Readings and Eulogies Guide

It can be very daunting having to speak about a friend or family member at their funeral or gathering. You can use lastwishbook.com to look on the deceased's profile and see if there are any witty stories or information they may have left to help you.You can also just look through their profile to get inspiration – check out their photo diary to help you remember the good times and watching their videos can almost bring them back to life.

Don't worry – done well, in a calm and kind manner, a eulogy can turn out as being a great and even humorous way to remember your friend.Using lastwishbook.com for help and inspiration you can write an amusing yet thoughtful anecdote. Nowadays it is not uncommon for the legendary antics and interests or even criminal vices of the person to be recounted in a loving fashion for comforting amusement of those in attendance.

It's a realistic and modern approach to lighten the mood at these sad events and can bring peoples memories together to remember loved ones.It may seem that people don't want to laugh and of course in certain situations, such as the death of a young child, this sort of eulogy is not appropriate. But generally references to funny and happier times are what the bereaved really need and want, and what the deceased would have wanted.

You should avoid mentioning anything referring to close family or private matters so as not to offend anyone and it would be good to discuss your final draft with some members of the family just to check it is acceptable.

A eulogy is a good way to show your love for that person one more time, so make it funny but also make sure you express your true deep feelings and include reference to the bereaved family.

Important note – give someone else your speech in-case you break down, they can finish it off!

It's ok to cry but make sure you have someone on standby to finish your speech if you are too overwhelmed. It would be impossible to sum up a person's entire existence in one short speech, so don't worry. Just follow your heart and check their lastwishbook.com profile. This will provide you with all the information you need - some members may have already written a eulogy for you!

Funerals don't have to be all doom and gloom, be the one to brighten the mood if you can, then email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and tell us how you did it.

Follow these easy steps and remember to refer details to what the deceased wanted in their lastwishbook.com profile....

Step 1 – sit down and reflect. Just take a sec.... think and remember, take some small notes of your memories and log on to their lastwishbook.com profile for some inspiration.

Step 2 – how to approach. You could write a short biography or a more personal account of the person's life. You simply need to choose the right one for you.A biography does not have to be a day to day history of the deceased's life but more of a summary. You can pin point special times and events and add relevant stories. Try not to include any sad times as the audience will already be pretty depressed!!A personal account can sometimes be more up beat and interesting. Give your views on the deceased's character. Include funny stories and anecdotes, share the good times and comment on how they affected you and others in a positive way.Either type is acceptable or usually both approaches will be used during the service.

Step 3 – get inspired. It's a good idea to dig out all your old photos of the dead to kick start your memories.Go on to their lastwishbook.com profile and view their photo library, ask other members to email you photos, videos and stories. Once all the information is collated you will have a good outline of that person's life to help inspire your eulogy.Important note – Humour is good – the audience will need a laugh!

Step 4 – address the audience. Include reference to family members; include them in the stories so they can share the memories too. Keep the time down to 5 or 6 minutes. This is enough; you don't want the day to drag on with lots of boring dates and events.Keep it snappy and happy!

Step 5 – practice makes perfect. Read it aloud to a friend and practice until you are confident – it's fine to take some notes to the funeral with you but make sure they are organized. Always make a copy in case you lose them...A good idea is to record yourself saying the speech so you can listen back and edit.This can help you make sure your voice is clear and the content is appropriate.

Step 6 – the delivery. If you have time before the ceremony go in and check out the size of the space. See if there is a microphone and place yourself in the spot where you will be standing. This is good for confidence and will help your nerves.Finally remember that it's ok to tell jokes and reflect on all the positive aspects of the deceased's life. The audience listening will be in dire need of some cheering up and you could really put a smile back on some faces!

As you know by know, we here at lastwishbook.com want death to be more acceptable and approachable so why not just celebrate the wonderful life that the person had in your speech and try to relax and remember all the good times you shared, be strong for the person you have lost and just be yourself.

Good Luck and no swearing!

Here is a great speech by John Clease at a fellow Python's Funeral.

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