How to Create a Memorial Display
There are many ways to personalize the space where a loved one’s funeral services will be held. Displaying photos, memorabilia and collections can make the service more personal and warm to grieving friends and family. It may take a little time, but it will be more than worth it. The venue probably has several places you can set up memorial displays in honor of a life well lived, so be sure to ask when making arrangements.
Photographs on Display
Go through collections of family photos and find pictures of your loved one in all stages of their life. It doesn’t matter if the picture are slightly embarrassing; remembering the funny times is part of the reason we gather together at funerals and memorials. Choose pictures of all shapes and sizes and wipe down the frames and clean the glass for display.
Going through old photos can be a great bonding and grieving idea for family and friends. Be sure to take time well before the service to pick your photos, talk and remember together. Leave plenty of time for the emotions that will surely well up. Also, if you can find only small photos, you’ll need time to get some enlarged for display. Being in charge of getting the pictures ready can be a great job for the family friend who has asked what they can do to help.
Group the photos together on tables around the funeral service space, making sure a large, more recent photo is featured prominently near the entrance and at the guest book. You may also choose to place photos on or near the casket; these should be large enough to be easily seen from anywhere in the room.
Hobbies on Display
If your loved one was a keen fisherman or a gardener, bring his favorite rods or her favorite plants into the services. Friends and family are sure to have fond memories of a day at the lake or in the flower beds. Other hobbies are, of course, welcome, too. Think of baseball bats or other cherished sports memorabilia, models, books or other treasures from their life.
Collections on Display
Did your loved one have a favorite item that you could never pass by without adding to their collection? Maybe it was hats or knickknacks with pigs on them or unique snow globes. Fill the space with your loved one’s own collection and encourage friends and family members to bring theirs, too. It’s a beautiful and moving way to tell someone’s life story. If the family doesn’t want to keep the whole collection going forward, set some out on a table with a note for guests to take one in memory of your loved one.
Be Selective
There are lots of great ideas here, but here’s a reminder to be choosy when creating your memorial display. Telling a great story doesn’t mean you include every detail. Guests can be easily overwhelmed by too many pictures or memories, and it can leave them (and you) an emotional wreck. Funeral services should be a time to begin healing, so be choosy about what you put into a memorial display. Your funeral director will be more than happy to help.
Bevis Funeral Home can help you plan a beautiful and meaningful service. We can also help you deal with your grief as you go through the planning process. Give us a call today at 850-385-2193.
