Five common mistakes we make in planning a funeral / memorial
There are a lot of details and moving parts to planning a funeral or memorial. Unless you work in the industry and plan these events often, you more than likely will make one of more of the following mistakes.
- Skip using the pastor or celebrant to emcee the service. Don’t do it yourself. These men and women are trained and experience to keep things moving. They are also outside the same kind of intense emotion that you are feeling. Let them work for you and with you. Good ones will do what you want anyways. So take advantage of them.
- Let anyone and everyone say a few words. You may let anyone speak with good intentions, however the risk is very high. You want to pick people who you know well and trust with a mic. It may be hard saying no to someone, but it’s even harder to watch someone up front make a mess of things.
- Bypass the service order and “wing it” You should not have to plan out every second but you should have a clear order of service by which everyone can easily follow (especially those who are participating). There are logical orders and there are some that create confusion. Take your time and plan it out with someone who has planned them in the past.
- Choose a song that you like but no one else likes. Just because you are in charge of planning the service, be sensitive to the needs and even the wants of the others in the family. This service is for the healing and closure of everyone – not just you. Be careful and wise as you choose the songs and the other details to..
- Do nothing. It can be very tempting to plan nothing because of money or whatever. But all the research shows that closure come quicker when we take time to celebrate someone’s life formally or even informally. It may not be at a church or mortuary. Even if it’s in a bar, backyard or someone’s living room, do something to honor your loved one with others.
Celebrate & Remember Funeral Pastor 