Hi everyone, my name is AnaMae Merton. I recently lost my birth parents during a heavy storm. Their deaths left me reeling, though we were not very close. Furthermore, I was the only surviving kin, so it was my job to arrange the funerals for both of them. The funeral arrangement process was incredibly difficult without knowing much about their personalities or passions. I struggled to find the best songs, outfits, caskets, burial sites and flowers. Luckily, the funeral director helped me identify suitable options for my birth parents' funerals. I hope to help people understand all of the different funeral arrangement options available today. Please visit my site anytime to learn more.
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Learning All About Funeral Arrangement Options
Organizing An Open Mic Funeral? Here Are Some Ideas To Pursue
Christine Fleming
Instead of a formal eulogy, some funeral services turn the microphone over to those in attendance to allow them to share some remarks about the life of the person who has passed away. This "open mic" style of funeral can be valuable for the family members of the departed, as they'll get to hear some insightful comments from a variety of people, rather than a eulogy from just one person's perspective. If you're learning toward going the open mic route, it's valuable to plan how you'll organize this part of the service. Here are some suggestions.
Determine How Many People You Need
When you invite people to approach the microphone and share some remarks about the deceased, you don't want half of the room to get up and be ready to talk. There's likely a time limit on the funeral service, and having dozens of people share memories could be a little tedious for those in attendance. Think about how much of the service you want this part to take up. For example, you might want about 15 to 20 minutes of remarks. Then, consider a suggested time limit per person — it could be three to four minutes. The person leading the funeral can then say he or she would like about five people to share some remarks.
Consider Where They'll Wait
Generally, when you organize an open mic element at a funeral, everyone who wishes to speak will line up and wait his or her turn. In some services, you may want a lot of people to speak, so it's important to have a plan for not only where the microphone will be placed, but also where the people will line up and wait. You don't want them blocking the view of others in attendance, so having someone usher them to the side of the room — and making sure that you set up enough space to stand in this area beforehand — is a good idea.
Take Note Of Who Speaks
Assign one family member with the important task of taking note of who speaks. While you don't necessarily need to send notes of thanks to everyone who simply attended the funeral service, it's nice to acknowledge the speakers with notes afterward. You don't want to overlook anyone, so writing down the name of each person is necessary. If possible, try to write your notes soon after the funeral so that you can easily recall each specific person's words and make reference to them.
Work with a service, such as at Brinsfield-Echols Funeral Home, for more help.
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