Butterfly Releases

Celebrate the life of a loved one with a memorial butterfly release. Releasing live butterflies in memory of a loved one is an easy addition. Personalized individual release envelopes are included, or a mass release Decorator Box can be used to release butterflies all at once. Releasing live butterflies to honor a loved one is an extraordinary tribute, as the butterfly gracefully flying away is nature’s ultimate symbol of change, transformation, and majesty. And for those releasing in memory of a loved one, it is remembering the joy and happiness of having them in our lives and releasing them to a new and better place. Note: Releases must be done during the day with temperatures over 70 degrees.

Travel Plan By Inman

When a loved one dies away from home, bringing them back home can be expensive. Aikens Funeral Home is proud to partner with Inman Shipping Worldwide, the largest provider of repatriation services in the world, and now offers Travel Plan by Inman. This low-cost plan is a way to ensure that your family will be shielded from any unexpected death care expenses during your travels. In the untimely event a family member dies away from home, contact us immediately, and one of our funeral directors will work with funeral professionals where the death occurred to obtain the correct paperwork and arrange shipping. This plan will cover all costs associated with preparation and transportation, should a death take place more than 75 miles from your legal residence.

Mariachi Band

Losing a loved one is always difficult and planning the funeral can be a real headache. Consider hiring a Mariachi band to honor your loved one’s passing and embrace the music Mexicans have been using in all forms of celebrations and somber events. Do not let this day be nothing but tears and sadness—celebrate your loved ones and let everyone party a little bit. While Mariachi music has a very upbeat sound, the lyrics can be quite moving and beautiful and especially appropriate for funerals. Have us perform at the burial site or at the funeral mass. Even those who do not speak or understand Spanish will feel the strong emotions found in these songs. Some will be upbeat and similar to those you hear at big parties, but others will evoke completely different emotions and instruments may be used differently than expected.

Horse & Carriage

For those who prefer a more regal celebration during a funeral or cremation service procession, our Horse & Carriage option was designed with you in mind. The sight of a horse-drawn carriage can evoke powerful emotions and symbolism. Two beautiful horses pulling a hand-crafted wood and glass buggy encasing your loved one's casket creates a beautiful scene and peace of mind knowing your loved one is being honored with style. The regal presence of the horse symbolizes strength and nobility, while the graceful carriage represents a peaceful journey to the final resting place. 

Life Celebrations

This event allows friends and family to gather and find support while sharing memories and heartfelt emotions. It’s a type of service that enables you to share your loved one’s story in a way that is genuine to the life they led and aligned with the values that they held close. These celebrations usually take place weeks or months after the passing and quite often after the funeral or burial services have already occurred. Families often use our facilities, or we’ve assisted with ceremonies conducted at other beautiful venues around the Tampa Bay area. Our team is there every step of the way to help you design the perfect life celebration to reflect and appreciate your loved one.

Live Streaming

We are proud to offer live streaming of our services. Aikens Funeral Home has embraced technology by installing a best-in-class live streaming system in both chapels. We can now provide high-quality webcasts for family members and friends who are unable to attend in person. Leading the industry with cutting-edge technology, Aikens can now provide families with online broadcasts of the funeral, graveside, or memorial service from almost anywhere, to allow loved ones who cannot attend in person to listen to the ceremony live over the Internet.

Cremated Remains Scattering

Scattering cremated remains is a meaningful way for family and friends to memorialize a loved one. Most people choose to scatter ashes in places where the deceased loved to visit while they were still alive. Families may scatter remains in a special place or choose cremation jewelry to keep the loved one nearby. However, one method of managing cremated remains that’s growing more popular in the Tampa area is burial at sea. The ocean holds a special meaning for many people—for ardent fishermen, for those who may have spent a military career at sea, or even for those who simply treasured wonderful memories of beach vacations with family and friends. In most cases, the cremated remains are transported off the coast and scattered into the ocean. It’s a beautiful and fitting way of returning an ocean-loving individual to nature, and whenever Tampa families see the sea, they remember their lost loved one.

Music & Musicians

Your loved ones deserve the most meaningful farewell possible, and music plays a key role at any service. Even though we may often associate music with joyfulness and festivities, the right music can personalize the service and make it a memorable occasion. We can arrange for musicians to perform during the service, or simply create a playlist to play over our state-of-the-art sound system. Aikens Funeral Home has group music and webcasting license with BMI, ASCAP and SESAC, enabling us to legally broadcast funeral services that include copyrighted music and video.

A Snapshot of the Services

The day your family and friends come out to celebrate the life of your loved one should never be forgotten. Let us take professional and quality photos of your loved one's unique service and place the pictures in a beautiful photo album to always keep your loved one’s legacy alive. Pictures are a snapshot of life’s journey. Contact us today to view examples of previous albums.

Shipping Services

If a death occurs away from home, one of our funeral directors will assist you in getting your loved one back so that the proper arrangements can be made and carried out promptly. We will help you bring the deceased home from anywhere on the globe. Upon finding out about a death away from home, contact us immediately. We will arrange for the shipping of the deceased and coordinate the arrangements for their return. One of our funeral directors will work with funeral professionals where the death occurred to obtain the correct paperwork and arrange shipping.

Dove Releases

To honor the life of a loved one, many families like to experience the beauty and freedom of doves in flight as they are released at the end of their loved ones service. A ceremonial dove release at a funeral or memorial is said to have a healing or soothing effect for many people. Releasing the doves has been compared to releasing the spirit, and of course, as the doves fly away you can visually see a departure giving closure to many people. This powerful and symbolic ceremony comforts family and friends in knowing that their loved one is now at peace and in a better place with his or her creator.

Balloon Releases

Our remembrance balloons are a beautifully simple and affordable way to add a personal touch to a funeral, burial, memorial service, or celebration of life. These memorial balloons are suitable for air or helium inflation and are 100% biodegradable. They come with a heartfelt message inscribed, or they can be accompanied by compostable balloon seals and message tags, which can be tied to the balloons so that guests can write a short message or share a special memory as part of the ceremony.

Aftercare Program

Our After Care Program is designed to assist families with practical matters that must be attended to after the services have taken place. Our funeral home provides this complimentary service to every family. One of our Aftercare Specialists will automatically reach out and offer to help you to review and manage all of those important services and support available to you.