Preparations for a Memorial
A memorial plan is a way to commemorate the life of a loved one by creating a lasting memory that can be shared with family and friends and there will be preparations involved. It’s also an opportunity to thank them for all they’ve done for you, including providing comfort and support during difficult times.
The following information will assist in answering questions about memorial plans and how to create them:
- Discover your loved one’s desires.
- Consult with family and friends.
- Investigate relevant information, such as:
- The individual’s favorite hobbies or activities;
- Locations they enjoyed visiting;
- Favorite foods and beverages, music, or films;
- A memory that brings a smile to their face (or cry).
Making Plans for the Memorial Service
The location of your memorial service is entirely up to you. You may want to honor your loved one’s memory by holding it in their favorite location or somewhere special to them.
Choose a date that works for everyone involved in the funeral planning so that no one feels rushed or stressed out by deadlines. If there are multiple people involved in making arrangements for your loved one’s memorial service, it may be helpful to choose one person to coordinate these details with other members of their family—this person could then act as an informal leader throughout this process while still allowing others flexibility when making decisions about how best to honor their departed loved one’s life (and death).
This section also contains information about music selections during services: what types of music should be played during each segment? What songs are appropriate and which are not? How do we figure out which ones go where?
Making Funeral Preparations
There are a few things you can do when making funeral arrangements to ensure that your loved one’s final wishes are honored.
First, decide on a casket or urn. This may appear to be a simple decision at first, but it is not always as simple as selecting the color and style for your loved one’s memorial service. You should also consider how their body will look after death and how much space they will take up in their final resting place (whether it’s a cemetery plot or cremation vault). If you intend to bury them and want something more elaborate than plain wood or metal boxes, make sure there is room for all of these factors before you make a financial commitment.
Second, after everything else has been taken care of, arrange for burial or cremation services (this includes paying any fees associated with either option). This step may appear obvious, but it is easily overlooked due to disagreements over details such as whether or not flowers should be permitted at graveside services; therefore, don’t overlook it.
Availing a life plan with Golden Future gives you these benefits:
- Relieves the stress in making difficult decisions
- Eases the financial burden in your family
- Have a meaningful funeral
Making Plans for a Memorial Reception
Planning a memorial reception is an important part of preserving your loved one’s memory. A reception allows family and friends to gather and celebrate the life of a loved one, while also offering support to those who are grieving.
Planning a memorial reception can be stressful at first, but it doesn’t have to be if you plan ahead of time. Here are some pointers on how to put one together:
Choose the date and location of the event. If at all possible, avoid scheduling it during peak seasons (such as holidays), as this may make securing space more difficult or expensive than usual; however, if that’s all that works with your schedule, go ahead! Remember that people may require additional time off work to attend, so keep this in mind when making plans.
Memorial Keepsakes Collection
When gathering memorial keepsakes, consider what would be meaningful to your loved one. Consider collecting any letters they wrote to you or others if they loved to read and write letters or journals. If they were into photography, gather their old photos—you can even have them digitally scanned so you can easily share them with family members who live far away.
Consider how well-preserved these items are as you collect them: if something is torn or damaged beyond repair (or simply doesn’t look good anymore), don’t include it in your collection!
Keep track of where each item came from as well, so that other relatives know where to look for more information about a specific piece of memorabilia.
When it comes to memorializing your loved one’s life, it’s important to remember that you’re creating something that will last long after they’re gone. You want to pay tribute to their life and legacy by creating something both beautiful and meaningful. A memorial plan can assist you in doing so!
Check our other traditional and cremation life plan packages for a worry-free memorial. If interested, contact us today.