Traditions surrounding death, grieving, and funeral homes in Clarksville, TN are changing. This change is good as it allows for ultimate personalization for celebrating the life of the deceased, especially if the deceased served in the military or armed forces. These days, there are almost no rules when it comes to planning a memorial or military funeral service. This lack of guidelines, while good for personalization, can make planning tough.

Where do you start? Begin with the location. The traditional funeral home or church isn’t necessarily the only choice for a memorial anymore. You can also choose to have a service in a park, on a beach, at a home, in a museum, or almost any other place that holds significance to you, the deceased, and the rest of the bereaved.

You can also personalize parts, if not all, of a lost loved one’s memorial. You can really have fun with this part of the planning. Readings, poems, prayers and even music can be easily combined with a service, as can any other aspect of the deceased’s life and personality. For example, if the deceased loved jazz music, you can hire a jazz band to play at the reception or play jazz music during the service. Don’t forget to also include personal memorabilia like photos, videos, and beloved objects.

Another new trend is asking for people to send donations “in lieu of flowers”. You can ask guests to make contributions to a cause the deceased believed in as a good way to carry on his or her memory. Flowers are a traditional part of memorials and funerals, and probably aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. They can transform any room into a comforting and welcoming space perfect for grieving a loss and celebrating life. Consider getting personalized floral displays or arrangements for even more flair. There is a new tradition of giving small gifts, like party favors, to memorial guests. These gifts are a nice way to help them keep the deceased in their minds and hearts long after the service is over. Feel free to get creative, like making recipe cards with the deceased’s favorite dishes.

Also think about the master of ceremonies. Sometimes families don’t want a religious service led by a pastor or clergy member. In these cases, they may want to hire a celebrant. Celebrants have licensed masters of ceremonies that work with the bereaved to customize memorial services in fresh and unique ways. Most funeral homes and cremation providers can offer lists of recommended local celebrants. What about the final disposition? Burials used to be the default, but not anymore. There are tons of options these days from cremation services and body donation to entombment and more.

Planning a funeral or memorial service is very personal, so these ideas are just to get you started. Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory is here to help if you want more ideas or help planning a funeral or military service at a Clarksville, TN funeral home.