A funeral is often referred to as a celebration of their life. It is a somber occasion, but the loved ones of the deceased will share the happy memories they had together in remembrance. Oftentimes, the family and friends of the deceased will want to personalize the service as a final way to be connected to their loved one.

In addition to arranging the funeral service, funeral directors have a duty to be supportive and compassionate. There are a few creative approaches to personalizing the funeral service of the deceased, so that all of the mourners can close out the life of their loved one with happy reminders.

Prioritizing the Family’s Wishes

This may seem like an obvious thing to note, but it really is important to remember. In some cases, mourners feel that their loved one would not want a traditional funeral service. Everyone knows at least one person who says they don’t want a “sad” funeral. Every funeral will be sad, but in these cases they may want to shy away from some of the standard traditions one thinks of when imagining a funeral.

With that being said, no matter how out-of-the-box a mourner’s idea is for the funeral service, it should be heard and acknowledged by the funeral director. Even if it is something the director feels they can’t practically do, they could find a way to compromise.

Including Long-Distant Relatives/Friends

In today’s culture, it is easy to find ways to include loved ones who would not be able to attend the service. Most often, this is done through a tribute video. The family and friends would provide photos of the deceased, and then a tribute video can be made with these photos to send to those that couldn’t make it.

A bonus with tribute videos is that everyone involved in the deceased’s life can have them, so even if they were able to attend the funeral, they still have the video to use for their own healing purposes.

Paying Attention to Small Details

By personalizing the space with photos, flowers, beloved items of the deceased, and whatever else the mourners asked for, those who are attending the funeral will be really impressed and feel as if they are in a space meant to celebrate their loved one.

It might be beneficial to ask the family about the deceased’s favorite songs, flowers, or colors. And if they want to have even more personal items involved, ask if there is anything that is special to their loved one that should be featured at the service in some way.

Final Thoughts

Working as a funeral director is more than just embalming bodies and planning funerals. While both of these aspects are involved, a lot more care and patience goes into really creating a memorable experience for the loved ones of the deceased.

We are proud to say that the funeral industry is gaining more talent to provide these services to the world, as the most recent PIMS class graduates on September 16, 2023. We wish them all the best on their post-graduation journeys!