Customized funerals - How to plan them?

Customized funerals - How to plan them?

What is a customized funeral?

Customized funerals are personalized and sometimes even unusual. Some still take place in the funeral home, but often they are orchestrated in unusual locations. They are often even more comforting for loved ones, since they are unique and reflect the image of the loved one.

When planning a funeral of this kind, the focus is first and foremost on the life of the deceased, in order to find the place and formula that suit him or her best. "Don't hesitate to name all the ideas that come to mind, and the most appropriate will take care of itself," says Véronique Michaud (Sales Manager and Family Consultant).


Who is it for?

At MEMORIA, this type of funeral service is for everyone - those who want it.

By coordinating the funerals of public figures (artists, politicians, engaged citizens), we have developed an expertise in customized funerals and a large network of contacts, so that we can offer them more routinely to the families we serve, whether on a small or large scale.

What can be "tailor-made":

  • Venue (choice of location and décor)
  • Casket or urn (modifications or painting)
  • Coffin stand or urn table
  • Bookmarks
  • Signage (photo enlargement, posters, banners, etc.)
  • Buttonholes
  • Vehicles used
  • Staff clothing
  • Recording and rebroadcasting
  • obituary notice (on website or in newspapers) and photo slideshow
  • Type of ritual (secular, spiritual or religious)
  • Personalized invitations
  • Flowers
  • Any other type of request

"Tailor-made" means don't hesitate to ask your advisor for an idea that seems unusual to you.


Our advisors will accompany you with :

Listening:

To find the right idea, the one that makes sense and soothes you, your advisor needs to be an excellent listener.

At your appointment, you'll first be asked to talk about the deceased and the circumstances surrounding his or her death. Then your advisor will catch on the fly the striking elements from which to build your desired ceremony with you.

Vivid imagination:

With his or her great ability to make connections, references and creativity, he or she will later have some great suggestions for you.

Boldness and strategy:

What distinguishes an advisor who orchestrates this type of funeral is, above all, his or her boldness. You mustn't hesitate to pick up the phone and knock on doors, even if the idea seems far-fetched or untried. The key is to know who will be the best contact to answer your request.


What you can add to your support

  1. The advisor may be called upon to draw up a logistics plan.
  2. He or she may work in accordance with different protocols (e.g. City of Montreal or government protocols).
  3. He or she may be in close contact with various stakeholders (media, public relations or communications agencies, public relations specialists, family members or friends mandated for specific tasks, etc.).
  4. He or she may also be called upon to coordinate the guest list (especially for large-scale funerals).


Which venue to choose?

Discussions with the deceased's family are the best way to identify the place that best reflects the deceased's life," says Véronique Michaud.

Here are just a few examples of MEMORIA's off-site funerals.

Theaters: Monument national (Michel Côté), Théâtre de Quat'sous (Paul Buissonneau), Centre du Théâtre d'Aujourd'hui (Pierre Collin).

Official venues: Montreal City Hall (Janine Sutto, Lise Payette), National Assembly (anonymous), Place Ville-Marie (Claude Cormier), Notre-Dame Basilica (anonymous), St-Viateur Church (Jean Lapointe).

Outdoor or leisure locations: Chalet du Mont-Royal (an anonymous young cyclist), on a boat (anonymous), Parc de la Visitation (anonymous), riverside in Gaspésie (anonymous), waterside in Varennes (anonymous) or Châteauguay (anonymous).


Funeral of Claude Cormier, 2023.

 

Funeral for Jacques Duchastel, 2022.


"Made-to-measure", a MEMORIA specialty

From its earliest years, MEMORIA's goal has always been to offer personalized tributes. MEMORIA chooses not to focus its services on combos or packages, but to listen to families' wishes first and foremost.

After all, our motto is "Every life is a story". Our job, then, is to help you tell it - to pay tribute to the life of your loved one.

We have several consultants who are masters in the art of orchestrating a funeral in the image of your loved one. For more information on this type of service, don't hesitate to contact us at 514-277-7778. 

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