When you’re grieving and trying to plan a celebration of life simultaneously, critical details can easily slip through the cracks. The planning process can feel overwhelming—that’s exactly why having a comprehensive checklist becomes essential.
This checklist helps you organize a meaningful life event without constant worry. It’s strictly ideas like a tool that holds the details so your mind can focus on what truly matters: honoring your loved one’s life and beginning the healing process with family and friends.
The team at Eternally Loved has helped many families navigate this life ceremony. Whether you use this yourself or hand it to other people helping you plan, it’s designed to make the process manageable during one of life’s hardest moments.
Initial Decisions and Core Planning
Decide on a date and time that allows adequate planning. Consider whether timing conflicts with holidays, travel for out-of-town guests, or weather concerns. Some families create an exciting celebration on their loved one’s birthday or another date with special meaning.
Identify a small planning team of relatives or close friends to help shoulder responsibilities. If assembling a team feels like too much, Eternally Loved can serve as your planning partner to ensure the celebration with a personalized touch.
Establish a realistic budget early. Many families create remarkable life special celebrations without excessive spending.
Choose the type of life event you’re creating. Will this be religious with a church minister, secular with a non-denominational celebrant, formal or casual, intimate or community-wide, short presentation, family long welcoming line, video tribute? These decisions help you plan a celebration honoring your loved one’s unique personality.
Consider what will happen with the physical remains. If you want an ash scattering ceremony, scattering remains requires research and the ability to check with local authorities about where this is permitted.
Venue and Location Essentials
Securing the right location transforms a standard memorial service into something deeply connected to your loved one’s life experience. Look for a remarkable space reflecting their personality—whether that’s a funeral home, community center, favorite park, or somewhere with special meaning.
Confirm venue availability for your chosen date, including setup and cleanup periods. Understand what’s included—tables, chairs, audiovisual equipment, kitchen facilities for preparing your favorite dishes, parking access, and weather backup options.
Review all venue requirements carefully. Religious venues might perform may have specific content requirements. Public spaces often need permits.
Verify parking, accessibility for elderly guests, adequate bathrooms, and comfortable capacity. Get all agreements in writing and identify a primary venue contact. Eternally Loved can help you navigate these conversations and understand commitments before signing contracts.
Guest List and Invitations
Start with immediate family members, then expand to close friends, extended relatives, colleagues, and community members who shared a close relationship with your loved one. Think about relatives who’ll need extra time to arrange travel.
Decide whether you need accurate headcounts for catering and venue capacity, or if you can skip formal RSVP tracking for more open gatherings.
Choose your invitation method: personal calls, printed invitations, memorial website, social media, or a combination. Include all details: date, time, location with parking information, dress code, whether children are welcome, and general format.
Mention any interactive elements where guests might contribute—collecting photos for a tribute video, adding memorabilia to a memory table, or bringing a dish for a potluck-style gathering.
Send invitations at least two to three weeks in advance—more for out-of-town relatives. Communicate whether there will be livestreaming or recording options for those who can’t attend.
Program Structure and Participants
Determine overall timeline: start and end times, segment lengths, and whether there will be breaks. Identify who will facilitate—friends, a funeral director, family member, or a professional like Eternally Loved.
Confirm speakers and participants well in advance. The most meaningful tributes often come from people telling revealing anecdotes or sharing funny stories, capturing your loved one’s essence rather than covering every biographical detail.
When brainstorming ideas for speakers, think beyond the usual suspects for a greater connection to different life aspects.
If planning open mic time for guests to publicly share, decide on management and consider loose time guidelines—maybe a short moment per person.
Coordinate special performances or activities. For rituals like garden planting, time capsule, group prayer, or scattering remains, clarify who leads and what materials are needed.
Create a written timeline outlining what happens when, who’s responsible, and technical requirements. This becomes an integral part of ensuring smooth flow.
Music and Multimedia Elements
Select meaningful music reflecting your loved one’s personality—their favorite songs and genres. Music helps guests connect emotionally to all the memories you’re celebrating.
Decide between recorded music and live performances. If including a band, confirm details about performance and timing. Create playlists for different segments.
Plan your tribute video or video montage. Collect photos from family members spanning your loved one’s life—reach out early, suggesting times family members need to search old albums. Focus on images evoking who this person was, not every biographical detail.
Test video on venue equipment beforehand. Have backups on multiple devices. Consider whether to hire professional photographers or simply let everyone be present during this short moment.
Ensure technical requirements are handled: audio equipment, video projection, microphones, adequate lighting, and technical support. These details often get overlooked.
