A Good Send-off: Creative Ideas for a Special Funeral

Posted on 07/09/2022

A Good Send-off: Creative Ideas for a Special Funeral

When a loved one dies, you want to make sure they receive a special send-off. Even though it is a challenging and emotional time, arranging a funeral is a step that must be taken and in some instances can provide a welcome distraction from grief. Some people actively enjoy planning the funeral and service because it is an opportunity to do something nice for the deceased, and creating a truly special funeral can make all the difference to those who are grieving. Below we look at some ways you might want to get creative and make it a special send-off for your loved one.

Transport - while a hearse is a traditional option, it is not the only one. There are many ways you can choose to transport your loved one to their final place of rest. You might opt for a carriage to take them or a special vehicle. Even if you can’t get something unique to transport them to the funeral, you might decide to take their ashes elsewhere in a creative way, such as a helicopter ride or sports car. It may be unusual, but if it is something your loved one always wanted to do but never got a chance to, this can be a fitting tribute and a creative transport option.

Flowers - funeral flowers are one of the most important elements of a funeral. Whether you choose to send funeral flowers to the service, arrange a funeral basket for the ceremony, or organise a casket spray, there are lots of different options for funeral flowers. It could even be something highly unusual such as an image of a person made up of flowers. If you are not sure where to start, then find a local florist who will be a great resource to help you understand what is on offer and what might serve as a fitting tribute for your loved one.

Photos - images of the deceased are another cornerstone of the funeral service. Often these are chosen by the family, however, you may want to go a step beyond this and invite everyone to bring their favourite photo of the person. Or you could create a collage of their face made up of all those images. There are so many options for photos and how to use them in the memorial; have a look online or speak to a funeral director to get some inspiration.

Music - if your loved one had a favourite band or piece of music, this is likely to feature in the funeral service somewhere. But as with flowers, photos and transport, there are ways to get even more creative. Perhaps the deceased was a singer themselves, in which case you could play clips of them performing. Or maybe you know a local band that’d be proud to play at the event. Music is a powerful and emotive art and can make a funeral extra special.

Keepsakes - you may think a keepsake is more common at a wedding, and although keepsakes aren’t considered traditional at funerals, they can be a wonderful feature if done right. You may choose to have something simple created to honour the deceased that people can take home with them and remember the person by. This could be something simple like a candle with their name and dates of birth and death on it or it could be the order or service. You could even offer out the sympathy flowers to guests as a keepsake. Or you may have trinkets from the deceased’s home that you could hand out to attendees to help them remember the person and keep that connection alive, even when they have passed.