The long days and warm nights of summer always seem to bring about a celebratory feel, no matter what age or stage of life you’re in. As children, summer is synonymous with vacation and signifies months of freedom. As adults, we don’t experience that same freedom from obligations, but find ways to celebrate the time of year nonetheless. And even in the face of the difficulty that is losing a loved one, there is room for celebration: a celebration of their life.

For funeral professionals, summertime presents unique opportunities to honor loved ones in a meaningful way that is fitting with the season. Tailored services and inclusions help families feel more connected to their loved ones and help funeral homes create meaningful memories before they say goodbye.

Though custom celebrations and funeral services might not seem to go hand in hand, funeral personalization is important to half of families who arrange services. More importantly, nearly the same amount of people say they want their own funerals to be customized in a way that represents their life, tastes, and hobbies specifically. There is indeed a way to incorporate the joyous and uplifting feelings of summer into a deeply meaningful and appropriate custom funeral service that gives families and their loved ones a chance to truly and respectfully celebrate a life lived.

From waterside memorial services to heartfelt sendoffs into the warm summer night, here are some of the most unique seasonal ways to be inspired by the season in your funeral personalization services this time of year.

1. Light up the sky

Often seen at weddings and other celebratory events, lighting and releasing paper lanterns has become a popular inclusion in important summer evenings. Gather family and friends at a clearing or water’s edge or big backyard and give each a lantern to release into the sky for a glowing send-off of a loved one. Guests can release them in unison, or one by one as they recount a memory or say goodbye.

2. Be colorful

A daytime alternative to the lantern send-off is to use biodegradable balloons. Release them from the beach, a boat, or garden and watch the sky turn the color of love and memories.

3. Create nature

For loved ones who were fans of the great outdoors, what could be more special than creating nature in their honor? Either independently at a family home, or with the National Arbor Day Foundation to support reforestation, a tree planting ceremony gives life to the new while honoring the life lived. Alternatively, a family might find joy in planting a memorial flower or even fruit and vegetable garden, at their homes or in a public space where the remembrance of a loved one can be felt by all.

4. Leave a trace behind

Check local laws to learn about how and where you can scatter ashes. An outdoor space that a family’s loved one frequented or had a special tie to is a great place to gather and disperse ashes in their memory. This is a way for all family members and loved ones to be involved and feel a physical connection one more time.

5. Hold a typical summer celebration

Summer is often synonymous with cookouts and good food on the barbecue. And if a family is celebrating the life of someone who could always be found behind the grill or soaking up the sun, a celebratory summer BBQ is a great way to feel their loved one’s presence and create memories together as they say their goodbyes. While the tone may be different from last year’s July 4th shindig, this is an opportunity to gather meaningfully. Family members might try their hands at cooking their loved one’s famous recipes and sharing in those homey comforts.

6. Make a memory on the links

A memorial golf outing can be a quiet, intimate remembrance affair, or it can be an opportunity to fundraise for a charity a family’s loved one supported or was helped by.

7. Borrow from DIY darlings

If anyone knows how to make an occasion unique and personalized, it’s the DIY mavens who share inspiring photos on sites like Pinterest. The well of creativity is endless, and any of these 10 versatile ideas can be adapted to the season and the life your service is honoring.

8. Gather favorite moments

Summers past have undoubtedly yielded plenty of photos, home videos, and stories that make family members laugh endlessly. An intimate gathering, photo swap or scrapbooking session lets families and friends relive those precious moments all over again.

9. Send up a firework salute

Consult state and local laws regarding fireworks and, if permissible, send up a colorful salute at night. Fireworks could be the final touch on another daytime or evening outdoor event celebrating a loved one’s life.

10. Go on an excursion

Summertime is the perfect time for hiking, cycling, watersports, and other fun outdoor activities. To remember a loved one who made regular dates with nature, consider a group hike on their favorite trail, a lazy day on their favorite water’s edge, or another event that they would love to do on any given summer day. At the destination, include any of the previous ideas to add a meaningful moment in a special place.

11. Create a themed Life Tribute

From a beachy lighthouse where sunset memories are made to a fisherman’s quiet, serene view, include a summer theme in your personalized video with Life Tributes memorial videos. A tribute video can include still photos, video clips, recorded audio, songs and more to round up all the ways a loved one has touched so many lives.

Begin offering your client families these services, including Life Tributes Memorial Videos, today. Click here to sign up for a free 30-day trial and see how funeral personalization makes all the difference in your families’ celebrations of life.

Rilee Chastain

More Posts - Website