Planning a burial at sea for a loved one can be special during a sorrowful time for your family. It's important to not only choose a professional company to handle this unique form of burial, but to also spend time thinking about what you want the service on board the vessel to include. While you may wish to line up one or more speakers, including a member of your clergy, as well as consider any music that can make the moment more special, you should also think about what things you may wish to toss into the water before or after your loved one's body slips over the side of the boat. Here are some ideas. 

Flowers

Flowers play a role in many funeral-related ceremonies. Not only do they usually decorate funeral homes, but people often toss fresh blooms into a loved one's grave as the casket is lowered. If you like the idea of including flowers in a family member's burial at sea, you can definitely toss them into the water at a time of your choosing. One idea is to give each person who attends the burial one or more flowers and have them toss the flowers as the body goes into the water.

Messages

Another thing that you may wish to encourage people to toss in the water during a burial at sea is a handwritten message. In advance of the outing on the boat, buy some biodegradable paper and provide each person with a few pages. Some people will find that it's cathartic to write a message on the paper to the person who has passed. Certain individuals will use this opportunity to convey words of love, while others may opt to write an apology on about an incident that happened years ago. People can fold their messages as desired and gently toss them into the water at the right time.

Plaque

You and your family may also want to place a plaque in the water that takes the place of a conventional grave marker. Talk to your burial at sea service to confirm that this is possible. A simple wooden plaque that features the name of your deceased loved one, their birth and death dates, and perhaps a quote or piece of scripture can be appropriate. Even though the plaque will drift away from the scene, it can feel good to you and your family to know that this marker is in the water with your loved one's body.

Contact a local service to learn more about doing a burial at sea.