Sharing and Interactive Elements
Plan for a table displaying photos, other memorabilia, and items telling your loved one’s story. Leave space for guests to add their own photos or written stories. Include meaningful items helping paint a picture of your loved one’s unique personality.
Provide multiple sharing ways. Set up index cards where people write their favorite life experience with the departed. Consider a video recording station where guests record personal tributes privately.
Create a shared life ideas jar or memory capsule where people drop written notes. Designate questions prompting thoughts: “What’s a revealing anecdote capturing their personality?” For a time capsule, supply a container for guests add letters, photos, or items. This can be opened on the first anniversary of the deceased’s passing.
For interactive activities, gather materials in advance. A garden planting gives guests something tangible to nurture. Collaborative art projects give people something to do with their hands while processing emotions.
Eternally Loved can help set up these memory-sharing stations in inviting, natural ways.
Food and Beverage Planning
Decide what fits your event—full catered meal, appetizers and desserts, potluck where guests bring dishes, or simple refreshments. Serving your loved one’s favorite dishes adds a personal, special touch that guests appreciate.
For potluck-style gatherings, coordinate what dishes people are bringing. Some request new foods that their loved one wanted to try but never got the chance.
Consider dietary needs: vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free choices, allergen awareness, and cultural requirements.
Plan for water, coffee, tea, and other appropriate drinks. If serving your loved one’s favorite beverages, order adequate quantities. Ensure you have serving pieces, utensils, plates, cups, and napkins.
Floral Arrangements and Decorative Elements
Consider whether your loved one had favorite flowers, colors, or plants to feature. Some will skip traditional funeral flowers for more personal decorations—hobby-related items, travel souvenirs, or treasured collections.
Decide flower placement and coordinate with your florist about delivery, setup, and what happens with arrangements afterward.
Other decorative elements create atmosphere: candles, string lights, meaningful table decorations, signage sharing favorite quotes, photo displays. These touches help create a remarkable space, feeling intentional and personal.
Day-Of Coordination and Final Details
As the event approaches, confirm all arrangements. Contact the venue, caterers, musicians, photographers, and vendors to verify they have the correct information for this life ceremony.
Prepare printed materials: programs, memory cards, signage, and materials for interactive activities.
Assign day-of responsibilities: early setup, greeting guests, managing technical elements, facilitating the program, and cleanup.
Create an emergency kit with tissues, safety pins, tape, markers, phone chargers, and first aid supplies.
Take care of yourself. Get adequate rest, eat something, and identify a support person. Give yourself permission to express emotions and accept that the perfect event is one honoring your loved one authentically.
Eternally Loved’s experienced staff knows which details truly matter. Their personalized approach adapts to what your specific family needs.
Post-Event Considerations
Arrange for transportation and storage of decorations, personal items, and displays. Decide what to do with the flowers.
Plan for thank-you notes when you’re ready. Save and organize contributions from guests—cards, photos, recordings, and guest book messages become treasured resources.
If you created a memorial website, decide whether to keep it active. Think about preserving memories through photo albums or compiled memory books.
Plan meaningful ways to continue honoring your loved one on future anniversaries. Some people gather annually on the anniversary for a smaller remembrance.
Eternally Loved provides support at every stage, handling logistics that feel overwhelming while you focus on healing. Their staff understands that families create the most meaningful celebrations when they’re supported rather than stressed.
