Memorial / Commemoration
“I cannot tell you how reassuring, understanding and human you are. Your writing talent I now take for granted, but these other qualities enabled you to give me great strength and confidence throughout the process of writing such a fabulous eulogy for my mother.” – Roger T.
Whereas a eulogy is often written in haste, with emotions fraught and time tight, a commemoration service allows time for reflection and balance.
A memorial speech is, therefore, a chance to speak about the departed having had time to prepare fully.
First things first. We are here to help. And so if the whole process of preparing and delivering it feels a little daunting, please just call us. We can give you candid feedback on your first draft, or help take the burden by writing something for you from scratch. To help get you started, we’re delighted to send you some questions to help you gather the information you’ll need to write the speech. It’s also a great way of briefing us should the need arise.
Whoever is writing it, the keys to a great commemoration speech are:
- The tone. It can be much more balanced than a eulogy, with lightness of touch. This should, typically, be a celebration of life rather than an emotionally-heavy reaction to death.
- The structure. The worst memorial speeches tend to be long-winded and chronological. The best will work around a theme that links up the facts and stories and allows your speech to become more than the sum of its parts.
- Your involvement. Remember that this oration given BY you, not ABOUT you. It is all too easy to reminisce about your time spent together at the expense of creating a more selfless picture of the deceased that is relevant to everyone who knew them.
That’s just the start. You will also want to think about writing style, length of your speech and the way you deliver it, including how to cope with the emotions. Again, we can take the strain. Please email or give us a call to discuss how.
