Memorial Service Ideas

Purple Moonlight Urn and Gladiolus-A Beautiful Combination

August 5, 2010 urngarden.com

If your loved one was fond of purple, The Moonlight Bohemian Cremation Urn might be the tribute you are looking for. Rich color and detail, The Moonlight Bohemian is a blown glass urn made in Europe. The lid opens from the top and can be permanently sealed if desired. Wax can also be used to secure the lid firmly, while allowing access if needed at a later date. Many of our clients in Southern California use wax to stabilize delicate pieces in the event of an earthquake.

August birthdays could pair purple gladiolus, candles and pictures with this urn at the memorial service for a beautiful display.

Glads are easy to grow if you are considering a memorial garden, or just a special flower planting dedicated to your loved one. We thew some down in the garden this year and were pleased with the results. We want more!

Captain Phil Harris – Deadliest Catch Urn

August 2, 2010 urngarden.com

My dad likes the show Deadliest Catch. In a phone conversation the other day, he asked me if I’d ever seen the show. No, but I’d seen news feeds and knew that one of the captains had died suddenly.

deadliest catch crew

He went on to describe the season finale, Captain Phil’s memorial service. Dad knew that we sold motorcycle tank urns, and went on to describe the customized urn that was designed.

Well, evidently Phil’s untimely death made for some great t.v., because I found pages and pages on a Deadliest Catch discussion board. I had no idea it had such a following. And the urn design by the Killer Paint Company? A huge hit with the fans.

Using Flowers in an Ash Scattering Ceremony

August 1, 2010 urngarden.com

We were thinking about going to the lake this weekend, and evidently so our some of our friends and family. We’ve had several calls lately from all over the country asking questions about water burial. They want to go to the lake, off the dock, maybe in a boat.

scattering ashes at sea

We’ve been cultivating the beauty of fresh flowers as a cool respite from this summer’s heat. The fragrance and delicate beauty have been a bright spot in challenging world.

bird bath

Wreaths and flower petals are a simple and beautiful touch to an ash scattering ceremony, whether it’s at the lake, on the shore, or at sea.

scattering ashes at sea

An inexpensive wreath can be made with daisies, the April birth flower.

daisy wreath

This might not be the best choice for a water burial, but I do love this wreath created with succulents.

succulent wreath

Floral Wreaths for Cremation Urns

July 30, 2010 urngarden.com

floral wreaths for cremation urns

Several years ago I was at a local florist to check out their selection of wreaths designed for a cremation urn. There weren’t a lot of options, in fact, they only had two listed in a notebook, and at the time, no choices were listed on their website. It was sad, and today this particular florist offers more variety. Here’s some ideas for a floral display designed for the urn at the memorial service. You can get ideas for flowers paired with various styles of marble or stone, metal, and wood cremation urns.

My personal favorite is a more wild natural look, with a combination of roses, succulents, and wildflowers. Simple and beautiful and softens the metal vase.

floral ideas for cremation urn

A marble or stone urn is paired with a more traditional style wreath studded with roses, daisies, and greenery.

marble cremation urn floral idea

Lilies are so fragrant, and symbolize friendship.

floral cremation urn memorial idea

This arch over a wood or box shape adds interest. Almost an arbor effect.

flowers for cremation urn

Here’s another box shaped urn, this one is actually made from biodegradable paper. The free standing heart sculpture on the top adds height and interest, and then surrounded by roses and greenery. So pretty.

urn floral arrangments

Speaking of environmentally friendly, if you plan to have an ash scattering ceremony at the lake or ocean, floral wreaths are still a beautiful symbol for a natural burial and gives family and friends a chance to participate in the service by tossing a few petals or setting a wreath into the water along with the ashes.

ash scattering at sea

This particular arrangement gives you an idea of blending the elements of candles, flowers or urn in the loved one’s favorite color to personalize the memorial service. The explosion of pink has all the funeral favorites, roses, Gerber daisies, glads, lilies, and carnations.

Flowers representing the deceased’s birth month might be a good choice. Family’s often overlook the healing power of flowers at funeral or memorial services, and will request that no flowers be delivered. It’s too bad because the tradition of flowers for special occasions is still relevant today and is a proven mood lifter.

If you are planning a funeral or memorial long distance or don’t have a relationship with a local florist, Teleflora has a couple of attractive options, and not just wreaths. This example of two free standing vases flanking the urn make a statement.

For customers in the Springfield, Missouri area our friends at these fine florists can help you create a memorable memorial arrangement:

Rose Among Thorns

Linda’s Flowers

July Birth Flower: Larkspur

July 19, 2010 urngarden.com

larkspur

Our Larkspur have already come and gone. Always precarious in early spring, it takes me awhile to distinguish between weed and bloom. Over the years, I’ve ripped up a few plants before I realized. Larkspur are easy, hardy, and often in the wildflower mixes that you can buy inexpensively and sprinkle out of a can and might be a good choice for a memorial garden.

Larkspur is the July birth flower and symbolizes laughter, energy, and relaxation. You could even decorate with a small garden stone, like the river rock that looks natural and would blend in without looking like a grave yard. The nice thing about these stones are you can have them personalized with names and dates if you want.

larkspur flower