Sadly, event centers in Alamo, TX aren’t always used for celebrating. Event centers can also be booked for more somber occasions like a memorial service or reception for after a funeral. If you’re looking Use this list of things to think about when planning a funeral, memorial or reception to help you get started planning for your lost loved one: 

• Venue – The traditional funeral home or church isn’t necessary the only choice for a memorial anymore. You can also choose to have a reception or service in an event center, park, on a beach, at a home, in a museum, or almost any other place that holds significance to you, the deceased, and the rest of the bereaved. 

• Disposition – Burials used to be the default, but not anymore. There are tons of options these days from cremation services and body donation to entombment and more. 

• Donations – Another new trend is asking for people to send donations “in lieu of flowers”. You can ask guests to make contributions to a cause the deceased believed in as a good way to carry on his or her memory. 

• Celebrants – Sometimes families don’t want a religious service led by a pastor or clergy member. In these cases, they may want to hire a celebrant. Celebrants are licensed masters of ceremony that work with the bereaved to customize memorial services in fresh and unique ways. Most funeral homes and cremation providers can offer lists of recommended local celebrants. 

• Flowers – Flowers are a traditional part of memorials and funerals, and probably aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. They can transform any room into a comforting and welcoming space perfect for grieving a loss and celebrating a life. Consider getting personalized floral displays or arrangements for even more flair. 

• Memorial Gifts – There is a new tradition of giving small gifts, like party favors, to memorial guests. These gifts are a nice way to help them keep the deceased in their minds and hearts long after the service is over. Feel free to get creative, like making recipe cards with the deceased’s favorite dishes. 

It’s also always a good idea to personalize parts, if not all, of a lost loved one’s memorial. You can really have fun with this part of the planning! Readings, poems, prayers and even music can be easily combined with a service, as can any other aspect of the deceased’s life and personality. For example, if the deceased loved antique cars, you can have old cars parked in the event center’s parking lot. Or, if the deceased loved jazz music, you can hire a jazz band to play at the reception or play jazz music during the service. Don’t forget to also include personal memorabilia like photos, videos, and beloved objects. 

We here at Memorial Event Center are prepared to help you plan the perfect event, whether it’s a celebration or more somber reception. If you want more ideas or help planning a funeral reception or any other kind of event at an Alamo, TX event center just get in touch with Memorial Event Center today.