After my father passed away suddenly, my mother, siblings and I all struggled with planning his funeral. We were already in a state of shock and sorrow, and then we were overwhelmed with the options and decisions we had to make in regards to the funeral. Luckily for us, we worked with an amazing funeral home and funeral director who helped guide us through the process. I know how hard it is to plan a funeral and how many decisions need to be made. This website was created in order to give families preparing to lay a loved one to rest a guide of sorts that will help them determine what decisions will need to be made and information about those decisions. I extend my sympathies to you if you are in this position and hope my website helps to make things a little bit easier for you.
Sometimes referred to as pre-need, a pre-arranged funeral is a funeral arranged and paid for by someone who is still living. Whether you are terminally ill or presumably decades from death, a pre-need puts control of your funeral into your hands, and since you are the one planning it, you should personalize it. Here are five personalization ideas to consider:
1. Last Words
You may not have time to come up with stunning last words the moments before you pass, but you can take your time and gather some amazing last words for your funeral. You could write your own eulogy or create a statement to have read to funeral attendees.
2. Favorite Readings
In addition to last words written by you, you should also choose some of your favorite readings. If you are religious and your family is not, or if the reverse is true, picking your own readings is almost essential.
It gives you control over what happens during the service, and it ensures no survivors choose funeral readings that may be offensive to your spiritual beliefs. You can choose readings from anywhere, including religious books, poetry, literature or even movie monologues.
3. Music
In addition to choosing readings, remember to pick a few songs. This is your chance to memorialize yourself through music. You could choose classic hymns or your favorite pop or folk song. You could even leave the funeral director a copy of a song you wrote or a recording of your performing.
4. Decorations
With a pre-arranged funeral, you don't just get to plan the funeral service itself. You also get to decide how you want things decorated. You can plan for your favorite flowers to be around the casket, or you can hand pick your favorite photos for a memorial collage.
Creating your own collage ensures no well-intentioned relative chooses embarrassing pictures that you would never want anyone to see.
5. Innovative ideas
Is there something special you want to happen at your funeral? Do you want everyone to go around a circle and share a memory of you? Do you want your loved ones to gather on the beach to disperse your ashes?
Do you want to have your body embalmed and positioned in your favorite recliner for the viewing instead of having it lying in a casket? Then, go for it. It's your funeral. You get to personalize it however you want.
Share17 March 2015
