When you decide on one of the funeral homes in the area to help you with your loved one’s final services, you have a lot of other decisions to make. You want to honor that person in a special way, and there are lots of choices that can do just that. The funeral homes only carry services that are honorable and respectful so in reality, you can’t go wrong. You simply have to choose what you feel is best for your loved one. If you think a celebration of life to highlight the good times instead of mourning the death is the right fit, here are a few things you will want to consider and put into place.
The location where you hold the celebration of life can set the tone for the whole service. There are lots of places to consider, depending on how many people you are going to invite and what you want to do with the service. Some people have the service at the funeral home, and that’s always a great choice. Not only is the location convenient, but you get help from the professionals to plan and run the service. You can also have something small and intimate in a family home, like a dinner or open house. You could even do something outside in a park. The options are endless.
You will want to think about who you want to invite to the celebration of life. Some families like to open it to the public while others want to keep things small and to family only. Who you invite will help to inform you what kind of venue you want. Or, if you choose a venue first, that can help you determine how many people you can invite.
Life celebrations generally have activities involved and this also depends on the venue. If you are in a park, there might be yard games and BBQ or picnic foods available. In a family home, perhaps there are picture books laying out so people can look through them and share memories. In a restaurant, the family shares a meal, maybe even family-style, and so on. Think about what you want to do to honor your loved one. The range is huge and you can figure out what you want that pertains to your loved one’s style and personality.
Many life celebrations have food and drink as a part of the service. Or, like with traditional services, you can have a reception after the service. Consider things that your loved one enjoyed or have family members bring things to offer potluck style. The food and drink will usually be along the casual lines, but not always. You can do whatever you want, of course.
When you work with funeral homes on final services for a loved one, you are going to want to figure out what style you want for your loved one’s memorial. If you choose a life celebration, you can move in that direction.