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Things to consider before planning a memorial service

Things to consider before planning a memorial service

A memorial is a solemn event for families losing their loved ones. Organizing a memorial ceremony service can be tedious, and people often miss the important things amidst the storm of emotions. It is best to hire memorial ceremony providers or take their help for at least a part of the occasion. Here is a guide to help you organize a memorable memorial service to cherish someone you love.

Types of memorial ceremony services
You can celebrate a loved one who is no longer with you in several ways. Usually, contracting a service like this ensures that all your memory ceremony supplies are taken care of with the need to organize things individually.

  • Funeral service
    Immediately after a person’s demise, you might need a funeral home service. They often help with more than just providing a place. They also help organize funerals and offer burial and cremation services. Such funeral homes are available in almost every city. You can enquire with your local hospital or nursing home about affordable and quality memorial ceremony services. One sub-type of a funeral is grave-sides; some ceremonies take place at the grave site.
  • Memorial services
    If you want to organize a gathering that is not limited to a funeral, you can look for halls and local memorial ceremony providers. It is more of a remembrance service and can even be held yearly on the death anniversary.
  • Online memorial websites
    Websites like Mem, Keeper, and Forever Missed offer an online platform for your loved one. This space allows even people living far away to pay tribute. They also allow you to upload pictures and create an e-shrine, enabling you to cherish and revisit memories at your convenience. Some memorial ceremony services have monthly charges, while others are free. If your loved one was socially active and had lots of friends, and your family takes a lot of pictures, this is a memorial ceremony service you certainly want to invest in.

Planning a memorial ceremony
You need to consider several things for a memorial service or funeral reception.

  • Select an officiant if you choose a house of worship (a synagogue or a church, for example). At funeral services, usually, a funeral director is available.
  • Memorials are solemn occasions. People often become emotional and may need time to collect themselves. Remember that it is good to have some touching stories in the mix and ensure that some speakers can create a lighter mood so the gathering does not leave the memorial service in tears.
  • Finally, creating and sharing a program schedule is best so the guests know what to expect during the memorial.
  • Memorial ceremony services need not always be in funeral homes or religious centers. Organizing a memorial ceremony in any party hall or community center is also possible. Not all places are open to funerals, but most organizers have no problems with memorials. Even a local event planner can help you generate unique ideas for remembering your loved one, making it a cherished remembrance rather than a crying fest.

Memorial ceremony supplies
The memorial ceremony providers themselves provide the essential memorial ceremony supplies. Usually, a hall, funeral home, or religious center has a team to plan and organize things for you or at least aid the process. It is a good idea to take their help since they can get you discounts and packages usually unavailable for individuals. It is also good to have a checklist for yourself. Here are some things to consider for any memorial ceremony you organize.

Eulogies
This is not something your memorial service provider can help with because only you know which of your family and friends are eloquent and which ones will write tributes to be read out. Sometimes you might get requests from people you did not even consider, be open and polite, but feel free to decline if you think it is inappropriate.

Obituaries
The obituary is integral to any funeral program and some memorials. Some prefer to keep things informal and have family members speak or sing about their loved ones.

Readings
If your loved one had a favorite poem, book, or prayer, reading them at their memorial might be appropriate. After all, it is a remembrance of the best virtues and talents of the departed.

Music
Music can break or make the mood of any setting. If the departed enjoyed music, you can arrange for a choir, band, or music player. Some people prefer to have family members create a group. The memorial service provider will likely have some options too.

Memorial ceremony supply rentals
If you are looking after most of the organizing, you should look for memorial ceremony supply rentals. If the location you choose is not typically one that holds memorial services, then equipment like stages, podiums, microphones, speakers, tables, chairs, cutlery, etc., can be rented. Each locality will have a memorial ceremony supply rental store.