Rewrite your farewell, reclaim the narrative, and throw one hell of an after party.

Newsflash: You’re going to die.

 And unlike running into your annoying neighbor at the grocery store, you can’t duck behind a display of Triscuits to avoid it.

So how do you want to go out?

Quietly buried while your family argues over casseroles? A final farewell where your ashes are used in a pyrotechnics display while loved ones eat death-themed dishes?

That’s actually a thing now.

Death is being rebranded and getting a modern-day memorial glow-up. From TikTok morticians with millions of followers to QR-codes on tombstones, we’re not dying like our grandparents. And … why should we?

We plan parties for birthdays, weddings, baby showers, so why not plan a celebration for a life well-lived—courageously, creatively, and unapologetically rewriting the rules?

But let’s be clear. It’s not just about being remembered differently. It’s about being remembered right. For many women, this is one thing we can and should design for ourselves. After a lifetime of keeping things tidy—emotions, homes, even grief—it’s time to let our exit be colorful, loud, or defiantly weird.

Burials are going bold. And it’s about damn time.

WTF Death Requests: From Body Bongs to Doritos Dust

If anyone knew how to go out in style, it was Beverly Hills socialite Sandra West. Her final request? To be buried in her Ferrari, wearing her nightgown. When she died, she was placed behind the wheel and lowered into a 19-foot-long grave inside a concrete vault. Legendary status? Cemented.

Doritos creator Arch West had a more snackable send-off: He was sprinkled with chip dust before one last goodbye. “We’re tossing Doritos chips in before they put the dirt over the urn,” said his daughter. “He’ll love it.”

Fredric Baur, inventor of the Pringles can, now resides in one. His final request was fulfilled by his kids, who stopped at Walgreens on their way to the funeral home. “My siblings and I briefly debated what flavor to use,” his son shared, “but I said, ‘Look, we need to use the original.’”

Then there’s rapper Tupac Shakur. One of his songs asked his friends to send him off on a high note. Literally. So they did—rolling his ashes with marijuana and “smoking him out” as a final farewell.

Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry had his ashes launched into space. And American writer Hunter S. Thompson’s ashes were shot out of a cannon—made possible by Johnny Depp, who funded the $3 million request.

Of course, most of us won’t end up buried in a Ferrari or blasted into space. But that doesn’t mean we have to settle for a doily lined box and sad hymns that our great-grandmother would’ve picked. Are women expected to go out like we were often expected to live—quietly, without taking up space?

Nope.

Not anymore.

Trend Watch: Think Outside the Coffin

Planning a memorial no longer has to be morbid—it’s a statement, a deeper “about damn time” kind of shift from tradition to true reflection of who we were. It’s a final act of defining you, and the way you lived your life.

Press your ashes into a vinyl. Yes. A real record. You can be the soundtrack even after you’re gone.

Compostable couture more your thing? Try mushroom burial suits and coffins or have your ashes turned into cremation diamonds.

Add a QR code or link on your headstone. A quick scan takes visitors to a living webpage, where you can add pictures, videos, and memories.

Want an eco-friendly option? Consider a memorial reef at sea or water cremation, an innovative alternative that funeral director Nicki Mikolai educates thousands of followers about on her TikTok channel.

Burials go biodegradable with tree pod options and human composting. As Lauren the Mortician—a social media star/mortician with millions of followers—reminds us, “Decomposition isn’t dirty—it’s science, nature, and time.”

Or get under their skin—forever—with cremation tattoos.

And for the finale…

Go out with a bang—literally. Have your ashes turned into fireworks for a celestial send-off

How to Host Your Final Final Send-Off

So what do you want your goodbye to say about your life? Talk to your people. Have the conversation now. Make it a dinner party, a burial brainstorming brunch, or a death-themed happy hour. Whatever gets everyone on the same page—your page. Because as Lauren reminds us, “Funerals aren’t for the dead. They’re for the living—you’re the audience.”

Pick a Vibe: Will there be a theme? A color scheme? A unique location like a park or your favorite wine bar? A dress code with costumes or certain styles?

Create a Guest List: Plan to have creative invitations sent out—either digitally or the old-fashioned way—to family, friends, and unexpected guests who can share unique memories and funny or touching stories for an elevated open mic eulogie.

Decide on Music: Save the somber stuff for ASPCA commercials. Choose your favorite songs or hire a DJ to mix things up, à la a wedding reception.

Choose the Menu: Plan the food and drink with a theme—everything from appetizers and desserts to an open bar for one final toast. Or if you’re more into potlucks, request that people bring their favorite themed dish to pass (no pun intended).

Send Them Off In Style: Consider giving your guests something memorable that reflects your personality, like monogrammed shot glasses, a box of “death by chocolate” petit fours, or a note that a small donation has been made in their name.

Your Death. Your Rules.

This isn’t about personalization or posthumous party tricks. It’s about control. It’s about declaring your life and legacy. Don’t they deserve more than default mode?

Because while you can’t choose when you die, you can sure as hell choose how you go out.

So write your own ending.

Be bold.

And take up space—one last time.

You’ve earned it.