How to Plan a Memorial Service

Have you recently suffered a death in the family? Or maybe you’re thinking ahead to how you’d like to be remembered and celebrated by your own loved ones? Planning a memorial service can be difficult if you’re grieving, so we’ve put together some tips on how to do it, with the hopes of making this process a little easier.

Decide the date

A memorial service is not the same as a funeral since the body is not present. This means that you don’t really have a time limit when setting a date for the memorial service. You could give yourself some time to grieve and get your loved one’s affairs in order before holding a memorial service to commemorate them. So, you could arrange it for weeks or months down the line, or even to celebrate the first anniversary of their passing.

And the venue

Next, you need to decide where you’ll hold the service. Many people choose a church or other place of worship, while others opt for general public spaces. You could choose a funeral home or a hall that you can rent out, or you could even have it outdoors at a local park, for example. Another option is to hold it at your home, but then space may be limited.

Invite people

Now you know the where and the when, you can start telling people about the event. You could have official invitations made for the service or you might prefer to just tell people over the phone or by text. If you’re holding the service in a public place with plenty of space, you could print an open invitation in the local newspaper, for example, allowing anyone who knew the deceased to attend.

How will you celebrate their lives?

You also need to plan the content of the memorial service. This is a great chance to remember your loved one and celebrate their lives and the time you spent together. Music is often an important part of this, so think about the songs you would like playing through the service. You may also want decorations, such as their favorite flowers.

People often speak at memorial services to reminisce on the life of the person they are commemorating. If your service is in a religious space or a funeral home, you may have an officiant leading the service. Friends and family of the departed may also want to say a few words. Displaying photographs and videos can also be a moving tribute to their life.

If you’re planning a memorial service for a loved one or are interested in pre-arrangement services for yourself, you can contact us or visit us in Lewisville, Winston Salem, Kernersville, and Advance.