Your Personalised Service

A memorial service allows for flexibility in time and planning.

It may take place several days after the date of death or several weeks. You’re in control, allowing family and friends to take any amount of time to adjust to the new reality of death. However, if family have gathered from across the country, it may be preferential to have the service as soon as possible.  Unlike a wedding that can takes months to plan, you may have only a few days to coordinate a memorial service.

There are many reasons to plan a memorial service, rather than a funeral. (You can still have a small funeral often 20-30 mins is all the time allocated just now and because of the ever changing covid, restrictions at one point with only a max of 20 people allowed to attend.) 

Many people feel the traditional funeral leaves them cold. Often funerals are spiritual, but little is tailored to the memories and life of the deceased.

The family does not necessarily need to hear their beloved “is in a better place.”  And nowadays, many people do not have a minister or a church affiliation.  Or have you ever been to a funeral when the minister says, “I never knew the deceased, but I’m told…”  or called them by the wrong name.

I have seen some of my clients, living a life sentence of regret after the funeral, as they simply held a generic service, with no attempt to celebrate the uniqueness of their loved one.

Instead, the family needs to be able to illustrate how important the deceased’s life has been, and how much their life mattered.

Because of the Pandemic we have not had the normal send off, we would of liked and lots of families, now want when it safe and the conditions are right to have a memorial service that they really wanted and needed at that time of the loss and sadness’ but couldn’t because of all the restrictions in place. 

A memorial service can take everyone on a journey of the deceased’s life.  Poignant and funny stories are shared.  Storytelling becomes paramount.

A memorial service allows you to design a service that is exactly the way, you want to say goodbye to your loved one, and celebrate their life.  Everyone needs that sacred moment when family and friends gather and remember the deceased.

Planning a memorial service, the right way, can ensure it is a unique personalized tribute.

“During these times with the Covid restrictions, it has not been possible for some to give their loved ones the send off they deserved and its ok to plan a memorial service for a later date, when it’s safe to do so, possibly on a anniversary or birthday as its not been possible for families to have a wake, which is a time when we can share stories and fun memories of the deceased person.”

Planning a memorial service should consider your desire to celebrate the life of your loved one – as well as sadly, recognize their death. I will endeavour to help you with a step by step plan, where you can plan a unique, memorable tribute to your loved one.

The logistics of planning a memorial service begins with determining the appropriate time and date of the event. However, before the date can be finalized, one has to confirm the location of the service.

The Memorial Service Venue

Often, the simplest  option often for a location to hold the memorial service is the funeral home. Some of the advantages to this venue is that the sound system and video projection is provided.  They will run the music and video for you.  There is a microphone and podium for speakers.

I also have my own PA system and can run videos and slides.

More and more people are turning to destination settings for a more memorable service.  Many beautiful facilities such as; gardens and greenhouses, museums, arenas, clubhouses, theatres, parks, lodges, aquariums, wineries.

Private event rentals are perfectly suitable for a remembrance of life.  The key is to try to select a location that is symbolic of the deceased. After arrangements have been made to secure the venue on a given date, the following specifics and details of the memorial service needs to be decided.

How Long Should It Be?

The length of the service is determined by how much you want to include in it.  Typically a service lasts approximately an hour. It is better to have guests wanting to hear more, than having them wish the speakers would finish.  I have been to a funeral where several speakers pretty much recalled the same stories, with no time limit to the length of their speech.  After a while, it became very redundant.

Contrast that with another funeral, where each speaker was given a time limit and coordinated with the other speakers as to what particular part of the deceased’s life they would discuss.  The result was a beautiful presentation that lovingly portrayed the life of their loved one. Short and poignant speeches are better than long and rambling, but it does take advanced preparation.