Sample brief produced for Dignity Funerals. Advice based informative article in-keeping with Dignity tone and style.

Choosing a tribute for a loved one can seem a daunting task. At Dignity, we’re here to help you every step of the way, and our expert and compassionate team are on hand to help provide you with guidance. There are many types of tributes and options for commemorating the life of your loved on, so you can be reassured you’ll find something that fits your needs perfectly.

Floral Tributes and Messages

It is traditional at many funerals to bring flowers to lay in memory. Selecting flowers is very personal and many florists will be more than happy to help you make your choice. They can help you find flowers that reflect your loved one, and they’ll be happy to help source flowers if you’re after something specific, for example, a favourite flower or a particular colour.

If you choose a traditional spray or bouquet for laying on the coffin or at the graveside, depending on the funeral type, you’ll have the option to leave the tribute on the flower terrace or you can take it away; your florist will help arrange it into something you can take home more easily.

Often, only family members or very close friends will bring floral tributes, but cards and messages are acceptable for any attendees of the funeral to bring. We recommend you check with the family or the funeral director to see what the etiquette is for flowers at the funeral. Please be aware that many cemeteries and crematoriums will usually remove floral tributes after 5-7 days to help maintain the area and provide room for more flowers, particularly with limited spaces available on flower terraces.

Glass and Ceramic Ornaments

While we appreciate many families want to leave a more permanent tribute than flowers, due to health an safety restrictions and our dedication to providing a quiet and beautiful place for reflection at our sites, we sadly cannot allow the placing of glass or ceramics at the memorial. This includes: wind chimes, pottery and china items, ornaments, snow globes, glasses (such as wine glasses or pint glasses), and candle holders.

If you want to create a long lasting memorial, our team of memorial consultants can help design something for you that celebrates the life of your loved one. They’ll work with you to help create a beautiful and thoughtful piece to last through the years and provide a place where you can visit and reflect in peace.

Alternative Tributes

In recent years there has been an increase in alternative tributes for loved ones, particularly related to the placing of ashes. At Dignity, we work with a number of different companies to help us provide a range of options for ashes. If you are after something particularly specialist, your funeral director or memorial consultant will work with you to achieve this.

Turning ashes into glass or jewellery is a popular option, as it allows you to have a beautiful item you can wear or frame for years to come. There are a variety of colour options and jewellery settings to choose from, and you don’t have to provide all the ashes, only a sample, allowing you to have a permanent piece in memory of your loved one while still being able to care for the remaining ashes.

Another option that has become prominent recently is to have a small portion of ashes mixed with ink and tattooed onto the skin. Commemorative tattoos have been around for many years, but with this new technology it helps preserve the memory of a loved one in a more unique and personal way. We highly recommend that you work with a tattoo artist who has experience of working with ashes in ink as they will need a very fine consistency to ensure a smooth application.

 

Our aim at Dignity is to provide you with the best range of options for memorials and tributes to help you create something beautiful and lasting that celebrates the life and memory of your loved one. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’d like to discuss options for memorials – our team are here and happy to help.