in our favorite things to do. Sharing an item of remembrance is an excellent way to bring forth fond memories of the departed. An object of remembrance can be anything as simple as an old photograph, a book, or anything related to the deceased person.
Conclusion
Be it a traditional funeral or a modern memorial celebration; families arrange them to honor the memory of their loved one and comfort each while confronting the colossal loss. Friends and family can pay tribute to and celebrate their loved one casually and intimately at a celebration of life gathering.
A celebration of life program will focus more on embracing and enjoying the vivid life lived by the departed soul. With careful thought and a little help, you can appropriately figure out what is the order of service for a memorial service.
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