What is a Memorial Service?
A memorial service is a ceremony that honors and pays tribute to the deceased after the body has been cared for. A memorial service has the meaning of any other type of funeral service; honor the deceased. It is very common for a memorial service to take place weeks or even months after the death has occurred.
Memorial Service vs Funeral
The biggest difference between a traditional funeral and a memorial service is that the body is not present at a memorial service. However, an urn with the deceased's ashes may be present at a memorial service. Both a traditional funeral service and memorial service have structure, and both bring the community together in support and remembrance. The main difference between the two is that a traditional funeral service is a much more structured and formal event. A traditional funeral service is often associated with religion so it is often led by a member of clergy, whereas a memorial service is led by a celebrant or master of ceremonies. Memorial services often allow each guest to participate to some level, where guests of a traditional funeral are there to simply observe and reflect.
A celebration of life
is an event that truly celebrates your loved one’s passions, intellectual pursuits, personality, and personal accomplishments. A celebration of life can really have no structure at all and can really be anything you want, the possibilities are endless.
A memorial service could be best described as a perfect mix of a traditional funeral and celebration of life. A memorial service is somewhat structured, but still allows the flexibility to make the ceremony unique and personalized, to fit the individual being honored. Also, the mood generally lies somewhere in between somber and celebratory.
Use of a Civil Celebrant
It is common for memorial services to be led by celebrants. A celebrant is a someone that has been trained to conduct formal ceremonies, such as weddings, baptisms and funerals. They are not clergy; rather they are experienced masters-of-ceremony and story-tellers. A celebrant works closely with the family to create a ceremony in which reflects the beliefs, cultural background, values and aspirations of your loved one, and your family. If you think you would be best served by a celebrant, please speak with your funeral director.
Places to Hold a Memorial Service
There is a significant amount of flexibility when it comes to a location, especially since the body will not be present. Some families choose to hold memorial services at beaches, community centers, parks, restaurants, banquet halls, or at a family members home. For some that want to incorporate some religious facets it is best choose a place of worship. Keep mind that you want a space/location that can hold a large group of people and that has the amenities for any of the features you have planned. For example, if you want a photo slideshow, choosing the beach as your location would not be ideal.
