Personalise your loved one’s funeral: 5 meaningful ideas
Arranging a funeral or memorial service can be both an immensely difficult experience and a relieving one. It is a deeply personal process that provides an opportunity to celebrate your loved one’s unique life and provide a poignant moment in your grieving process, whilst often acting as a point of closure and acceptance of their passing.
Funeral personalisation and bespoke funeral services ensure that every element reflects your loved one’s individuality, making it a meaningful farewell and an opportunity for friends and family to pay tribute to that person’s life.
To guide you through the process, we’ve put together 5 steps to create a personalised funeral ceremony that will help you create a heartfelt and memorable funeral.
1. Choosing the right location and venue
When selecting a venue, think about how it reflects your loved one’s personality and values. Traditional funeral settings like a church or crematorium are common, however, it’s important to make it reflect the personality of your loved one. For example, consider how to incorporate elements of outdoor settings for nature lovers.
Modern venues often allow flexibility for personalised funeral ceremonies. Ask about options for adjusting the lighting to create different moods or highlight meaningful objects. Adding elements like candles or fairy lights can add a serene ambiance - consider the look, feel and atmosphere to create a tailored memorial service.
For those wanting a completely unique experience, venues equipped with Obitus’ Canvas technology can bring remarkable customisation to life. Most recently, our ground-breaking installation has allowed venues to project incredible scenes onto the walls in front of and around guests to make them feel as though they are in a space that’s meaningful to their loved one.
For example, the coffin could sit in the centre of a football stadium, countryside scene, winter wonderland, or even a completely customised backdrop such as a family holiday destination or even a recreated wedding setting. This transforms any venue into a truly magical space to remember your loved one.
For families with distant loved ones, if some attendees are unable to join in person, live streaming from the venue can ensure they feel part of the day, enabling them to watch the funeral service in real-time and experience the venue as if they were there. Our streaming services allow family and friends from around the world to participate remotely, creating an inclusive experience for family and friends from around the world.
2. Music that speaks volumes
Music has the power to evoke deep emotions and transport us back to cherished memories. Playing your loved one’s favourite songs or meaningful pieces can personalise the ceremony and create moments of connection.
Examples of personalised music choices:
A playlist featuring their favourite music, artists or genres.
Live music performances of songs that hold sentimental value.
Classical or instrumental music for a reflective tone.
Research suggests that music can significantly impact how we process grief, providing both solace and a way to honour a loved one’s memory since the therapeutic role of music helps to evoke positive memories while offering emotional support.
“Music is often something we turn to during times of grief and loss. It can evoke fierce emotions, trigger memories and transport you back to days gone by.” - Marie Curie
Finding the perfect soundtrack
The music you choose to play at your loved one’s funeral should feel immensely personal. And no matter how unique a choice your soundtrack is, we’ll source it for you - from hunting down a specific version of a song from a 1930’s movie or simply getting hold of Ed Sheeran’s Supermarket Flowers in licensed high quality, our extensive music library enables families to curate a bespoke soundtrack for the service.
How to find music inspiration
If you’re struggling for inspiration, ask friends and family about songs that remind them of the person. Their input may introduce ideas you hadn’t considered, making the service even more special.
Sometimes, we find that our loved ones have left funeral plans and instructions about the songs they’d like to play at their service. However, in the case you don’t have such guidance, or you simply can’t put your finger on the right song choice, we’ve collated a list of the 50 most popular funeral music tracks that we’ve seen requested at Obitus over the last decade.
Obitus’ comprehensive library ensures that no matter how niche your choice, the perfect track can be found. Use music not just to honour the past but to inspire hope for the future, closing with an uplifting song that celebrates life.
3. Visual tributes that tell a story
One of the most unique funeral arrangements you can make is to include a visual tribute during the service.
Unlike a venue which can be booked by thousands of people, and a soundtrack which might be played at hundreds of funerals, a visual tribute is completely unique. It brings a loved one’s life to the forefront, celebrating their journey and the memories they created - a story like no-one else’s.
