It’s important to have different people overseeing the online aspect and in-person portion. Finally, make sure to have someone available to troubleshoot connection issues that may come up during the event. Once you have everyone gathered, who will be on screen? Do you want to include an officiant, clergy, celebrant, singer, or musician? Within the inner circle, who will want to speak, on which topics, and in what order? What time zones are they in and is someone available to coordinate them? Holding a brief rehearsal prior to your event helps ease nerves and work out technical issues. Your order of events, program, speakers, and music choices can all help set the tone. How do you want the occasion to feel? Will it change over time? Is this a celebration of life or traditional homegoing? For example, you could consider a more somber tone for the beginning and move to an uplifting or celebratory tone as the event progresses. Think about the tone you want to set for your gathering. Virtual events encourage creativity and flexibility, which will make your event truly memorable and personally meaningful. Did she like Twizzlers or the color orange? Ask your guests to bring her favorite food or wear clothes branded with his favorite sports team. For example: candle lighting, singing, readings of poems and verses, and special toasts. You can incorporate things that were meaningful to your loved one. Once you determine which traditions to include, give yourself room to create new rituals. If everyone were physically gathered together in one place, what would you normally do? We often rely on family or cultural traditions, religion, or “how we did it before” to plan funeral and memorial events. Consider what will make the event most meaningful for them as you make decisions. To simplify your decision-making process, use your planning team as a guide. Working through everyone’s ideas and suggestions, while managing your own grief, can become overwhelming. When planning an online funeral service, there may be many competing interests. Who will care most about the content of your celebration? Is it the immediate family? Who has administrative or technical skills to offer? Once you have your team, make sure you consult with them early in the planning process. Enabling friends and family to show up, even from far away is meaningful to you and them, as you begin the grieving process.Ĩ tips for how to plan a virtual memorial service:Īlthough many people will gather to celebrate your loved one, there are usually three to five people who are most invested. Virtual funerals remove the obstacles that stand in their way and bring your community together to support each other. Others may have a tight work schedule, pre-existing obligations or medical conditions that make long trips impossible. Some friends and family may live far away, or can’t afford to travel or get there in time. Virtual memorials are more affordable, with cost savings from the venue and possibly food and flowers. Virtual funerals allow everyone the opportunity to participate without geographical boundaries and to give and receive the support they need. Though social distancing has changed how we honor loved ones after a death, gathering family and friends is even more critical as we face restrictions to our physical contact. A virtual memorial or hybrid (in-person and virtual) gathering, when done well, can help you feel connected and supported to friends and family, while also allowing for more flexibility and creativity than a traditional funeral. An online memorial may combine an in-person gathering at a funeral home, church or other venue with virtual guests. The ceremony may include speeches from family and friends, music and singing, readings, poems, prayers, a group activity, an open mic where everyone can share stories, and even a virtual reception to connect informally in smaller groups. A virtual funeral or virtual memorial service brings family and friends together to celebrate a loved one from afar.
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