Funeral Planning
Holding a memorial event such as a wake, farewell party or celebration of life when a loved one dies is a wonderful way to truly pay tribute to their spirit and life. Often the grief and shock directly following the death of someone close is overwhelming and the task of organising a fitting celebration of life daunting. Whether you choose to have the event after the funeral or some time later, Sentiment is here to help you as much or as little as you wish.
Time of need planning
Time of need planning is for those who would like assistance in planning the farewell, wake, funeral or memorial of a loved one
- We help you find the right funeral director, celebrant or minster.
- Our personal planners are trained in bereavement along with event planning. They will use the sympathetic insight afforded to them to create a truly special, unique and bespoke farewell, however small and subtle or large and unusual.
- They will work closely with you to reflect the personality of your loved one by assisting in gathering photos, memories, stories, music and artefacts to incorporate into a unique farewell.
- We help you with organising all the logistics from paperwork to travel arrangements for family and friends.
Pre-plan service
Pre-planning is for anyone who is thinking ahead or anyone who, sadly, has been compelled to think about their own farewell and funeral. Sentiment believes that one of the most thoughtful gifts that anyone can give to those close to them is to relieve them of the burden of knowing what to do for their funeral.
- A personal planner will work closely with you to design a bespoke farewell which will reflect you and your life, ensuring the event will be everything you want it to be and more.
- We create a wishes document that will “help them help you go out as you mean to be remembered.”.
- Rather than an impersonal eulogy spoken by someone who you may never have met, in an impersonal venue you may never have known, why not organise a farewell that really helps people mourn, grieve, and celebrate?
- If your favourite colour was red, why have everyone arrive in black?
- If you loved camping why not be remembered from a roaring camp fire under the stars?
- If you lived for fine wine & French cheese why serve tea and sandwiches?
You can arrange for champagne on the London Eye, punting in Cambridge, sushi, samba and sangria at the aquarium. The possibilities are endless, so why not leave a more lasting memory?
Venues
You may want to source a venue for the wake or event for the funeral service. We can introduce you to a variety of venues that will be just right for you, from
- a country manor to a football stadium
- a restaurant to a hotel
- a tipi to a yacht
- a cave to a skyscraper
- a fairground to a woodland
Catering
You may be looking to cater a small wake or a large memorial service, to serve cocktails or have a sit down meal We have an abundance of ideas and contacts who we can match to your wishes from
- sandwiches to fish & chips
- an Indian banquet to sausages on sticks
- vodka cocktails to pints of real ale
- canapes to ham sandwiches
Music and entertainment
You may be looking for live music or entertainment for the funeral service or wake. We have an array of contacts for live music performers from
- choirs to solo singers
- harpists to string quartets
- Kali bands to African drummers
- stilt walkers to ballet dancers
- fire spinners to football tricksters
- garden games to bouncy castles
PA (public address) and audio visual hire
- PA hire (outdoor and indoor)
- Projectors and large TV screens
- Lighting and projections
Symbolic ideas
We think outside the box. Just ask us and we will help create something that’s reflective and symbolic
- fireworks to balloon launches
- personalised candles to wishing lanterns
- floating candles to personalised aisle runners
- quilt making to memorial gardening
Extras
If you are using a non-traditional venue we can also organise:
- furniture
- tableware
- serving staff
- outside bars
- theming and decoration
- staging
Wishes Document
A Wishes Document is a document created by Sentiment after we have met face to face with you or talked over the phone / Skype. We will prepare a complete document with full details of your funeral, farewell and wake plans as well as details of living will wishes.
You can update this Wishes Document whenever you like. And every 5 years we will do a quick review of changes you may wish to make.
In meeting you we can ensure that all areas are covered, that all relevant products and services available are shown to you. We take on board your personality and your life and we ensure that your farewell is reflective of who you are.
A Farwell Wishes Document can be anything from a guideline for a simple funeral and wake to a fully planned event – with anything in between.
Please contact us for more information. If you would like a face to face meeting we cover London, the South East and the West Midlands. If you are from the North of England and would like a personal face to face meeting, then please contact The Fantastic Funeral Company (fantasticfunerals.co.uk) who will give you an equally fabulous service.
“When I had completed my wishes document with Sentiment I almost felt like a weight had been lifted from me, like I could carry on with life as normal now and not have to worry about it. I knew that my family would have a fantastic day in my home and not have to worry or guess what I would have wanted”
