Organizing a memorial service can be both meaningful and challenging. Paying tribute to a beloved friend or family member can bring up a range of emotions and may even create pressure to do it well.
When preparing a memorial service or celebration of life in Spokane, choosing the venue and organizing the service shouldn’t add to the stress. Event centers may be the perfect option because they offer ample space to host a wide range of events and gatherings; you avoid the triggers that can come from religious institutions or funeral homes; and you can personalize the space with flowers, photos, and memory tables. Finally, parking is usually no hassle.
Use the following checklist in your planning to ensure you’ve considered all aspects of the event, and read through this helpful article on the top questions to ask your event venue.
Create a Personalized Tribute
Most of the time, tributes are created based on people's lives, personalities, achievements, and experiences. You might use photographs, awards, and personal items of a deceased loved one. Such objects will help the guests remember some interesting things about their friends or relatives.
Digital photo slideshows and videos are also popular among event organizers. Photos help people get inspired, remember good times with their friends, and understand what they did throughout their lives.
A flexible venue allows for easy setup and design of displays of different sizes and shapes. At an event center, you don’t generally have to work around a lot of existing decorations and furniture.
Encourage People to Share Memories About the Deceased
Shared memories make memorial services more meaningful. Family members are always interested in hearing old stories or maybe new ones tied to a different aspect of the deceased’s life. Consider setting aside time for people to share stories about the deceased. If time is a consideration, you may suggest that guests write their thoughts and memories on a card. This way, the grieving family members have all the stories and memories in one place.
Sharing will come naturally when everyone feels comfortable. Arrange the seating so that people can see the speaker, and ensure the audio equipment is sufficient for sharing.
Incorporate Meaningful Decorations
Give thought to decorations. They don’t need to be elaborate, but they should reflect the person being remembered in some way. Did he or she have a favorite color? A favorite flower? Even a favorite sports team? People like to see something that reflects the personality of the person they’re remembering. Consider these possibilities:
- Flowers (or plants) in favorite colors
- Photos from various life experiences placed all over the room
- Board for collecting information and notes
- Signs with memorable quotes or wishes
- Decorative candles
The neutral decor in event centers will help you create your own mood.
Offer Food and Beverages
People often organize shared meals for events like these so that everyone who loved the deceased can have more time together. A catering service is often organized for such a party, but it’s not the only way. Consider your options:
- Order catering services
- Provide guests with light snacks
- Arrange coffee stations with desserts
- Serve favorite dishes prepared by family members
Being flexible and allowing people to bring food can greatly assist this process and keep expenses down. You’ll find most people eager to find out there’s something they can do to help.
Include Indoors and Outdoors Gathering Spaces
Asking people to spend their day indoors during the summer may be difficult. People often prefer spending time in a park or some other outdoor place, depending on the season, of course.
Event centers with indoor and outdoor gathering spaces are ideal. Small groups will likely congregate in separate spaces.
Looking for a Space to Host a Special Event?
Burbity Workspaces has event space available!
Consider the Comfort of Your Guests
To create an event like this, you need to take guest comfort into account. Think about nearby parking, easy accessibility for people of various abilities, seating arrangements, and proximity to hotels.
When a meeting space checks all those boxes, you can plan everything without worry.
Add Personal Touches to a Celebration of Life Event
If you’re the person planning the event, there’s a good chance you knew the deceased pretty well. You know what would represent him or her. Consider playing a favorite soundtrack as people arrive or while they mill about afterward. If the person was an artist, by all means, display some of their work or collections. Maybe you want everyone to wear particular colors or don a flower at the entrance. Such ideas may make the party more special and meaningful.
A Thoughtful Venue for Meaningful Gatherings in Spokane
When organizing a memorial service, it's important to select the best venue to ensure it's comfortable and memorable for attendees and to honor the deceased. Different locations have different strengths. A church or stadium may hold special meaning for the deceased.
One of the advantages of an event center like Burbity Workspaces is its flexibility. You can make it what you want it to be.
Choose a Memorial Service Venue that will Work with You
You have a big job ahead of you, but you don’t have to do it alone. Find an event space with supportive, caring staff who will assist you and allow you to make the memorial what you envision. Think about the details in advance and make sure you spread the workload. People really want to help at critical times like these. Don’t try to do everything yourself.
If you think things through in advance, choose the appropriate venue, and spread the workload, your event is sure to be successful.
