Printed Memorials
Printed memorials are hardcopy programs, cards, bookmarks and brochures given as a hand out during a wake, funeral or memorial service and are usually made out of paper. The printed memorial typically includes the deceased obituary, order of service, photographs that highlight milestones in his or life, a special poem of remembrance and family thank you acknowledgement. it can be any type of handout that contains a photo of the deceased and some form of tribute to them. It is a way for the family to pay tribute to their loved one without actually having to speak or give a presentation eulogy. The information within the printed memorial speaks for itself and honors the memory without having to speak.
Anything You Print Can Be Considered A Memorial
It doesn't have to be fancy to be considered as a memorial keepsake. For example if you print a letter size photo of your loved one with a simple In Loving Memory under the photo, this is a form of memorial in its own right. It does not have to be a well written or lengthy document. Sometimes, minimalistic speaks volumes and no additional words are really needed. On the flip side, there are times when you need to include more text such as in a funeral program that's handed out in a service. The printed memorials are the last tangible item attendees will take away from the service so depending on the ceremony, you may want to provide a program that's more substantial.
Programs, bookmarks, prayer cards, booklets flyers, brochures, postcards and even a guest book are all good examples of what families create as a printed memorial. These are more standardized and can be created easily using a template. It is recommended you utilize a template for creating memorials such as these because it will save you time. The funeral planning process is time sensitive so not having to design from the ground up will be helpful and to your benefit. A template has already created the foundation so all you need to do is build upon it by personalizing and adding any photos you wish to highlight in the printed document. You can also get a friend to help you or add The Funeral Program Site's professional design service which assigns a graphic designer to create it for you at a reasonable cost.
Families may not realize the tangible item is valuable until days or weeks after the service where you might see it tucked inside a bible or on your shelf. These types of documents are hardly left on the pew or thrown away. In fact, there are many people that collect the funeral programs or other types of printed remembrances and just keep it in a special box.
In Loving Remembrance
Special keepsakes are a valuable addition because it provides a piece from the deceased final celebration of life and attendees love reading about your loved one. It is a form of honor and tribute in a printed form. Don't shy away from distributing a printed memorial because you do not know how to make one. Take a shortcut and use templates! You do not need any special graphic design skills because anyone can use it and look like a professional. That's the beauty of using one, it makes you look like you've done all the work but in realty just changed the text. The background and layout are already formatted for you. It's an amazing tool during a time of loss!
Something tangible that people can hold on to can also be a symbolic way of holding onto the memory. Having something to refer back to months or years after the funeral helps people to heal and can stir fond and wonderful memories within. This is okay and is all a part of the healing process. Talking and reading about a loved one who passed is a great way to keep their memory alive in your heart. These conversations can be triggered by seeing something as a printed document. Many grieving families take the keepsake with them in a purse or wallet. Prayer cards are a great convenient sized memorial that can be easily kept inside these areas. If you find yourself waiting in traffic, waiting in a line or in an office somewhere, taking out the small size card or bookmark and reading its special prayer or words of reflection can be a positive step towards healing the loss.
We've compiled the following articles on creating any kind of printed memorials you can think of with our DIY templates or on your own. Related topics such as tools or software you can use or words used within are provided for your reading and reference. We hope it will help you to get inspired and equip you in knowing how and where to begin.