Planning a Summertime Memorial Service

By: Matthew Funeral Home
Monday, June 19, 2023

After a loved one dies, some families opt to hold a memorial event sometime after the funeral. The summertime offers plenty of opportunities for a beautiful outdoor memorial service to honor the memory of the deceased. This article will discuss popular ideas for Summer memorial events.

Choosing a Date

If there was a significant date of importance to your loved one in the summer, consider planning your event on or around that date. Birthdates, death dates, anniversaries, or family traditions could all be good ideas for choosing a memorial date.

Picnics or Barbeques

A picnic or barbeque can be a good way to get together with loved ones for a memorial ceremony. Gather at a park, in a backyard, at the grave of your loved one (cemetery permitting), or at the ash-scattering location. Common refreshments at a Summer memorial picnic may include salads, fresh fruit, sandwiches or burgers, etc.

Decorations

Common decorations for a memorial gathering may include photos of the deceased, flowers, and other season-appropriate decorations. Consider putting a photo of your loved one in a summer-themed picture frame, such as one decorated with seashells. Summer flowers that are popular for memorial events include sunflowers, daisies, and gladiolus. 

Ceremonies

Some families decide to have a ceremony as part of their memorial event. This may include the scattering of ashes if your loved one was cremated. Consider capturing lightning bugs in a jar and releasing them at night. Create a fireworks display in honor of your loved one (where legal). Consider planting a tree or flowers in their honor. 

Fundraising and Donations

Some families use memorial events to raise money for charity in the name of the deceased. Consider asking loved ones to donate to a charity as part of the event. This could include charity that was important to the deceased, or perhaps one that cares for others living with the same illness that your loved one had dealt with.

Matthew Funeral Home does not provide medical, legal, or healthcare advice via articles.  This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for legal or medical advice.
For over 50 years, Matthew Funeral Home has been serving the Staten Island community. We can help with almost every aspect of your loved one’s memorial service. Our family is here to serve yours, every step of the way.

Leave a comment
Name*:
Email:
Comment*:
Please enter the numbers and letters you see in the image. Note that the case of the letters entered matters.

Comments

Please wait

Previous Posts

Choosing The Right Grief Counseling Option for You

The passing of a loved one can be incredibly painful. Whether you lose a family member, a partner, or a close friend, grief can affect us in unexpected ways. For some, the grief of loss often seems...

Delivering a Eulogy - Public Speaking Tips

If you are asked to deliver a eulogy at a funeral or memorial service, it can be important to prepare yourself. If you are not confident in your ability to speak to a crowd or are worried about tea...

Grief and Routines - Back to School

Grief can take a heavy toll on a family. After the loss of a loved one, you and your children may have a hard time adjusting. Routines can be an important part of getting back into the groove of li...

What to do if Someone Dies at Home

If a loved one passes away at your home, it can be important to understand the legal procedures for such a situation. Even if their death was expected, such as with a loved one living with a termin...

Interfaith Services at a Wake

New York is a melting pot of different cultures, backgrounds, and religions. For various reasons, some families opt to go with an interfaith ceremony during their wake. This is common with people w...

What Does a Funeral Director Do?

After a loved one passes and you choose a funeral home, your family sits down with a funeral director. It is the funeral director’s job to help coordinate the many aspects of your loved one’s servi...

What to do With Your Loved One's Ashes

After your loved one is cremated, there may be a question of what to do with the remains. There are a number of options available to you and your family. In this article, we will explore options fo...

Burial Plots - What to Consider When Buying

Buying a burial plot is an important part of planning for your final wishes. There are a number of factors to consider when deciding to purchase a plot, or plots, in a cemetery. This article will e...

Is Grief Actually Good for You?

Grief can feel as though a great weight rests on our shoulders. Grieving can be a challenging experience. Although grief is brought upon us by loss and sorrow, is it a bad thing? Grief is an emotio...

Senior Isolation After a Spouse Passes

After the loss of an elderly loved one, their spouse can be left feeling isolated and depressed. After spending a long life with a loving partner, losing a spouse can be like losing a part of onese...