A visual tribute cannot be replicated and brings a completely unique aspect to the service. It could take the form of photo displays, videos, or physical items that share memories of the person who has passed.
Ideas for meaningful visual tributes:
Photo collages: Display snapshots from different stages of life, arranged thematically or in a lifespan timeline. Speak to your funeral venue about options to display these - some modern venues are equipped with Obitus’ Digital Gallery, offering a dynamic space in the venue reception to display cherished photos.
Video presentations: Combine photos, video clips, and music into a dynamic memorial video. Videos allow attendees to connect with a life story in ways words or photos sometimes cannot convey. A well-curated photo or video montage can highlight milestones, such as birthdays, anniversaries, and family gatherings, while capturing the person’s essence.
Interactive displays: Include a table with items representing their hobbies or achievements, such as medals, books, or travel souvenirs. For those with artistic hobbies, consider creating an exhibit of their artwork, photography, or crafts. This gives guests a tangible way to connect with their creative spirit. For avid travellers, a world map display featuring photos and mementos from their favourite destinations can tell their journey in a powerful, visual way.
Storytelling not only builds connections and offers moments of reflection, but during bereavement, it helps provide a way to cope with grief.
With Obitus, you can go one step further by creating personalised Themed Tributes - video memorials that are custom-made using a theme that reflects your loved one; choose from florals for garden-lovers, scrap-book style for the memory-makers, space-themed for the budding astronauts among us, and so many more that help to share stories in an even more personal way.
We offer a professional way to craft these stories, blending images, words, and designs to create a powerful memorial.
4. Keepsakes to cherish forever
Keepsakes are tangible reminders that help families preserve their connection to a loved one. These items can bring comfort and keep memories alive long after the funeral service.
Popular keepsake ideas:
Memory boxes to store photographs and personal mementos.
Jewellery engraved with initials, dates, or fingerprints.
Personalised photo albums documenting the service and key moments.
Service recordings and visual tribute hard copies.
Soft toys and teddies made from memorable fabrics or garments.
Visual reminders of a loved one can aid in emotional processing and create a sense of continuity. That’s why Obitus’ Keepsakes have been thoughtfully designed to preserve these precious memories, whether it be a service recording from the day, or a Memory Box to store photographs.
5. Thoughtful details to honour their legacy
The small touches can make all the difference in personalising a funeral. These details not only honour your loved one’s memory but also bring the service together in a cohesive and meaningful way.
Further funeral personalisation ideas:
Flowers: Custom floral arrangements using their favourite colours or flowers.
Decorations: Themed décor that reflects their hobbies, passions, or cultural heritage.
Funeral celebrant: Choose your celebrant carefully - can they capture the uniqueness of your loved one, do they embody something they were passionate about? Make sure the person who talks about their life will resonate with guests.
Funeral procession: Consider how you will get from the funeral home to the funeral venue; a traditional hearse, horse-drawn carriage…
Order of service: Personalise the cover with a photo, add a quote your loved one was known for, or custom-design your printed guide for guests to keep as a momento.
Readings: Readings or poems extracted from their favourite books, or personal reflections written by family members.
Beyond the service: Have their favourite food or drinks being available at the wake.
Memorials: Create a memorial you can visit to sit and reflect - perhaps a bench in a meaningful location, or a small flower garden at home.
Personal touches can transform a service into a celebration of life, rather than a formal farewell, helping to create a service that is both heartfelt and memorable.
Final thoughts on personalised services
Personalising a funeral is an opportunity to celebrate your loved one’s life in a way that feels meaningful and authentic. It is, without doubt, one of the most difficult times of your life, but by focusing on the venue, music, visual tributes, keepsakes and thoughtful details, you can craft a service that honours their memory and provides comfort to all who attend.
Explore our range of services to create a unique and unforgettable farewell. And don’t forget to speak to your Funeral Director about the unique possibilities at your chosen venue.
