What is a Celebration of Life?
A celebration of life service is a ceremony that honors the memory of a loved one or someone who has died. Celebrations of life are often held in the presence of family and friends to celebrate the life and achievements of the person who has died.
The celebration can be in many different forms, but it usually includes music, prayer, singing, or other types of entertainment. A celebration of life service is not a religious gathering; it is open to all people regardless of their religious beliefs.
The celebration of life is a special occasion that we should not take for granted. We should not only celebrate it when we lose someone close to us, but also when we’re celebrating the lives of people who are still with us.
Celebration of Life Ideas
A celebration of life is a ceremony that takes place after a person dies. The ceremony event usually includes family and friends remembering the person’s life and celebrating their legacy.
There are many different types of celebrations of life, including memorial services, funerals, wakes, and celebrations. For some people, it can be difficult to plan what type of celebration to have because they don’t know what the person would have wanted. However, there are many resources available that can help you plan the perfect celebration for your loved one.
Creative memorial ideas for your celebration of life event include:
Flowers
Funeral flowers are a very important part of the celebration of life. They are usually placed at the front and center of the ceremony and provide a focal point for attendees to reflect on what they are celebrating in a meaningful way. Flowers in this context symbolize life and hope, pay tribute, and can also serve as a reminder that we will all die someday.
The type and number of flowers that should be used in life celebrations or a funeral depends on your religion or culture, but most people typically use about 10-12 bunches with 12-15 stems per bunch. For some celebrations, people like to choose the deceased person’s favorite flower. In some cultures, it is considered bad luck to have too many flowers at one time, so people may only have 2-3 bunches present during the service.
Guest List
The guest list you create for the celebration of life can include friends, family members, coworkers, and significant others. How many guests you have will be up to you, and based upon the location of your event.
Location
A celebration of life can take place in many different locations. Maybe your loved one was a master gardener, and you choose a nursery or beautiful outdoor setting they would love. Your loved one may have been an avid golfer, and you choose to host a golf outing in your loved one’s honor. No matter where you choose to create your event, all that matters if that you spend time honoring your loved one and the life they lived.
Decorations
The most popular celebration of life and funeral decorations are flowers, candles, and cards.
Flowers: Flowers can be used to decorate the casket or as a decoration at the ceremony.
Candles: Candles can also be used to decorate the casket or as a decoration at the ceremony. They can also serve as a way for people to light a candle and remember their loved one who has passed away.
Cards: Cards can be given to those who attended the funeral service, they are also often given to those who were unable to attend but would like to send their condolences.
Collect Photos
Photos can make an ideal gift for this event and be stored later. You can obtain more photos through a group photo album online, where you invite others who upload the photos to a folder. You can also use those photos to share slides during an event or create a physical photo album for your friends or relatives. This guide demonstrates ways to create and share collaborative albums using Google Photos. This one was free.
Activities
Life celebrations can include activities to honor your loved one’s life. Some people like to include some activities within the ceremony such as a balloon release, candle lighting, or memory cards. Each of these offers ways for individuals to share stories and engage with family members during the ceremony. It helps to spark conversation and allow guests to engage in discussions about the deceased.
Play Their Favorite Music
Music may be the best healing method for healing. Create a favorite song playlist that can be played during celebrations and shared to other people afterwards. You can also create your own shared playlist where friends are able to add music their loved ones enjoy.
Invite People to Share Stories
Sharing stories helps preserve the memory of someone you love. This memory has power and will heal your broken hearts as well. When the event is held people can ask people what their favorite memories will be during the celebration.
Record the Celebration
Some people may not have the chance to see the event. Whatever the reason, having the party live streamed and recorded gives the family or friends the opportunity to enjoy their special occasion at their own homes.
A recording provides comfort in difficult times and provides some comfort to the listener. Feeling as though you are in a relationship can help re-connect.
Start a Group Prayer or Poem
Consider donating some of your favorite poems or prayers with someone you love. You can create group poems with people in the audience and also dedicate prayers to their loved one.
What is the Difference between a Celebration of Life, Funeral or Memorial service?
A celebration of life service is a memorial service that celebrates the life of someone who has died. It can be held before or after the funeral, and it may include music, poetry, and other forms of art.
Traditional funeral services ceremony to commemorate the death of someone who has died. It typically includes religious services and focuses on our favorite memories and remembering the person’s life and mourning their death.
A memorial service event is a ceremony that commemorates the life and work of an individual who has died.
Celebration of Life
A celebration of life event is another non-traditional way to pay tribute to your loved one’s life. It is different from a traditional funeral service because it does not have to be done a specific way or based on a specific timeline. A celebration of life can be designed how you see fit, and how you want to honor the special person who has passed away.
Funeral Service
A funeral service is a ceremony that is held to commemorate the death of someone. Traditional funerals are usually a gathering of family and friends who come together to remember the person who has died.
A traditional funeral service can be held at a funeral home, church, temple, mosque, synagogue or other place of worship. The person who has died may also be cremated and their ashes scattered in a cemetery or at sea.
Memorial Service
A memorial service is a ceremony, usually religious, that remembers the life of someone who has died. It is often held at the funeral home or other location near where the person lived.
A memorial service usually includes music and prayers. It may also include readings from the Bible, poetry, or other writings. A eulogy is often given by a close family member or friend of the person who has died. The eulogy talks about what kind of person they were and what they did during their life.
A Celebration of Life with Eternally Loved
Eternally Loved was founded with a purpose of providing celebrations focusing on the life that was lived. By providing ethical, empathetic, and professional expertise, we aim to lessen the stress and pain it may cause to plan a celebration of life for a friend, family member or pet.
Our beginning-to-end, full-service Celebration of Life event will guide you every step of the way.
Our goal is to make the planning process effortless and easier, while exceeding your expectations and creating an extraordinary and memorable experience. As part of the process we reach out to the venue and any vendors that are needed and negotiate and contract them and arrange with them all that needs to be accomplished and timelines. We also pick up or bring all the items that we have decided the celebration of life will need.
If you or someone you know is looking to host a celebration of life for a friend or family member, please reach out to Eternally Loved. We will work with you to create a memorable event that honors your loved one and their memories.
Invitation to Celebration of Life
There are two main types of invitations: paper invitations and digital invitations. You may choose to use one or both options when planning for the invitation process.
When considering wording and what to write for a celebration of life invitation, it is important to keep it simple and respectful. Be sure to include key details such as name of the deceased, birth date and death date, location of the memorial service, and date and time of the memorial service.
Obituary Program
Obituaries are often published in a newspaper to give notice to the community of the death of a person. An obituary may include information on surviving relatives, historical records, or other information concerning the individual’s life and death.
Elegant Memorials
Elegant memorials can be possible to honor your loved one. You can choose items to showcase their unique personality such as their favorite sports team memorabilia, mason jars filled with their favorite flower, or dedicate the service to your loved one’s favorite charity, scholarship fund or book club.
