11. Day of Hosting

Hosting can take a lot of energy and effort. If you are the host, be sure to get enough sleep, and keep some time before the ceremony to check in on yourself and give yourself a little time to find your center.

Here are a few things to check on:

• Nourishment: keep food and water accessible, in case you need it

• Hosting notes: be sure to print them, and keep them handy

• Space: make sure your space is setup

• Internet: check your internet connection, and have a second method of connection ready (e.g. pull up the dial-in instructions on your phone

• Tech check: do a technology check at least 60 minutes before the event. Ideally, you would do this earlier in the day, not right before.

• Zoom settings: make sure you've setup your Zoom account according to the recommended settings, including turning on automatic recording

• Invitations: it's a good idea to send a reminder to everyone. Include instructions for joining the event

Don't worry if things don't go as planned. No event ever does. Remember that people are understanding. If something is amiss, remember to pause and take a deep breath first, and don't be hard on yourself. It can be helpful for those planning the service to each have a memory or story to share about the deceased at your fingertips that you can share out loud if you need to buy time during a glitch. Sometimes those unforseen moments--when met with a postive response--are actually the most moving.

Take a moment to acknowledge and appreciate the effort you've put in. Designing an experience for other people is not easy, and it is doubly hard when you cannot be with other people.