A modern-day funeral service doesn't need to feel like a dry church sermon. A funeral service should be a personalized experience that speaks to the individual who passed away, and that provides comfort and healing to those who are attending the funeral. There are many different ways to personalize a funeral service. 

Talk With the Funeral Director

If you are hiring someone to run the service for your loved one, you want to make sure that they are putting together a service that reflects your loved one. It is up to you to make sure that the funeral director or religious figure who is overseeing the funeral knows your loved one. Sit down and talk to them about your loved one's life, who they were, and what they meant to you. Have a few different family members or friends talk to the person who will be guiding the service; this will help them create a service that speaks to who your loved one is and is not full of generic platitudes about losing someone. 

Involve Family & Friends

A funeral service doesn't have to be all about someone who didn't know your loved one talking the entire time. Include your family and friends in planning and creating the service for your loved one. It is better to pre-plan so that people can get their thoughts and ideas together than it is just to ask people to share their memories, although that can be important and can provide people with an opportunity to share about your loved one. 

Talk to friends and family, and see who would be willing to get up and share a story about your loved one. Or maybe you have friends or family members who would like to put together a picture tribute video or even sing or perform a song that your loved one would appreciate.  

Involving friends and family from different parts of your loved one's life is a great way to make sure that your loved one's funeral service reflects who they are. 

Personalize the Venue

Next, feel free to personalize the venue in a way that reflects your loved one. If your loved one was a huge sports fan, decorate the space with sports memorabilia and perhaps invite people to wear sports shirts from your loved one's favorite team. Or if your loved one loved to play cards, set up some card tables so people can play cards in your loved one's memory. Decorate the space, and add activities that help connect everyone with who your loved one was to them. 

A funeral service doesn't have to be impersonal. Talk with the funeral director to ensure the service reflects who your loved one was. Involve friends and family in the service, and personalize the venue to reflect your loved one's interests.