One of the many benefits of choosing cremation for a loved one is that you have the freedom and flexibility to host a memorial service that works for everyone in your family. That includes giving everyone time to fly in for the memorial and prepare eulogies or tribute videos. With a little planning and the help of your funeral home director, you can host a celebration of life ceremony that truly honors your loved one. Here are a few things to consider as you plan this tribute.

Choose A Location

A funeral home is a natural choice for a celebration of life ceremony, and it has all the amenities you need in one place. The viewing rooms can be transformed with different seating arrangements to suit your needs, and many funeral homes feature audio/visual equipment for video presentations, slide shows, and musical presentations. If you prefer a more intimate setting, your funeral home director can help you with setting up the seating area and a small stage in your home or backyard. This is an ideal option for a more casual memorial service, and it can also be held at the home of the dearly departed for a personal touch. Remember that you have the freedom to choose from any number of locations, as you won't have to worry about having a casket present for the memorial.

Choose A Theme

You don't have to select a somber theme for a celebration of life ceremony. In fact, you can honor the way your loved one lived by choosing a fun theme that was important to him or her. For example, if your relative loved living in or traveling to Hawaii, you can host a luau and invite everyone to wear Hawaiian shirts to the ceremony. The key to a celebration of life is to share happy memories, and choosing an uplifting theme is an essential part of that. If you host the services at a funeral home, you can still choose a theme, but be sure to discuss this with the funeral home in advance so it doesn't interfere with any other viewings or funerals that might be held at the same time.

Choose Photos Of Your Loved One

Because there will not be a casket for the viewing portion of the services, consider having large photos of your loved one printed and displayed throughout the area you're hosting the celebration. You can create photo boards with smaller images as well, which provides a great way for friends and family to share their favorite photos. If you'll have your loved one's urn present, consider placing the photos on easels with the urn in the center on a pedestal.

Talk to your funeral home, one like Maham Funeral Home, about creating a celebration of life instead of a traditional funeral for your loved one. Wait to schedule the event until after cremation has been performed and the cremains have been returned to you so you can incorporate the urn into the celebration.