I had the same thing done for a close relation some years back and it was absolutely brilliant.
People wrote their messages on the coffin at the church service and the words were cremated with him soon afterwards.

I wrote a line from a song we loved and someone else then put something about not driving too fast in Heaven. There were short prayers, the odd 'Bon voyage' and several cryptic drawings. People added song lines too and a few of the young men later had the words tattooed on their bodies. They'd stop me in the street and half-undress to show me! I particularly remember 'Smile like you mean it!'
Some mourners just signed their names or drew hearts with initials.
The coffin was covered in words and drawings. Nobody knows everything that was written - it was between him and them.

The idea came from seeing school-leavers in the street with their mates' autographs all over their shirts. The coffin was a conventional cremation one with a matt white paint finish. Marker pens worked well but ordinary felt tips didn't show up.

I bet there were a few 'Thanks for all the sex and drugs babe'-type comments too - fine by me!

A great send-off and a comfort in what were actually very grim circumstances.
(Juan Quar is clinging to her front teeth on, Thu 11 Apr 2013, 22:04, Reply)