Funerals, whether they’re held at a funeral home in Monroeville, PA or some other location or venue, are very important. Mental health professionals and grief specialists alike agree that meaningful funeral services help people cope, accept, and eventually move past the loss of a family member or loved one. Furthermore, properly planned and executed meaningful funeral services provide an opportunity for families and friends to express feelings, connect with one another, and move towards healing as a unit.

However, not every funeral is created equal. In order for a funeral to have all the above benefits it needs to be meaningful. Funerals help honor the deceased’s life and aid the living in recognizing and celebrating that life. But what makes a meaningful funeral? Meaningful funerals usually have things like:

1. Tribute Videos – Modern technology offers a unique way to remember the deceased. Take your home videos, photographs and memoires and create an especially unique tribute video. Put in graphics and music for even more personalization.
2. Customized Prints – Order customized prints for the funeral. These prints range from photo collages and blown-up portraits to bookmarks, programs, boards and even books. Put special quotes, Bible verses, poems or artwork on the prints. You can also print out the obituary, or even the deceased’s favorite sayings. The prints serve as decoration for the funeral and can be taken home by hosts and guests as keepsakes.
3. Memorial Websites – Make the meaningful funeral services accessible to the world with a memorial website. Websites are beautiful and useful. They help connect family, friends and acquaintances online for easy funeral announcements and communication. They also can display the video, obituary, photos and more online so everyone has easy access long after the funeral is over.
4. A Focus on The Deceased’s Relationships – People always say that relationships are the most important part of life, so the best way to have a meaningful funeral service is to have focus on the relationships the deceased had with friends and family. Take a moment to remember special events, fond memories, or everyday moments that embody what made the deceased’s relationships special. Use these memories to enhance your funeral services so they can best honor the deceased.

Patrick T. Lanigan Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc. is a Monroeville, PA funeral home. We would love to use our industry experience to help you plan and execute a meaningful funeral for your lost loved one. Please stop by or give us a call to learn more about our services, or what we can do for you in your time of loss. Remember, you knew the deceased, and you know the best ways to honor his or her life through meaningful funeral services. That’s why the above are just ideas to give you inspiration. What is meaningful to you about the deceased might be different than what is meaningful to someone else about their lost loved one. Trust your instincts and allow the funeral to help you heal.