Planning Your Funeral
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Planning Your Funeral

Nearly 5 years ago, my husband’s precious maternal grandmother passed away. This special woman had an amazing sense of humor and a flair for life. Without saying a word, she could make me laugh with just a look. Several years before her death, she visited a local funeral home in order to plan her funeral services. When she passed away, the family didn’t have to deal with the stress of organizing her farewell services. They could relax, grieve, and concentrate on the wonderful memories they shared with her. I've grown to appreciate this. On this blog, you will discover the steps required to plan your own funeral.

Planning Your Funeral

Hosting A Memorial Service In Your Home: Four Things To Consider

Nora Mitchelle

If your loved one has chosen cremation rather than a casket viewing, you may want to consider hosting the memorial service in your home. This provides a more cozy and familiar feel than a funeral home, and it can be a bit less intimidating to younger members of the family. Hosting the memorial service will take a bit of planning on your part. Here are some things to consider as you prepare for the memorial service.

Chair Rental

Chances are, you probably don't have a few dozen folding chairs in your home. You'll want to have seating available for the more formal part of the service, so work with your funeral home director like those at Romero Family Funeral Home Corp. to arrange for chair rental and delivery. Some funeral homes have chairs available to rent, while others might work with a local vendor to have the chairs sent to you. Consider paying to have the chairs arranged in the room you'll be holding the memorial in, as this gives you more time to focus on other things.

Urn Pedestal

If you will be displaying your loved one's urn, be sure to invest in a pedestal or elevated table of some type. You can dress up a table you have in your home with an understated tablecloth, or you can rent a column-style pedestal from a local party supply store. Consider placing wreaths of fresh flowers on both sides of the urn, or have your loved one's picture enlarged and framed so it can be placed beside the urn on an easel.

Reception Table

Create a reception table near the front entrance of your home where mourners can sign the guest book and pick up a memorial card. You may also want to place a box for greeting cards on the table, as some visitors may bring condolence cards with them. Add a tablecloth to a regular card table for an easy way to create the reception area.

Audio/Visual Setup

Depending on the size of the room you plan to host the memorial service in, you may want to consider adding a microphone and speakers to the room. If you plan on showing a slideshow presentation, a projector and projector screen can also come in handy. Your funeral home director may be able to arrange the rentals of audio/visual equipment for you, or you can also rent these items from a party supply company.

Even though you won't be hosting the memorial service at a funeral home, your funeral director can still assist you with all of the planning that goes into the service. Talk to him or her first about how you want the service to go so you can plan a memorial that pays loving honor to your dearly departed.


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