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5 Ways to Make a Loved One's Funeral Extra Special

Category: Planning A Funeral


Many people are now looking at ways to make their loved one’s funeral special. Making a funeral unique with personal touches can be a fitting way to say goodbye. We’ve put together some unusual and poignant ideas that may inspire you.

1. Plant a Remembrance tree

Planting a memorial tree can be a wonderful way to pay tribute to a lost loved one, or to bring comfort to a friend or family member. Planting the tree can be part of the ceremony and provides a place for visitation and quiet reflection well after the funeral has ended. If you find it difficult to locate an appropriate place to plant a tree, perhaps giving the gift of a ‘remembrance sapling’ or ‘forget-me-not’ seeds to the funeral guests could also be a lovely gesture.

2. Favourite place funeral

People are holding wakes for their loved ones in all sorts of unusual and wonderful venues. They often involve a special place once visited by the departed. People have celebrated their loved one’s life on beaches, woodland walks, even at the zoo! The key here is to think about what was important to the person who has passed – did they have a deep love for animals? Did they enjoy a seafront sunset? If you do choose a venue that is a bit more unique than others, it is always a good idea to seek permission from the owners or council.

3. ‘This is my life’ celebration

One unique idea has been to set up special ‘memory stations’ at the wake after the funeral – each with a food or drink telling a tale about a part of the deceased’s life. Ideas could involve; childhood favourite foods with pictures of them in their youth, followed by the wine they served on their wedding day, favourite meals they cooked, and so on. This can be a good way to allow members of the family and friends to partake in the planning of the celebration, and gives plenty of opportunities for everyone to talk about fond memories.

4. Honour their Hobbies

If your loved one was devoted to a particular hobby or pastime, perhaps it would be suitable to include this within the ceremony. Members of clubs have been known to escort the hearse on the journey to the funeral as a way to honour the person they have lost. Running clubs, rowing clubs, and even ramblers often don their uniforms to show their support for the family.

5. Photo Washing Line

If planning the funeral is overwhelming enough, you may choose to do something more low-key, but equally as special. One suggestion is to ask the attendees of the funeral to bring a photo they have of the lost loved one. They can then write a memory or message on the back of the photo and hang them on a washing line or special ornamental tree. Guests at the funeral can then read and discuss the photos and memories with fond feelings. The photos may even be collected in a scrapbook and saved in a box to look over when required.