Personalisation

• Personalise the order of service – a staple at any funeral, the order of service acts as a memento for guests to take home. So why not personalise it to add an extra touch? From something as simple as captioning each photo used to creating a bright design incorporating their favourite colour, create a unique keepsake for mourners. 

• Memory board – a memory board is a great way to get people sharing memories and experiences about the deceased. It could just be photos, but for something extra, you could encourage mourners to fill out labels or cards to pin up on the board with memories or messages. 

• Funeral cars – alternative funeral cars offer a unique funeral experience, which could be inspired by your loved one’s hobbies or interests. For example, a fire engine, campervan or even a bicycle hearse – which would be good for a green environmentally friendly funeral.  

Nature 

• Reusing the funeral flowers – after a funeral, there is likely to be an overload of flowers to find homes for. Instead, why not give them to guests to show thanks for their support? This way, they’ll likely last longer and guests can take something home with them as a memento of the day. 

• Plant a memorial tree – at the funeral, a unique funeral idea would be to gather everyone and plant a memorial tree somewhere special. This can act as a place where mourners can come to visit and pay their respects for years to come. 

• Seed cards – handing out seed cards of your loved one’s favourite flower is a great way of getting guests to commemorate their life – being able to plant the seeds out in their own garden. You could even personalise the seed cards for an extra special touch.   

Celebration 

• Firework display – for something slightly more extraordinary, a firework display would be the perfect way to celebrate the life of someone who has left us. This would involve making sure the funeral was at night (or if in winter, during darkness hours). 

• Live stream for absent friends and family – sometimes loved ones who live far away or who are unwell may not be able to attend the funeral. Streaming the funeral live from the venue is a great way to include everyone, allowing everyone to feel part of the celebration of life. 

Creativity 

• Creating a funeral theme – simply, a theme for the funeral can add a level of uniqueness. It can be as easy as suggesting a colour for clothing, a range of decorations perhaps based on your loved one’s hobbies or interests, and maybe incorporate this into the food being served too. 

• Memorial painting – a great way to honour your loved one is to have a memorial painting done. This can be hung up at the funeral service or wake for people to admire – painted from your favourite photo. 

• Memorial candles – carved candles with a customised message on them act as a great hand-out to guests at the funeral. Mini candles for everyone to light during the service and keep afterwards offer a creative unique keepsake they can treasure.  

Entertainment 

• Slideshow – you may have many photo albums of you and the deceased. So why not show these photos off to family and friends? A slideshow upon entrance for the guests is a simple touch – but can have a great impact. 

• Treasure hunt – one of the quirkier ideas, a treasure hunt can serve to celebrate certain highlights of the deceased’s life. For an interactive funeral to get guests out of their pews, this is a great way to have fun while remembering the life of the loved one. 

• Funeral songs – A family member or close friend singing a song at a funeral is always a memorable moment. However, you could potentially look to involve all the guests with an open mic opportunity – this could be at the wake and can let people get involved and sing a song in memory of their lost friend or family member.