How to Prepare if You Are Asked to Speak at a Funeral Service

Tweet

Being asked to speak at the funeral service of a loved one can certainly be an honour, but it can also be quite daunting. You may be very nervous about what you should say, what the right things to say really are, and how you can write something that will truly showcase the best aspects of the person who has passed away. Continue reading for a few helpful tips that will assist you in preparing for giving a speech at a funeral service. Reflect on What You Want to Say In the same way that your loved one’s family is busy planning a funeral that will suit the deceased’s wishes, you should think about writing a speech that the person would’ve loved to hear. This requires some time to reflect, so before you start writing anything down, it’s a good idea to just take a break and reflect upon what you’d want to say. You can go for a walk to think things over, or even ask the deceased’s family about any specific funeral plans that were made in advance in order to gain some extra insight into who they really were and what they really wanted as their send off.  Consider a Theme for the Speech When it comes to funeral speeches, there are a few themes that you can choose from. By following a theme, you can begin to generate ideas more easily. For example, you can go with a life history, or a short summary of the deceased’s life. This type of speech should reveal something about the deceased that many people in attendance may not have known about them. Or you can instead stick with a tribute speech that will showcase some of the deceased’s best achievements and the highlights of their life. And yet another option could be a shared memories theme during which you share your own insights into the life of the person who passed, and the memories that you created together. Keep It Short Rest assured that your eulogy doesn’t have to be long at all. In fact, funeral speeches are best when they’re kept short. You can practice saying your speech aloud and time yourself so you can be certain that it runs only about 3 to 4 minutes in length. Oftentimes, less is more, and just a few minutes should be all that you need to say what you need to say to honour the deceased in a positive and impactful way. Feel Free to Write It Down You certainly don’t need to memorise the speech and present it to your audience. Instead, feel free to write it down and read it. Glance up at your audience every now and then in order to make a connection with them and establish eye contact with them, but don’t feel obligated to have lines memorised. Writing and presenting a speech at a funeral service can be a great way to honour a loved one who has passed. If you end up feeling overwhelmed at the event, however, you can ask a family member or friend to read the speech for you.

Being asked to speak at the funeral service of a loved one can certainly be an honour, but it can also be quite daunting. You may be very nervous about what you should say, what the right things to say really are, and how you can write something that will truly showcase the best aspects of the person who has passed away. Continue reading for a few helpful tips that will assist you in preparing for giving a speech at a funeral service.

Reflect on What You Want to Say

In the same way that your loved one’s family is busy planning a funeral that will suit the deceased’s wishes, you should think about writing a speech that the person would’ve loved to hear. This requires some time to reflect, so before you start writing anything down, it’s a good idea to just take a break and reflect upon what you’d want to say. You can go for a walk to think things over, or even ask the deceased’s family about any specific funeral plans that were made in advance in order to gain some extra insight into who they really were and what they really wanted as their send off. 

Consider a Theme for the Speech

When it comes to funeral speeches, there are a few themes that you can choose from. By following a theme, you can begin to generate ideas more easily. For example, you can go with a life history, or a short summary of the deceased’s life. This type of speech should reveal something about the deceased that many people in attendance may not have known about them. Or you can instead stick with a tribute speech that will showcase some of the deceased’s best achievements and the highlights of their life. And yet another option could be a shared memories theme during which you share your own insights into the life of the person who passed, and the memories that you created together.

Keep It Short

Rest assured that your eulogy doesn’t have to be long at all. In fact, funeral speeches are best when they’re kept short. You can practice saying your speech aloud and time yourself so you can be certain that it runs only about 3 to 4 minutes in length. Oftentimes, less is more, and just a few minutes should be all that you need to say what you need to say to honour the deceased in a positive and impactful way.

Feel Free to Write It Down

You certainly don’t need to memorise the speech and present it to your audience. Instead, feel free to write it down and read it. Glance up at your audience every now and then in order to make a connection with them and establish eye contact with them, but don’t feel obligated to have lines memorised.

Writing and presenting a speech at a funeral service can be a great way to honour a loved one who has passed. If you end up feeling overwhelmed at the event, however, you can ask a family member or friend to read the speech for you.