Meaningful Additions to a Funeral or Visitation Service

Funerals and visitation services are all about remembering and honoring the life of your late Loved One. They are a time for those who are grieving to pay their respects, reflect on favorite memories, and share precious goodbyes.

When you gather with family and friends at these events, it’s important that your Loved One’s presence can be felt. One way to do this is by incorporating meaningful additions into the ceremonies that feature your Loved One’s personality and what made them unique.

While many funerals and visitations have a set ceremony that is performed or observed, you and your family members have the opportunity to make it special and heartfelt. Work together as you plan the services to determine which additions will be the most meaningful.

We hope that the following ideas can help inspire you and bring you comfort during these important events.

Ways to Make a Funeral or Visitation Service Meaningful

Create a Remembrance Wall

One unique way to remember your deceased Loved One during a celebration of life is to create a remembrance wall. You can ask guests to bring pictures, notes, or mementoes to pin to a wall at the services. Visitors can gather together to talk about their favorite memories and the incredible life their Loved One led. Once the day is over, everyone can take their item back home with them, or leave it for the family to enjoy.

Wear Their Fingerprint on Jewelry

Recognize family members at the service by having each wear a piece of Jewelry engraved with the deceased Loved One’s fingerprint. Your family will be able to keep your Loved One tangibly close to your heart as you say goodbye. These memorials will also help the other people who are grieving to easily identify the close family so that they can share their sympathies.

Choose Colorful Floral Arrangements

Choose flower arrangements with bold, vibrant colors that best represent your Loved One. If her favorite color was pink, encourage family and friends to gift flowers with bright pink or blush petals. If he never missed a baseball game, choose flowers the color of his favorite team. These colorful additions will help make the day unique while connecting you with your Loved One.

Ask Family and Friends to Leave Their Fingerprint on the Casket

Just as having the fingerprint of a late Loved One can be comforting to surviving family members, placing your fingerprint on their casket can be a beautiful symbol of the deceased taking your love along with them to their afterlife. The family can choose to do this privately on their own, or invite others in attendance to join them in the sweet, heartfelt gesture.

Include Nontraditional Music and Readings

Another way to make your Loved One’s funeral special is to incorporate music and readings that meant a lot to them throughout their life. Make a playlist of their favorite songs for everyone to hear as they arrive, or have a close friend read a poem they loved as a part of the service. These little pieces of your Loved One’s life will give peace to mourners by helping them continue to feel their Loved One’s presence.

Serve Their Favorite Food at the Reception

Most memorial services include a reception for guests to spend time together over a meal. Consider serving your late Loved One’s favorite food and sharing it with those who came to celebrate their life. A simple spread of cookies baked from your Loved One’s famous recipe can help those gathered to feel an immediate connection to them. Plus, nothing comforts or brings people together quite like food.

Your Loved One’s funeral, visitation, and other celebration of life services will be incredibly meaningful and comforting when you make them unique to the life your Loved One created. Even the little reminders of your Loved One’s favorite color or song will provide immeasurable peace and connection for all in attendance.

If you have recently lost someone special, please accept our sympathy. We hope that you and your family are able to feel close to your Loved One today and always.