5 Elements You Need to Plan Your Funeral Service

Many religions have their own funeral services, but if you are not a member of a set religion or if you just prefer to do your own thing, you may want to plan your own funeral service. Most funeral homes and even some churches are willing to let you use their facilities for the services, and some funeral directors can even help you put together a service.

In other cases, however, you may need to plan your own funeral service. Here are some elements to consider.

1. Celebrant

First and foremost, you need a celebrant. This is the person who plays the traditional role of the minister, imam or other religious person. They lead the service and introduce each element. They can write their own things to say, or if you prefer, they may be able to read from a script that you have written.

2. Readings or Prayers

In addition to the general thoughts or ideas shared by the celebrant, you may want to add some readings or prayers to the funeral service. This helps punctuate the service and pull everything together. You may want to choose prayers or verses from a holy book, but you don't have to. You can also choose poems that would have been special to the loved one or passages from a book.

3. Music

Music can also be a nice way to celebrate a lost loved one. Some funeral homes and churches have pianos or organs available and potentially even an organist or pianist who can work the event. In other cases, you may want to bring in musicians who play guitars or other string instruments. Many funeral services simply create a playlist based on music that the deceased person loved, and they play those songs.

4. Pictures

Another way many people are celebrating their loved ones' lives is to display photos at the funeral service. In addition to sharing photos, you may want to put together a slide show for the funeral service. That can be set to music, and many funeral homes have projectors and screens you can use.  

5. Symbolic Rituals

Finally, you may want to put some symbolic rituals into the funeral service. Some people like to do a dove release, and there are companies that specialise in doing this for funerals. In other cases, you may want to choose a ritual from another culture. You just need something that speaks to you.

To learn more about your options, contact a funeral home like Caring Funerals.