When you first begin the process of designing a funeral, the decisions you'll face might seem overwhelming at first. We're here to help you tackle the choices one by one and make the journey one of love, healing, and life celebration. The process can be broken down into two stages: decisions regarding the service and how you'd like to honor your loved one's life, and decisions regarding how you'd like to care for your loved one's physical remains.
Designing a Service
Whether it's formal or informal, traditional or offbeat, a funeral provides an opportunity for family and friends to gather and support one another in taking the first steps of their healing journey. A service can take place in any setting - at your home, outdoors, or at our facilities, for example - and can incorporate music, poetry, or art in the celebration of a life well-lived. There are endless possibilities for what the service can be, and we're honored to go above and beyond in our duty to meet your personalized and specific requests.
Our staff is experienced in understanding and graciously accommodating the needs of all beliefs, faiths, lifestyles, and relationships. We're here to answer your questions and guide you through the decisions you'll need to make, and will encourage you to take your time to figure out the most meaningful and fitting way to honor your loved one and incorporate the elements that you and your family find meaningful.
Caring for a Loved One's Physical Remains
Once you've chosen how you'd like to celebrate your loved one's life journey, the next decision you'll face is about how you'd like to care for their physical remains. This can be a difficult or emotional choice for you and your family, and we'll provide you with the information you need as we help you to consider your options and make the decision that is right for your loved one and for your family. Once you've chosen between burial and cremation, there are a few additional decisions you'll face:
- For a burial, you'll need to select a casket and a cemetery, and choose between a ground burial and entombment in a mausoleum.
- For cremation, you'll need to select an urn and choose whether to bury, entomb, or scatter the cremated remains, as well as where you'd like to do so.
No matter which path you decide to take, we'll be there to support you and assist you in exploring your options and making an informed decision that feels right for you and your loved one.
Honoring What Made Them Unique
Personalization isn't just about honoring your loved one's individuality. It also allows family and friends to feel connected to the services and the life being honored. A memorable and meaningful service can be an important part of the healing process for those who are coping with a loss. We work closely with you to get to know your loved one's life story and brainstorm ways to represent your bond and pay tribute to their unique journey.
LIFE TRIBUTE VIDEOS
We'll create a one-of-a-kind video tribute to your loved one by combining family photographs with cinematic introductions, music of your choice, and professional effects to share your loved one's special journey during the service and provide your family and friends with a meaningful keepsake after the ceremony is over.
PERSONALIZED PRINTING
From the register book and memorial folders to prayer cards and thank-you notes, our high-quality stationery sets are available in over 500 themes to honor your loved one's hobbies, style, and unique life path. Let us help you explore the options and choose the perfect design to create treasured keepsakes for you and your guests.
TRIBUTE WALL
Memorial sites not only allow you to share stories, photos, and videos of your loved one; they also allow you to connect with family and friends. When visiting the Celebration Wall, guests can leave text comments to share condolences, offer words of support and sympathy through video or audio messages, or leave a meaningful symbol when words just aren't enough. Guests can also view the obituary and service information, and order gifts and flowers directly through the site. This page serves as a permanent virtual tribute to your loved one, and a place you can return whenever you'd like to revisit memories and reconnect with messages of support and love.
DIGITAL GUESTBOOK
Tribute eGuest is the simplest way to record guests’ names and addresses. The weighted stylus replicates the traditional feel of pen on paper, ensuring that guests of all ages and backgrounds will feel right at home using it. The Tribute eGuest application records clean and legible entries that can be utilized after services for custom thank you cards, mailing labels, and an unforgettable Shutterfly-quality keepsake book.
A Lasting Tribute
The grieving process doesn't end when the funeral does. Oftentimes, the services are just the first steps to healing and recovery. It can be hard for the bereaved to return to their regular routines so soon after the services are over, especially given the demands of the modern world and the limits that many employers place on allowed time for grieving.
Creating a lasting tribute can give family and friends a permanent place to visit whan they need help feeling connected to the loved one who has passed. It serves as a focus for their memory, and provides a private space for reflection and peace. It can also serve as a location for family and friends to commemorate important occasions, and can help make it easier to cope on meaningful dates like birthdays or anniversaries. As the years pass, a permanent memorial can also become a link to the past for younger generations who may not have had the opportunity to meet the departed loved one during their lifetime.