The purpose of a funeral is to provide a way of commemorating a life and bringing together friends and family. We aim for our celebrations to be a time to share memories and remember your loved one through music, stories, and capturing the nature of their spirit.

The most important thing to keep in mind when creating a celebration is that it should be reflective of your loved one. While religious elements may play a part, it should also include stories about the person’s life that help everyone recapture and revisit their own memories. Sometimes this is best accomplished by having friends or family members share their reflections as part of the service. Some people personalize the service with special music (which may be religious or non-religious). Others bring in pictures to have at the service. Sometimes favorite things that belonged to the deceased are integrated into the ceremony such as wood carvings, golf clubs or even a motorcycle.

The goal is to give a true sense of who this person was. There is nothing wrong with telling funny stories about the person who died: a funeral recognizes the sad event of a death, but can include humor. Unique celebrations include a patio tailgate party where everyone wears their loved one’s favorite team jersey, decorating to display their passion project, offering unique food, signature cocktail or wine from their personal cellar, or bringing in your loved one’s private art collection to be on display.