It can be especially hard to lose a loved one in the spring, when the blooming flowers, green grass and bright, sunny days in the natural world seem incongruous with inner grief and sadness. But the spring time can be a wonderful time to host a memorial or funeral service. Springtime means renewal, rebirth and life—all of which can be happily celebrated upon a loved one’s passing.
Consider an Outdoor Location
The more reliably warm and sunny weather of spring makes it possible to host a memorial service outdoors without fear of bad weather. While many regions get a lot of rain in the spring, the weather around these rainstorms is often pleasant and ideal for an outdoor ceremony of some sort.
While a traditional burial service is always outside because the burial plot is in an outdoor cemetery, the spring makes it possible to host the entire funeral ceremony outside instead of just the burial portion. While this can provide convenience for everyone involved and also negates the need for a hearse and processional, some families might choose to make the lowering of the casket a private affair exclusively for nuclear family members. This doesn’t mean you can’t have an outdoor ceremony in another location, perhaps a backyard or outdoor destination that was special to the deceased, and then move to the cemetery for the burial. Just be sure to confirm that you are permitted to use the space if it is public, such as a park.
Also, you’ll need to have more accessories for an outdoor ceremony that you might not consider for an indoor funeral, such as chairs, a tent, tables and a podium for the speaker.
Use Spring Colors
Springtime brings with it bursts of color which can provide a dramatic contrast to the neutrals of a traditional funeral. Pastel greens, blues and pinks evoke ideas of spring and fit well into a spring-themed funeral, but other options for color themes include any shade of green (including more bold options like emerald green and Kelly green), as well as turquoises and browns. Consider tying colored ribbons around the pews or chairs, dressing the deceased in a spring-colored outfit, or using a color scheme to choose funeral flowers.
A note of warning: it can be easy to go overboard with color at any ceremony, especially a funeral, and this can start to look tacky. Try to keep your color arrangement to a few complementary colors and don’t hesitate to include a few neutrals to keep things classy.
Use Spring Flowers
Flowers are the greatest vehicle for communicating the vitality of spring. Not only do flowers fit in with the spring theme, but there will also be a wider variety of blooms available to funeral planners at this time of year.
Some of the traditional spring-time flowers include the yellow-white daffodil, which is plentiful in March and April, the rich purple, pink and blue pansy, and the multi-colored tulip. Sweet peas, peonies and camellias are other spring-time options. You could also consider hosting the ceremony in a place with natural blooms, such as a botanical garden, or a backyard awash with rhododendrons, azaleas or crocuses.
A Celebration of Life
While grief can be a dark emotion, a spring-themed funeral or memorial service can serve as a light to combat that darkness. Creating a positive, colorful, fresh environment in which to celebrate your loved one can be therapeutic and this vibrant season offers the perfect venue for that.