Planning a celebration of life service can be overwhelming to say the least, especially when you are experiencing grief after losing a family member or loved one. It can be helpful to have some celebration of life ideas before beginning to plan, so that you can have an idea of what type of celebration of life service you would like to have.
Some things to consider when planning a wonderful life celebration include what type of funeral flowers, a guest book, a tribute video, and whether you would like traditional funeral services or the ability to incorporate more creative ideas at a life celebration. Of course, you want to hold the best celebration possible for a loved one, and Eternally Loved is here to help with the process.
What is a Life Ceremony?
A life ceremony or celebration of life is a type of memorial service with the purpose to pay tribute to a loved one who has passed away. A celebration of life is different from a funeral service in that it is less traditional and there is more opportunity to customize the celebration of life party based on the interests of the person or family members.
A celebration of life is a meaningful and personal event to pay tribute to the life of a loved one. A celebration of life event may include your favorite memories of the deceased person, a memorial table, memorial garden, balloon release or other unique gestures to keep their memory alive.
Celebration of Life Ideas
The planning process of a life celebration for a family member or loved one can seem impossible, partly because you want to do everything you can to pay tribute to your loved one in a meaningful way. The most important thing to remember is that you do not have to do this alone. With the help of a memorial planning service, such as Eternally Loved, you can have support and assistance throughout the entire planning process of the memorial event.
Some common ways to honor a loved one’s memory is to share experiences that you had with the special person. Other ways to make your love one’s celebration special is to include their favorite flower, favorite photos, whether they are a sports lover or animal lover, their favorite sports team, and other things that you remember from the person’s life.
Planning a Celebration of Life
A traditional funeral service is different from life celebrations because a celebration of life does not require a specific set of events that need to happen. There is no right way to pay tribute to your loved one’s honor. A loved one’s celebration of life can be unique and customized to meet the needs of the person and their loved ones.
Some of the most common celebration of life ideas for mom, dad, sister, brother, or other family members include:
Decorations
It is important to think about the decorations that you will have at the life celebration. Some examples of decorations that you could use include a memorial plaque, mason jars, show a tribute video, guest book or memory board, your favorite loved one’s photograph, displaying a wedding dress, showing a memorial DVD, and other creative memorial ideas to honor your loved one’s life.
Location
The location of where you hold a celebration of life or other memorial services can be based on the time of day, location of where the family and friends live, or a favorite spot that the deceased person loved. Some examples of locations that you could use include a memorial service venue, funeral home, school library, golf course or golf outing, a restaurant or other spot that you believe will be the best place for a final tribute for your loved one.
Toasts/Speeches
Many times, sharing a loving memory will help a person cope with the loss of a loved one. You can also invite people to share a few words, share stories or share special memories that they have of their loved ones, and this is a popular celebration that people have during a celebration of life. It also helps to spark conversation during the celebration for your loved one, allowing guests to work through their grief.
Food/Catering
Special occasions like a celebration of life will typically include food and drinks for the guests to enjoy during life celebrations. You may include the deceased person’s favorite drink or appetizer for guests to enjoy. The food may also be dependent on the type of service you have, the time of day, and what venue you will be using.
In Lieu of Flowers
Sometimes people consider not having guests bring flowers to the celebration of life or memorial service. They may opt to donate in his or her name, have people donate to a local animal shelter (if the person was an animal lover) or a local homeless shelter.
What is a Funeral or Memorial Service?
A funeral or memorial service have slight differences than a celebration of life service. A funeral is more traditional in how it is setup and the schedule of events that occur. Typically, funerals follow a religious tradition, and will have more rules/guidelines than a memorial service. A memorial service is more like a celebration of life and can be individualized based on you and your loved one. A celebration of life for a loved one is more unique, and you can make it your own. There are so many celebration of life ideas that you can use to honor your loved one.
A Memorial Celebration of Life with Eternally Loved
Eternally Loved is a celebration of life and memorial service planning organization that specializes in celebration of life ideas. We work together with you and your family to create the most amazing celebration to pay tribute to a loved one.
We focus each memorial service on events that are centered on the life of a loved one that was lived so the mood of all the offerings is one of love and appreciation. We can help with offering suggestions on celebration of life ideas, coordinating the entire event, as well as helping with celebrating and honoring your loved one.
If you would like more information on our services or need help with celebration of life ideas, please contact Melissa or visit our website. We would be happy to provide you with a free consultation to discuss your options for a celebration of life service.
