How to Plan a Memorial Service
funeral directors
A commemorative ceremony is a chance for friends and family to celebrate the life of a loved one who passed away.
Organising a seemly memorial service could be difficult, especially if you have trouble coming to terms with losing that person.
However, you can hold a memorial event any time after the funeral, which means you can give yourself a chance to adapt and prepare at your own pace.
When you decide you want to organise a memorial service, you need to take into consideration a few aspects:
Style
Before you start any planning, you need to decide the approach you will go for. A memorial service can be formal or informal, depending on what you feel it would be more appropriate. In the same time, you need to decide whether you want a more intimate event with close friends and family or you will invite more people.
Moreover, a memorial service can be either religious or more casual. In consultation with any Sydney Funeral Director, you can decide on your timing, budget, guests and what you feel like the one who passed away would have appreciated more.
Location
When choosing the location for the memorial, you do not have to limit your choice to purely religious parameters.
You can let yourself influenced by the preferences of your deceased loved one by choosing a place that meant a lot to them. It can be a rented venue, an open-air reception, or you can choose to host the event at your home or another family member’s home.
Guest list
Write a list of people you want to invite to the memorial service. Ideally, as soon as you finalise your list, you need to send out the invitations and give people enough time to plan a trip or make other arrangements they might need to do before attending the memorial service.
If the location might be difficult to find, sending each of the guests a map and driving directions would help a lot.
Service order
If you have chosen a religious memorial service, there will be readings of your religious book selected. You can arrange for family members and friends to contribute to the service by giving a reading. Discuss this with whichever Sydney Funeral Director you have chosen to look after proceedings.
For memorial services held elsewhere, you can choose to people to share memories and photos of your loved one, or read excerpts from the deceased's favourite songs or poems.
Additional Resources in Sydney
Go with what you feel the deceased would have liked and what you believe is the most beautiful tribute. Nevertheless, do not be afraid to have laughter during the memorial, if it is opportune to remember your beloved.
Reception
Organise a small reception as it is always an enjoyable way to end a memorial service.
Whether you choose to hire a catering company or you prefer a pot-luck type of reception, having food and drinks after a memorial is often an opportunity for people to talk and remember the deceased in a more relaxed setting. Also, it is your choice if you want to serve alcohol, but moderation should be maintained.
Memorial book
Making a memorial book allows you to honour the memory of the cherished one, by involving friends and family in the process of creating it.
Moving around an empty notebook and asking guests to sign, or write their best memory of the deceased is one way to do it, but you can also add photographs and stories.
It's a helpful way to channel people's pain and create a lasting memory of your loved one as well.
Planning a memorial service takes time, attention to details and commitment, and even though is not always the most natural thing to do, it can help family and friends to cope with grief by expressing their feelings and surrounding themselves with all those who cherished the deceased.
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