What we do:
We plan and lead memorial services built to reflect a person’s life.
Our first step is to gather stories. We spend an hour or two with the family members of the person who has died, and invite them to share memories and stories and to reflect on that person’s life.
From there, we put together a service that weaves those stories into a reflection on the person’s life and legacy.
Most families aren’t quite sure what they want the service to look like. Some start with a blank page. Others have general ideas and a reading or two they would like to include. And a few have a specific outline and detailed list of elements. (Most of the time, people say “We don’t know how to plan this. We want it to be nice, and not religious in ways that make us uncomfortable, but we aren’t sure where to start.”)
We are happy to work with you wherever you are in the planning process, and we’re used to planning services with people who aren’t used to planning services. We are comfortable with however much input you would like to have, and we are ready to handle the remainder of the planning.
Our services are available within an hour’s drive of Richmond. Additional distance requires special arrangements and travel compensation.
What we don’t do:
We are not a funeral home or cremation service. You will need to work with a funeral director to arrange for cremation or burial. If the family selects cremation, we are available to lead a service at any venue the family selects. If a family chooses burial, we are available to provide a service at the funeral home or cemetery; other families elect to have a smaller, private burial service, with a larger memorial service at a different location and on a different date. Each person is unique, and different options are appropriate in different situations. We are happy to talk with you, and to work out what will be the most appropriate way to honor the life of your loved one.
We are not a venue. We will travel to and work with venues in the Richmond area as arranged by family members planning the service.