Planning a memorial service for someone that you love is a very hard thing to have to do. The most important thing that you have to think about it is how you want to represent to the guest, the life of the person that you are honoring and what they meant to the world. At this time you will be of course overcome with grief for the loss of your loved one, and at the same time you need to make sure that you do the best job that you can for the service. Let’s take a few minutes and offer some tips on how to decide a theme for a memorial service.
Before you do anything you need to make sure that you have dealt with your own emotions appropriately. You cannot make good decisions and take care of these arrangements if you are fighting though your own grief. Once you have gotten through your own sorrow you will be better prepared to deal with the task at hand. The first thing that you need to do is to figure out what kinds of person the honoree was in one word. This is a great start to your theme.
Secondly, you will want to pick a tone that is in line with the way that your friend lived their life. If they were an energetic, outgoing an vibrant person who loved every minute of life and all that it had to offer then you might want to celebrate their life with a party. If, however, they lived a very conservative, traditional and somber life then you might want to have a more classic service such as a wake or remembrance circle.
Now that you have your basic concept and you have decided on a tone, your next step is to pick a place to have the memorial service. This can be an extraordinarily important decision. You want to make sure that you select a place that is relevant to the person being honored. If they loved the outdoors then perhaps a state forest, if they were a hiker of hunter, then a mountain retreat, an artist then a small place in the canyons or is they loved the sea then a beach or Cliff-side, or perhaps alight house. The location will play a significant role in your theme.
Lastly you will need to consider how you will be handling the guests. Should this service be a private affair that is invitation only, or should it be an open and welcoming environment where everyone who loved and cared for this person can come and share in the joy of who they were? This will again be very relevant to whom they were in life. If they were a private person whom keep a close circle then a guest list is appropriate, for the person who called the world a friend, let things be more open and welcoming to all.
It is hoped that you will be able to use these tips on how to decide a theme for a memorial service to not only plan a get together that is in the best memory of your friend but also will help you to get through the pain of their loss easier. Losing a friend is tough, but remember that life does go one and they will forever live on in the hearts and minds of those whom they loved and the life they left behind will be a tribute to their existence. The service is a chance to celebrate them. Good luck.
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