Lighten has helped countless families step out of the traditional funeral home environment and into a more uplifting space. What type of space you choose can depend on a number of factors. No matter what the platform is, we encourage you to keep the uniqueness of your loved one’s identity at the forefront when planning a memorial.
Planning a Memorial: Online, In-Person, or Both?
Both technology and an overall shift away from following “the norm” have opened up so many doors for memorial planning. For one, video conferencing and recorded ceremonies make it tremendously easier to allow more loved ones than ever, to participate in a memorial service. And the use of unconventional spaces- such as theaters and baseball parks- help families create more experiential in-person services. In this article, we provide the benefits (and a few examples) of the different types of memorial formats Lighten can help you plan.
In-Person Memorial Services
Planning a memorial at a location that was truly special to or highly reflective of your loved one sets a great stage for a personalized service. We can also look at an in-person memorial as an opportunity to create an immersive experience for your friends & family. Lighten recently planned a memorial at a local museum for someone who loved history, art, and culture. The showcase experience was an immersive exhibit focused on her life, including photos and personal possessions as “artifacts” to help tell the story of her unique identity. The exhibit was an enveloping space of remembrance, sentimentality, and celebration of the loved one’s life.
Virtual Memorial Services
Hosting a virtual memorial makes togetherness easier. In a climate of uncertainty about the pandemic; in the face of rising travel costs; and at the mercy of extreme weather conditions, planning a memorial to be held in the comforts of home, ensures that family and friends from afar can participate. Moreover, Lighten has paved a path to help you create a personalized and unique ceremony that, we assure you, does not resemble what you imagine when you think, “Zoom meeting.”
Pre-Recorded Memorial Segments
We have seen families use produced ceremonies or pre-recorded segments as a wonderful tool for personalization. One of our favorites was a pre-recorded puppet show, created by the daughter of the loved one, to relay words of wisdom from her father. Pre-recordings can also be used to share moments that you would’ve liked to have everyone present for, but it may not be quite so realistic to do so. For example, one Lighten ceremony featured a pre-recording of the scattering of the loved one’s ashes from a boat. Although the boat could not hold all the participants of that memorial service, the recorded video allowed everyone at the memorial service to observe and honor that moment.
Hybrid Memorial Services
Bring together the best of both worlds by planning a memorial service that is hosted in-person and allows for two-way communication with remote participants. We’ve seen hybrid ceremonies take place in churches, cultural centers, funeral homes, private residences, and more. Lighten will work with your chosen venue to ensure the onsite audio/visual equipment is set up to facilitate two-way communication between the in-person and virtual attendees during the hybrid memorial service. This is an excellent way to create the immersive experience offered by an onsite memorial, while still gaining the attendance of all the family and friends your loved one would want present.
Lighten Can Help
We understand that planning a memorial while balancing mourning, work, and caregiving can be a difficult process. We also understand that to add organizing an event, hosting a large-scale Zoom meeting, or learning to operate video equipment can make the process seem almost unmanageable. Let a member of the Lighten team help guide you every step of the way.
