Pre-planning your memorial can be a time of reflection on the accomplishments you carry proudly, people whose lives are important to your life story, and the milestones that help define your legacy. In this article, we explore a side of pre-planning your memorial that is more than coordination. Lighten is here to help you determine how you would like your life to be celebrated and create a memorial plan that will reduce the stress for your friends and family so they can focus on remembering you.
Determining the Tone
Encompassing the elements of your memorial is an overall tone. For example, your memorial can be an uplifting event, a quiet gathering of remembrance, or a celebration of life party. In pre-planning your memorial, the tone may be a starting place or it could be the end result of details you choose. Some of these details might include the venue, readings, keepsakes, flowers, music, and food.
Venue – There are a few possible considerations when choosing the location of your memorial. First, would you like to choose one of your favorite places? Secondly, do you imagine the location will be a reflection of your unique self? Finally, will the venue allow for all those you wish to attend your memorial to be able to? Lighten has helped families plan in-person memorials at a wide variety of venues, including an Irish pub, museum, a loved one’s backyard, and jazz club. Each of these locations held a special meaning to the loved one being honored and helped make attendees feel that much closer to them. Alternatively, virtual memorials have the benefit of being accessible to your friends and family, near or far. A virtual “venue” is not only convenient but can still be completely customized. In short, carefully choosing where to hold a memorial helps make the service a personalized event.
Readings – Pre-planning your memorial provides you the opportunity to decide on the words that you feel best honor your life and legacy. Additionally, these could be the words that you would like to bestow upon your loved ones during a time when they need comfort. Potential readings include passages from your favorite works of literature, poems that highlight the spirit of your life, prayers that carry significance to you, or even the lyrics to a favorite song. Whether you choose whimsical readings or readings that say goodbye, the words you choose to be shared will help set the tone of the memorial.
Keepsakes – Memorial keepsakes can be a few different things. One, are tokens passed out to and kept by attendees of your memorial. If the memorial you have in mind is a celebration of life party, the keepsake can be completely out-of-the-box; even something that you find at a party supply store or a custom wine label. The other type of memorial keepsake is a creation made by attendees as part of the memorial, which is then passed on to your closest family or friends. Leaving instructions for your memorial attendees to build something beautiful, such as a collage of their favorite pictures, memories written onto a large canvas, or tree ornaments to be hung in your favorite garden, leaves you knowing that your friends or family will always have something special to remember your memorial by.
Flowers – Coordinating flowers for a memorial can sometimes be overwhelming for the loved ones planning the event. Between the traditional options of wreaths or bouquets of white roses, your unique personality can sometimes get a little lost. By pre-planning your memorial, you can choose exactly what floral decor will best celebrate your life while easing the stress for friends and family. Opting for your favorites, whether that be something non-traditional like daisies or greenery over flowers, lets your personality shine through the beauty of nature.
Your Memorial, Your Way™
If you’re considering pre-planning your memorial, Lighten can help. With the Your Memorial, Your Way™ package, we will help you define your legacy through planning support, ceremony design, and celebration of life materials. Start the conversation.
