There are many options to choose from when planning a celebration of life or memorial service.
As more families change or completely abandon a traditional funeral, there are increasing opportunities to honor loved ones to specifically fit their preferences and interests.
Planning Elegant Celebration of Life or Memorial Services
Memorial services and celebrations can differ based on the type, tone, and contents as much as the individual personalities that they commemorate. One way to pay tribute to the deceased is by customizing the funeral to their personality and interests.
If you would like to plan an elegant memorial or celebration of life service, you can do so by personalizing the details of the event to match the theme.
Steps to Planning an Elegant Memorial or Celebration of Life Ceremony
To create elegant memorials, family members can focus on the different elements that they can personalize. These include the location, food and drink, paper products such as funeral announcements and programs, and decorations such as photos and floral arrangements for the memorial.
Decide on the Location of the Service
The first step to planning elegant memorials is to decide on the location of the funeral or celebration of life ceremony. You can host the memorial at a variety of places such as a church, a community hall, a scenic park, the beach, or even a classy restaurant.
If the memorial or reception is held at a restaurant, you may decide on serving cocktails and delicious food. For a summer memorial service, picnic style foods such as small sandwiches, fruit, and hors d’oeuvres may be a fun way to commemorate a loved one who enjoyed picnics.
Create Elegant Invitations, Funeral Programs, and Funeral Program Template
Another element that can be personalized to match a specific theme are the invitations and funeral programs. An online search for invitations and funeral programs can provide you with many different templates and designs to use.
To create an amazing program, you will want to make sure to include important information about the deceased, a timeline of the funeral, and a special photo or two of your loved one. From there, you can create a more elegant invitation or program through the font, colors, and design that you choose.
Decorate with Sophisticated Decorations and Other Details
Decorations and flowers can help set the tone of a funeral or celebration of life event. For example, exquisite floral arrangements and beautifully framed photos can set the stage for elegant memorials.
You may also choose to decorate a memorial table with family or wedding pictures of your loved one, traditional flowers such as lilies or roses, flickering candles, or special keepsakes. For military veterans that served our country, you may want to display special medals or military pictures.
Final Touches
Some families chose to give out small keepsakes or gifts to guests. If you would like to include a keepsake to commemorate your loved one, some ideas you may consider are prayer cards with a picture of the deceased, memorial stones, or a small succulent.
Another option for some families decide to include is request for a donation to a charity or cause that was special to the deceased. This can be included in the funeral announcement or funeral program.
Planning a memorial can be stressful and time consuming while trying to grieve one’s loss, but the support of others can help. Be sure to ask for help if needed and lean on friends and family members.
Celebration of Life with Eternally Loved
At Eternally Loved, our goal is to make the planning process effortless and easy, so that you can focus on being present to honor your loved one and embrace the support of family and friends.
Our event planning services include a complimentary consultation to determine your memorial needs, coordination and contracting with all providers (venues, caterers, florists, entertainment/music, photographers/videographers, décor, hotels/transportation, and any other arrangements), and staying involved throughout the entire process to ensure a successful and memorable event.
We will also consult with you to provide announcements, invitations, releases, execution of personalized theme, memorable elements, video presentation, and general coordination. If you are planning a celebration of life event and need assistance, please contact us for more information.
Invitation to Celebration of Life
An invitation to a celebration of life is a way to ask family and other guests to join in honoring a loved one who has passed and to celebrate the life they lived. These types of events typically have a more positive tone and focus on the joy the loved one brought into our lives and the special memories we shared with them.
Celebration of Life Program
A celebration of life program includes a brief biography of the deceased before an itinerary of events. The program communicates who will deliver a eulogy, perform readings, or sing a hymn, and the order of events.
Obituary Program
An obituary program is a booklet that contains the obituary as well as additional information about the service and is handed out to guests at the funeral. It can also be used as a keepsake for family and friends to remember their loved one.
Life Celebration Ideas
Loss can be heartbreaking and devastating, but a celebration of life event allows families to focus on all the ways their loved one positively impacted them. The event can be personalized by the location, the decorations, photos, music, and other elements to pay tribute to the deceased and include some of their favorite things.
