Every person is unique. Their memorial services should reflect that. Planning a service, think about their hobbies, their passions, their favorite things. Using those facets of their personalities, you can create a ceremony that truly reflects their lives and brings together those who mourn for meaningful memories and reminiscences.
A perfect example is a wine lover. Their vacations were centered around wine regions of the world, from the Finger Lakes to the Napa Valley to Burgundy in France or Tuscany in Italy or the Douro Valley in Portugal. They might have been aficionados of the finest wine paired with gourmet meals, or perhaps they enjoyed sampling a wide variety of vintages to discover their own favorites.
To plan a wine lover’s memorial, first decide whether you want the event to be formal or casual. If the former, you might want to host a memorial get-together at a winery in your area or create a formal wine list with paired gourmet offerings guided by a restaurant wine steward or a vintner. If your plans are for a more informal occasion, you have many options; a barbecue or picnic, a casual restaurant gathering, even a home reception or open house.
A photo gallery or edited travel video is always popular at memorial gatherings. For this one, you can focus on their travels to enjoy samplings of vintages from far and near. Other decorations could include some of their wine glass collection, their scrapbook of wine travels and favorite wines, a display of clever ways they found to preserve some of their corks, a sampling from their souvenir corkscrew collection, or some bottles from their wine supply.
Ask mourners to recall memorable moments, including wine tales. Use wine bottles as centerpieces with comments about dates and trip details. Readings for wine lovers are plentiful; for classicists, you might choose Ben Jonson’s “To Celia”—”Drink to me only with thine eyes and I will pledge with mine.” Or W. B. Yeats’ brief “Drinking Song”—”Wine comes in at the mouth and love comes in at the eye.”
A musical background depends on the formality of the affair. For fine wine and gourmet foods, their classical favorites are appropriate. For more casual gatherings, you might make a mixtape of some popular songs that reference wine, like Jimmie Rodgers’ “Kisses Sweeter than Wine.” Henry Mancini, “Days of Wine and Roses.” Neil Diamond, “Red, Red Wine.” Or for those who remember the folk era of the 1960s, the Limelighters’ “Today—while the blossoms still cling to the vine…”
A toast to the loved one with a favorite vintage is appropriate, with alternative beverages for those who prefer not to drink liquor. Wine lovers tend to have souvenir glasses from their travels, enough to display and perhaps to give mourners a gift to take home.
Using these suggestions as a starting point, you can plan a truly personalized memorial that will honor your loved one and their friends and family.
Photo by Timur Saglambilek: https://www.pexels.com/photo/wine-glass-with-red-liquid-on-black-table-66636/
