Memorial services can vary in tone, style and content just as widely as the unique personalities of those being memorialized. As more and more families choose to modify or entirely steer clear of the traditional services, the options for celebrating the life of a loved one multiply to accommodate the preferences of the decedent or the family.
Since the options for the memorials and funeral ideas are nearly limitless, it can be somewhat daunting to plan and pull off a memorial. Whether it be a life celebration party, a culturally traditional service or something in between, the abundance of choices and the lessening of a widely accepted standard increases the pressure on the family to choose the right elements to include in the service.
The following are an array of memorial service ideas for cremation or burial, which will be of assistance to those who are planning the perfect life celebration, funeral or memorial service.
Funeral flowers come in all styles, colors, and designs. Traditionally, the flowers for a memorial service are often white, but there is no requirement to stick with that color. You can use the memorial service florals to honor your loved one in a unique and creative way. You can go bold and colorful, or you can choose a particular flower or color as a part of an overall theme. You can also keep it classy and simple, but with splashes of muted, gentle colors.
Your funeral service décor theme can include organizations, hobbies, associations, interests, sports and much more. There are also a lot of ideas for traditional and creative funeral flowers that include themes like motorcycles, airplanes, guitars, footballs, gardener, police, fishing, Masonic, cowboy, cross, sports teams, colleges and more.
Scholarship fund in lieu of flowers
One option for memorial service decoration is to not do so. If the flowers do not seem quite right, or if they are already unnecessary or supplied for some reason, include a note in the invitation that funeral attendees can make a donation to a donor-advised fund “in memoriam” instead of purchasing flowers. These funds can be donated to a charitable institution or fund which reflects the passions and the interests of the deceased. It can be anything from an actual scholarship fund set up in the name of the person who passed away to a donation to the local branch of a charity in which they were involved. This is a meaningful, powerful and lasting way to celebrate one life by impacting the lives of others.
Memorial Painting
A commissioned work of art may take some time, but it will be well worth it when you see your loved one so artistically and beautifully memorialized. There are a lot of artists that can do stunningly graceful work, and they have the talent to capture the spirit of a person in a memorial portrait. If you are considering a memorial painting, you can get them done by shopping on Etsy. If you have more time, you can search the web to find the perfect artist and depending on the artist, their work can take from one to six months.
Memorial Service Photos
It is appropriate and touching to display a photo of the person who passed away, and this can be as simple as a framed print or as elaborate as a custom painting or a laser engraved portrait. Most often the family chooses a photograph that represents their loved one and gets it printed in a large format. Sometimes this is a print in a frameset onto a table, or it could be a large canvas displayed on an easel. Other creative ideas for photos include laser engraved wooden photo plaque, cremation urns with built-in photo frame and customized photo board print with name and dates.
Engraved Photo Cremation Urns
If cremation is chosen, there is a unique way to combine the urn and the memorial photo, and it is to have the portrait of the deceased laser engraved onto the cremation urn. This makes for a stunning centerpiece at the memorial service and it will be a gorgeous keepsake to honor your loved one. There are a variety of other urns that can be engraved with a photo, including gorgeous wooden urns.
Customized Memorial Candles
Customized memorial candles are a beautiful and bright addition to the memorial service décor. You can set the mood with your won personalized memorial candle, which includes custom engraving of any text or photo and will serve as a special keepsake for the family after the service has ended. These are flameless LED candles; they are made from wax and with realistic flicker patterns. They look great, and no one will know the difference, and since you won’t actually be burning anything, you will be able to display the candle as a special keepsake for years to come.