As a society, we have been conditioned to think of funerals as morbid and sad occasions, a time of gathering to bid farewell to the dearly departed and pay our last respects. But funerals don’t have to be solely dark and somber affairs. In recent years, funeral invitations have started to break out of the traditional and honor the individual’s life and legacy in a more creative, and sometimes unexpected, way. Though seemingly unconventional, these modern funeral invitations can be a great way to evoke joy and create an uplifting energy, which is necessary to start the healing process. It is a gentle reminder to draw strength in the very thing we are grieving, rather than being weighed down by grief. It is a way of honoring an individual’s life in a manner that respects what they meant to those they left behind. Yes, funerals are a somber occasion. But with a funeral invitation, like the elegant one featuring delicate watercolor florals and foliage in shades of apricot and peach, we can all draw strength from celebrating the life that came before—in the same way that the blossoms in the spring remind us to be in awe and appreciation of life.