Are you thinking of hosting a celebration of life ceremony? Planning one is similar to other gatherings commemorating milestones and other life events. However, a celebration of life will be more poignant as you and your guests grieve. After all, it is one of the tasks you undertake after the demise of a loved one.
As a result, the logistics may be slightly more complex compared to standard events. But keeping your loved one’s spirit in mind will help ensure a seamless planning process. Remember that this celebration lives up to its name by celebrating life instead of merely focusing on the deceased’s passing.
If you’re in charge of the ceremony, you could be grappling with intense feelings, so self-care and delegation of responsibilities are crucial. Check out the following tips that could help you plan a smooth celebration of life as you traverse the intricacies of loss.
Set a Clear Goal
Ponder on the kind of gathering or memorial services that best honor your loved one’s life. It would help brainstorm various ideas from family members and close friends. Alternatively, you can get creative inspiration from funeral blog posts online. It would help to ask yourself the following:
- Does the deceased have any last wishes?
- What tone do you want the ceremony to exude, formal or informal?
- Are there things you want the attendees to do together as a form of grief support?
- Will it be an intimate event for close kin or a big gathering for the community?
- Will it be a stand-alone event or become a part of the funeral services with a visitation, religious service, and graveside ceremony?
There are no set rules for a celebration of life. It can be as casual as hosting a family picnic in the favorite park of the deceased, or it could be very formal in a hotel ballroom like a wedding reception. The primary goal is to meet the needs of the people who are in mourning.
Consider the Costs
The costs to hold this ceremony depend on the event you will host. Simpler, DIY arrangements are very affordable and easy to plan. However, a more elaborate version in a rented space can cost hundreds of dollars.
Fortunately, there are many ways to save on expenses. For example, instead of sending formal invitations, you can do an “E-vite,” which is just as memorable and effective. Alternatively, instead of hiring a professional photographer, you can ask a family member to be in charge of documenting the pictures.
Remember that the amount you spend is not an indicator of how much you love the deceased. So don’t feel bad if you try your best to save and get discounts as you plan this ceremony.
Pick a Date and Time
One of the benefits of hosting a celebration of life is that you can schedule it at the most convenient time for you and your family. You can set it a few weeks or even months after the traditional funeral services. This means many other family members can plan their schedules and participate in the ceremony.
The key to successful planning is to confirm the availability of the key participants and your chosen venue. The venue options must be able to hold the number of people you invite and offer logistical support for the activities you plan, whether it’s showing slide shows, playing music, etc. Give enough lead time to book your desired location, as this will have a significant impact on the tone, capacity, and costs of your celebration of life.
Bear in mind that you may also need to make advanced preparations for accommodations if many out-of-town guests are coming and traveling for the event. As for those who cannot make it, you can speak to your funeral director about tech advancements. For example, at St. John Dixie’s we can provide live video feeds if you choose to do a celebration of life with the funeral or burial.
Organize the Order of Activities
To have a meaningful celebration of life, it would help to keep the activities for the day organized. Having structure, such as when speakers will share their speeches or when videos will be shown, will ascertain a good flow.
Some events provide a printed program, so the guests know what to expect from the introduction to the final words and reception. This program can also make an excellent keepsake. These are the things you may wish to include:
- Assign a designated emcee among your family who’s well-versed in handling crowds
- Choose selected speakers who would like to contribute stories about the decease
- Prepare a video that outlines the deceased’s life stages and achievements with photos and videos
- Pick musical memories with ditties that are meaningful for the deceased
- Plan the event backdrop and decors like a memory table that showcases photos and mementos
- Select refreshments that the deceased love or recreate personal recipes
- Ask your children in the family to contribute drawings
- Prepare a guest scrapbook which all the attendees could sign with their warm wishes for the family
- Consider distributing memorable keepsakes like special mugs if the deceased was a coffee lover or seed packets for a gardening aficionado
Create a Ceremony That’s as Unique as the Person Being Honored
After careful planning, invite the guests with clear guidelines on the date, time, venue, and dress code. If your departed loved one was fond of a particular theme, you could consider an outfit motif, too. It’s important to communicate these personalized details to those who are coming.
Remember, a celebration of life is not an entirely somber affair like a burial service. Instead, it’s interspersed with stories, music, and even laughter because it focuses on the joy the deceased brought. With proper preparations, you can craft the best celebration of life that is as unique as the person you’re honoring.