How To Personalise A Funeral For Your Loved One

Bereavement flowers

Do you want to personalise the funeral service of your loved one?

Personalised funerals that celebrate the deceased’s life are becoming popular in this day and age, not just because it makes the service more memorable. It also serves as a heartfelt tribute that tells the story of the life that person has lived.

If you want to See how you can honour your loved one in a way they would’ve wanted, this is the ultimate guide for you.

  1. How to Personalise a Funeral for your Loved One

Here are some tips on making a funeral service more bespoke and personalised based on your loved one’s wishes or preferences.

The service itself and coffin choices

Less than 1% of people that create funeral arrangements knew their loved one’s funeral wishes. So, discussing it with the family is important because it will be the basis for the whole service, and it can influence how the service would be delivered. Whether you or your loved one wants a burial, cremation or direct cremation, considering the funeral cost in your area can help make a decision, especially if you’re uncertain about what your loved one would have wanted. So to create a personalised funeral service it’s important to talk openly with your family and friends about how you want to be remembered and what tribute you would like.

If you’ll choose a traditional burial and funeral service instead of cremation, then you would have to decide what type of coffin would you use for your loved one and figure out the order of service for the funeral.

Types of coffin

If you prefer going to the traditional burial route, you may need a coffin for your loved one person, and there are many coffin options out there that can fit any budget and style preferences.

Here’s a glimpse at various coffin choices in Chris Davies Funeral Services that could give you an idea of what to look for and the different wood options that you could choose from:

Cynon– It’s a minimalist yet dignified traditional oak veneer coffin with a high gloss finish, flat lid and sides.

Taff– Still an oak veneer coffin, but its design incorporates high gloss square embossed side panels half around the lid.

Wye– This another oak veneer coffin is like an upgraded version of the latter, and it features high gloss square embossed panel sides with a double raised lid.

Usk– This solid wood coffin style may be more costly than the previous ones, but its sold wood composition, double raised lid with solid oak double mouldings panel sides and ends make it more elegant and desirable.

All these coffin options are available in Mahogany, Oak, Elm and Cherry wood options.

Orders of Funeral service

The booklet that outlines the funeral order of service or how the ceremony will run can also be personalised based on the person’s preferences or personality. It often includes an introduction, readings, hymns, songs or poems, eulogies or other parts of the ceremony. Having a booklet outlining the funeral order can be a personalised touch for guests and are often kept as a keepsakes.

You can add a personal touch to it by adding a photo of your loved one and additional designs that are significant in their lives, like musical symbols or their sports team’s colour. You can design it yourself through different tools online or ask a tech-savvy relative or friend to help out, although if you are unsure your local funeral home will be able to provide ideas & inspiration on the service booklet.

The funeral theme

A fun & uplifting way of having a personalised funeral is by recalling what your loved one was passionate about, you can determine what theme will most likely fit that person’s personality and represent the kind of life they have lived. Today, many are deviating from traditional funeral and recreate themed events. Below are some sample themed funerals that can inspire you:

  1. Bookworm theme: You can celebrate the life of your loved one by bringing his/her love of words into the service. You can also use their favourite quotes in the service or read their favourite poems to relate them to their own stories epilogue. If you want to level up the theme further, you can display copies of books in the service or suggest a literacy charity for donations.
  2. Flying high: Dove and balloon releases are common at funerals, but why not incorporate bird images into the funeral service, origami birds, and quotes about taking flight? It might help the grieving family gain comfort that their loved one is taking a flight in a majestic and dignified way.
  3. A mini-exhibit: If your loved one is skilled in arts like painting and creating crafts, showcasing their talent through a public display of their work would be a wonderful way to pay tribute.

However having a theme is not a necessity to your funeral plan, you may want to keep things simpler and incorporate smaller details that include elements of your loved ones personality & life rather than an ongoing theme for their memorial service.

Personalising flower decoration

Having a floral tribute can be an incredibly beautiful piece on the day of your loved ones funeral, choosing flower decors that reminds you of your loved ones is also a meaningful way to personalise the funeral service. If they had a specific favourite plant or flower, for example, a daffodil or hydrangeas, you can incorporate it into the floral arrangement to make it more memorable, an experienced funeral director will likely have contacts with local florists to be able to suggest ideas & put forward different design ideas for your loved ones funeral.

Popular funeral flowers include Gladioli, Carnations, White roses and lilies, however the choice is really yours & your loved ones as this day is about honouring them.

Choosing the appropriate music

Music has the power to evoke feelings and flashbacks of memories, and personalising it can be a good way of remembering the person’s life and make the service more moving. Incorporating your loved ones favourite music into the funeral arrangement could add that extra touch of personality and warmth by remembering them for their favourite things in life.

You may also select songs that remind you of their personality, but it doesn’t have to be sad or melancholy. Choosing uplifting ones from your loved one’s playlist of favourite music will do good as well. You can also find some local talent or a family member to play a ukulele or guitar song if your loved one prefers songs played with these instruments.

The colourful clothing

Black is often the standard at funerals and seen as a sign of respect. But you can add a personal touch and a bit of colour to the service by asking the mourners to wear your loved one’s favourite colour during the funeral service.

If your loved one prefers a service that celebrates life rather than death, embracing the special colour for them or related to their identity can be a meaningful tribute for them and honours a celebration of their life.

For example, if your loved one is a member of a specific organisation or sport, you may get themed flowers and ask friends and family to attend the service wearing the colour of their favourite sports or hobby. You can even add signs and decorations that embraces the spirit of the sport. This way, the entire funeral would be more meaningful and tailored to the person’s life you are celebrating.

The eulogies

Eulogies are an essential part of celebrating a loved one’s life, but it’s challenging to find the right words and express them in front of grieving families and friends. However, it can be therapeutic and provide comfort in their grieving and healing process. You can also ask the closest friends or family member to share some personal stories and interesting anecdotes about that person’s life, such as holidays, adventures, and humorous events, so that other people can hear new stories of their life and personality. You can also read a poem that suits the funeral’s tone if you can’t make a speech—no need to worry if you’ll get overwhelmed by your emotions because everyone will understand.

Other inclusions of personalised funeral services.

There’s no one way of honouring a loved one’s life. Many chose to include special messages, personalised items, favourite flowers or even a most loved hymn. But grief and remembrance can manifest in different ways, to honour your love one, communicate with them and try to embody all that they would’ve wanted. Funeral directors & services can help provide insights and can also provide personalised eulogies if needed.

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