Planning A Funeral or Memorial Service
Planning a funeral, memorial or celebration of life service is an immensley emotional experience. It is also an integral part of the grieving process, and healing process, and it is a day you will remember forever.
There are so many decisions to be made that it can be almost overwhelming. Ask family and friends to support you in this exhausting preparation. However, well meaning relatives and friends may try to assume the whole burden to save parents from the pain. While the process will certainly be difficult, it is also a critical step in the healing process.
The choice of whether to bury your child or have them cremated is a very personal one. Having your child buried in a cemetery means that you will always have a place to visit when you want to feel close to them. Especially on their birthday and anniversary. Choosing to have your child cremated means that you can keep their ashes with you in your home if you wish, or chose to scatter them in a special place, or even have some ashes placed in a piece of memorial jewellery.
Selecting the Funeral Home
Options
Some ideas for your baby's special day.
♥ Consider whether you would like to see your baby before the service.
♥ Choose a special outfit or blanket for them to be wrapped in.
♥ Place any special items you wish to stay with your baby, a special toy, a letter, a flower.
♥ If you have other children don't be afraid to include them in the service, they may want to draw a picture and have it put in the casket with their sibling.
♥Think about asking a family member or close friend to read a poem.
♥Choose some beautiful music to be played throughout the service.
♥ Consider having an order of service printed with the poems and music you have chosen inside.
♥ You may like to hold a gathering after the service to share food with family and friends.
♥ Think about having some photographs of your little one displayed for family and friends who didn't get to meet your baby.
♥ Have a special book for family and friends to write a loving message for you inside.
♥ Consider asking a friend or family member to take some photographs for you on the day. A dear friend of ours did this for us and we now have a lovely album with all our nearest and dearest who came to share with us in saying goodbye to Lily.
Most of all do what feels right for you, say goodbye to your precious child in whatever way you wish.
We offer our deepest peace and love to you.
x x x
Resources for planning a funeral Service
♥ UK Sands When your baby dies
♥ UK Sands Planning a funeral service
♥ Music
♥ Poetry
October 15th International Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Day + Global Wave of Light
We are very grateful to Scott and Claire for their generous hospitality in hosting us for our annual Remembrance Celebration. We invite you to join us for a very special evening remembering and celebrating all our babies and children gone to soon.
On this special date, we will light candles and be part of the global wave of light around the world. It will be an evening of remembering and honouring our babies, sharing and connecting with those who have travelled this path and those who help us to travel it.
If you would like to come along, please join our event on Facebook - to help us prepare for accommodating you.
Doors open 6pm please come early to allow time for candle lighting and putting an angel on our remembrance tree in memory of your baby or child.
There will be tea and coffee afterwards and time to talk and connect with each other.
We hope to see you there, message or email Val with any questions you may have, I will do my best to answer - enquiries@tigerlilytrust.co.uk
We understand that some of you may wish to join us for the Remembrance Celebration but be unable to attend - with this in mind we would like to offer you a way to include your precious babies too. If you send us their name in an email we will honour them by lighting a candle for them and speaking their name with all our babies during the ceremony.
United we honour our precious ones, together we help each other to heal.
Love and blessings, Val x x x