You already know your loved one would like to be cremated, but have you thought about the memorial service? Unless your loved one pre-arranged those plans, you have the opportunity to choose from a great number of options to memorialize your loved one. Here are a few ways to memorialize and celebrate a life well-lived.
Photo or Video Tributes
Photographs and videos are a great way to remember happy memories and times in your loved one’s life and the moments you spent with them. Photos can be portraits, candids, of your loved one doing something they enjoyed, or with other family members or friends. Digital photos and videos can be displayed on a screen, or photos can be placed throughout the funeral home with strings, attached to balloons, and on tables or chairs. Another great option is to create a photo collage during the memorial service. Ask family and friends to bring their favorite photos to attached to a large poster board.
Personalized Urn
Another way to honor your loved one is with a personalized urn to help convey their unique personality. Personalization can include something as simple as engraving their name on the urn or a plaque, or the urn could be more elaborate with a unique shape or design. At Ryan Funeral Home, we believe each service should as unique as the life that is being celebrated. We will provide you with a variety of options to help personalize and reflect your loved one’s life, including personalized urns and keepsake urns.
Something else to keep in mind is how you would like the urn displayed. You can display the urn with a photo of your loved one, with cherished keepsakes, or with candles and floral arrangements. If your loved one enjoyed knitting or crafting, you could place the urn atop or by a project they made or one that was special to them.
Custom Displays
Think about some of the activities, hobbies, and other things that your loved one enjoyed. Perhaps they rode motorcycles, were an author, painted, or crafted. Ask your funeral director to help create a display of your loved one’s most beloved belongings. Setting up an immersive display can have an immensely positive impact on family members and friends, as it provides a great way to remember and relive their loved one’s happiest moments.
After the Service
What you choose to do after the memorial service is entirely up to you and your family – unless your loved one previously expressed what they’d like done with their remains. You may wish to hold a scattering ceremony, keep the remains, or use a portion of their remains to create a beautiful piece of art or jewelry. Check out this list for 52 ideas of what to do with cremated remains to help you find something that brings you and your family peace.
These are just three of the many ways to memorialize your loved one. Reach out to our team to learn more and see how we can help you memorialize and honor your loved one.