Celebration of Life Planning Checklist
Initial Planning (3-4 Weeks Before)
- Choose date and time for celebration
- Assemble planning team or contact Eternally Loved for support
- Establish budget
- Decide on ceremony type (religious, secular, formal, casual)
- Determine what will happen with loved one’s physical remains
- Research regulations surrounding ash scattering if applicable
Venue and Location (3-4 Weeks Before)
- Research and visit potential venues
- Confirm venue availability and book space
- Review venue requirements and restrictions
- Verify parking and accessibility
- Get all agreements in writing
- Identify primary venue contact person
Guest List and Invitations (3 Weeks Before)
- Create comprehensive guest list including out of town relatives
- Decide on invitation method
- Design/prepare invitations with all details
- Send invitations (2-3 weeks before event)
- Set up RSVP tracking system if needed
- Arrange livestreaming options for remote guests
Program Planning (2-3 Weeks Before)
- Determine overall timeline and event flow
- Identify facilitator (professional like Eternally Loved, friend, husband or wife, member of the family, non denominational celebrant, church minister, funeral director)
- Confirm speakers and participants
- Coordinate special performances
- Plan garden planting or other interactive activities
- Create written timeline for day-of coordination
Music and Multimedia (2-3 Weeks Before)
- Select meaningful music and create playlists
- Coordinate live band or musical performances if applicable
- Collect photos for tribute video
- Create video tribute or video montage
- Test video on venue equipment
- Prepare backup copies on multiple devices
- Arrange professional photographer if desired
Sharing Elements (2 Weeks Before)
- Plan memory table layout and gather memorabilia
- Prepare index cards for guests
- Set up video recording station if including
- Create jar or memory capsule
- Prepare materials for time capsule
- Gather supplies for collaborative art projects
- Order plants/seeds for garden planting
Food and Beverages (2 Weeks Before)
- Decide on catering style (full meal, pot luck style, or simple refreshments)
- Get quotes from caterers if hiring
- Plan menu including loved one’s favorite dishes
- Coordinate pot luck contributions if applicable
- Confirm dietary restrictions and accommodations
- Order loved one’s favorite beverages
- Arrange serving pieces, utensils, plates, and cups
Flowers and Decorations (1-2 Weeks Before)
- Decide on flowers and arrangements
- Order flowers from florist
- Confirm delivery timing and setup
- Plan other decorative elements
- Review venue decoration restrictions
- Gather meaningful items for display
Final Preparations (1 Week Before)
- Confirm all vendor arrangements
- Reconfirm venue details
- Prepare printed materials (programs, signage, program cards)
- Assign day-of responsibilities to helpers
- Create emergency kit (tissues, tape, markers, phone chargers)
- Prepare personal items and comfort objects
- Test all technical equipment
Day-Of Tasks
- Arrive early for setup
- Coordinate with vendors and venue staff
- Set up memory table and interactive stations
- Test audio visual equipment one final time
- Brief facilitator and speakers on timeline
- Welcome and direct guests
- Manage program flow and transitions
- Coordinate cleanup and packing
Post-Event Follow-Up
- Arrange transportation for decorations and personal items
- Decide what to do with flowers
- Collect memory cards, photos, and guest contributions
- Save video recordings and photos
- Organize and preserve memories
- Send thank-you notes to key participants
- Update or archive memorial website
- Plan for first anniversary remembrance
Connect with Eternally Loved Today
You don’t have to navigate this celebration of life checklist alone. The compassionate team at Eternally Loved specializes in turning overwhelming details into manageable steps. Our caring staff has guided many families through this process with a personalized approach that honors each loved one’s unique story. Call us today to discuss how we can support you through every phase of planning a meaningful celebration.
Frequently Asked Questions
How early should I start working through this checklist?
Ideally, begin at least three to four weeks before your planned celebration. This provides adequate time to secure venues and coordinate with vendors. If working with a shorter timeline because of out-of-town relatives’ schedules, focus on critical details first: date, right location, guest notifications, and basic program structure. The process becomes much more manageable with support from professionals who handle these life events regularly.
What if I can’t complete every item on this checklist?
This celebration of life checklist is comprehensive, but not every item applies to your situation or needs completion for a perfect celebration. Use this for brainstorming ideas, not as a mandate. Focus on what matters most to you, and let go of items that add stress without meaningful value. The goal is honoring your loved one’s life, not achieving perfection.
Should I handle all details myself or delegate tasks to other family members?
Absolutely delegate whenever possible. Grief exhausts your capacity—trying to manage every aspect of life planning yourself is overwhelming. Many families find success identifying trusted family members or close friends for specific responsibilities. If coordinating volunteers feels like another burden, professional help from Eternally Loved can manage the planning process while keeping you involved in decisions about your loved one’s unique personality.
What are the most commonly forgotten critical details?
Families often overlook: adequate tissues throughout the remarkable space, clear signage for parking and directions, plans for personal items during the event, weather contingency plans, confirming dietary restrictions, designating someone to collect and preserve memory cards and photos guests add, and planning for their own emotional needs. Technical details like testing video equipment and having backup audio options also get missed. Details about regulations surrounding ash scattering, coordination with local authorities for permits, and what happens with floral arrangements afterward also slip through cracks.
Can we modify this checklist for very small or intimate celebrations?
Absolutely. This checklist covers everything from simple gatherings to elaborate events, so adapt it to fit your specific needs and the type of life ceremony that feels right. For very small celebrations, you can skip or simplify formal invitations (personal calls work fine), extensive vendor coordination (ordering your loved one’s favorite dishes from a local restaurant for pot luck style gathering), complex programs where a non denominational celebrant or church minister perform (just gathering to share stories), and elaborate memory-sharing stations (simple photo album and memory cards). The core elements remain the same regardless of size—deciding when and where, inviting important people, creating space for memories and greater connection. Scale everything to your loved one’s unique personality.