How to Plan a Celebration of Life

How to Plan a Celebration of Life

A celebration of life is a joyous ceremony where friends and family come together to celebrate a life well lived. If you’ve never had to plan one before, you’re likely here because you’re wondering, how to plan a celebration of life. Planning a celebration of life doesn’t have to be difficult. Our experienced and caring funeral home staff can help you plan a service that showcases your loved one’s unique personality. The service can be simple and elegant or big and bold, the choice is up to you.

Every life is unique, and we believe it should be celebrated as such. Together our staff will take a personalized approach and help tailor a service that is one of a kind. To help get you started with brainstorming ideas, check out our planning a celebration of life checklist to learn more.

Unique Celebration of Life Ideas

With all of the ideas below, family and friends can come together and choose a special item or doves, and release them in honor of your loved one. You could also plant trees and watch them grow, which is a great way to stay close to the deceased. 

Planning a Celebration of Life Service

It's really a process of asking and answering questions. Sit down with other family members, at least once, but maybe even more than once; to explore the celebration of life ideas which arise from answering these questions:

1. Setting a budget

Before you can begin planning a celebration of life, it’s important to talk with your family and come to a consensus on a budget. Once you know what you are able to spend, you can begin to look at how you want to honor your loved one and what the celebration of life will include.

2. Where, and when, should the event take place? 

This is where the planning really begins. Before you decide on a date for the celebration of life, make sure to find out any scheduling conflicts your family might have. This is especially important if family members live far away and you need to make travel arrangements to get there.

3. Who will lead the event?

Although a celebration of life is often more casual than a funeral service, it’s still a good idea to decide who will lead the event. If your loved one was religious, you may want to invite their local religious leader. Some families will choose to hire a non-denominational celebrant to oversee the event.

4. What activities will take place?

If you want to make the celebration of life special and unique, consider organizing an activity for guests to take part in. The activity could be as simple as a craft station for guests to create a keepsake to take home or as elaborate as a fireworks display. For celebration of life ideas for groups, check out some idea suggestions below.

5. Food and beverages to serve

Food and drinks are an important part of any event. Food brings people together and can create opportunities for guests to share memories with one another. Some families serve hors d’oeuvres and others will host a meal. In either case, think about some of your loved one’s favorite food and drinks and try to serve them during the event.

6. What audio and visuals will be included?

Technology can play an important role in honoring a loved one and paying tribute to them. Memorial videos, slideshows, and music playlists can help create a warm atmosphere of remembrance. If you want to include this special touch, talk to your funeral director about your technology needs and consider the following questions: 
  • What audio/visual equipment is needed? 
  • What pictures, videos, and other content do you want to display? 
  • How will these choices help honor the deceased and celebrate their life? 

7. Who will speak at the event?  

At some point during almost every celebration of life, there will be an opportunity for someone to say a few words. These can be more formal speeches like a eulogy or just a simple toast to the deceased and thanking guests for coming. Next, it's important to decide who will have the opportunity to speak. Will there be prepared speeches or an open floor for guests to share stories and memories if they wish? Below are some questions to consider when selecting your speakers: 
  • Will the service be formal or informal?
  • Do you want to leave the floor open for guests to speak? 
  • What family members or friends do you think would like to say something? 
  • Do you want to include readings or prayers? 

8. Mementos and keepsakes 

Not every biographical detail needs to be highlighted; rather you're trying to capture their essence by telling revealing anecdotes or stories. Sometimes you can reveal their character by detailing one short moment in their life experience.

9. Send out invitations

Many families create a tribute video and use it as the centerpiece of the event. Others choose to use a memory table of photographs and other memorabilia instead.
celebration of life service ideas people with sparklers

Let Us Help with Planning a Celebration of Life

We know that's a lot to think about. But we urge you to take your time; be thoughtful, and don't hesitate to explore all the celebration of life ideas which arise as part of this experience.

As we've said, we've got the experience which could make planning a life celebration easier for you and your family. Don't hesitate to pick up the phone; call us at 201-891-4770 Let's talk about your loved one's life; share some stories with us. We're confident that, together, we can come up with the perfect celebration of life event to suit your needs and expectations.
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