Memorial Service Ideas - Six Ways to Customize Your Loved One's Memorial

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Melody_Jamali]Melody Jamali
When you suffer the loss of a loved one, during the funeral planning stages, you want to make sure that the memorial service ideas are as unique as the deceased was. There are many ways that you can break out of the traditional format of a funeral or memorial service and create a service that will serve to honor the memory of your loved one. Below are some memorial service ideas that you can consider when planning a funeral.
Play a Slideshow
Collect photos of your loved one from anyone that will send them. You can have friends and family email you photos and you can scan older photos onto your computer. Put together a slideshow that can be played on a loop during the ceremony or once, after the eulogy, to remind friends and family of the life your loved one led.
Request Charity Donations
One of the memorial service ideas gaining popularity is donation to charities. Families are asking that, rather than sending flowers, people send donations to a selected charity on behalf of the deceased. The charity you choose should be something that your loved one supported during their life.
Create a Memorial CD
These days, making a great playlist is as easy as drag and drop in iTunes. A unique memorial service idea is to create a mix CD for guests to take with them after the funeral. The CD should feature your loved one's favorite artists and songs. This may be as easy as sorting their iTunes by "most played" and creating a playlist from those songs.
Encourage Guests to Tell Stories
Memorial service ideas don't have to revolve around what you do. Let your guests give back at the funeral as well. Set aside a block of time for guests to stand up and tell their own stories about the deceased. Make sure there are several microphones to go around the room so that they can be heard.
Contributions for a Memorial Quilt
Creating something lasting from the memories people have of your loved one is a very unique memorial service idea. Ask guests ahead of time to bring in some small piece of material that reminds them of your loved one. This can be anything from a t-shirt to a bandana, whatever reminds them of the deceased. When all of the pieces have been collected, you can have them fashioned into a memorial quilt.
Plant a Tree
Have the memorial service outside and have the burial of cremains at the same time you plant a tree using the ashes. Having the memorial service based around the new tree is a beautiful way to show that your loved one gave new life even in their death.
Melody Jamali is the Founder and President of ( [http://decorative-urns.com]Une Belle Vie ), a Colorado company dedicated to bringing choice of cremation to public light. Their company offers the widest selection in decorative urns for cremation and includes a wide collection of resources designed to help families and friends in their time of need. From tool for the grieving to informative articles about planning, support and other uplifting thoughts, Une Belle Vie is a company dedicated to helping your celebrate the life of the one you love - on your terms.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Memorial-Service-Ideas---Six-Ways-to-Customize-Your-Loved-Ones-Memorial&id=6619039] Memorial Service Ideas - Six Ways to Customize Your Loved One's Memorial