A Celebration of Life event or funeral service should be exactly what the name implies, a celebration of the life of your loved one.  As with any type of celebration, the event can be personalized to represent both the life that was lived as well as remembering the family that has been left behind.

Listed below are several questions you may want to consider as you plan a Celebration of Life:

• Would you prefer to have the deceased’s body present or not present?
  This may influence the type of event you wish to have, as well as impact participation levels from various family members or friends.
• What type of service will best suit your needs?
  There are many options to consider such as a more traditional funeral service with religious readings or you may prefer a contemporary service with music and eulogies.   On the other hand, some may wish to host a big party type event with food, alcohol, music, and a rip-roaring celebration with dancing.  Use your imagination!
• How do you want to customize and personalize the service?
  We suggest that you decide on the theme or important components of the event.  This includes personal items such as photographs, music selections, university degrees, sports memorabilia, career accomplishments, and other family mementos.  Consider bringing in pets to help celebrate, military and other types of service recognition, paintings, farm equipment, motorcycles, etc. The ability to customize and personalize the Celebration of Life or memorial service is limited to only the imagination of those planning the event.
• Where would you like to hold the service?
  There are many locations you may wish to hold your event such as a funeral home reception area, local clubs such as a golf club, community event center, hotels, a private residence, or a local park.  If the deceased was an avid swimmer, check out local waterparks.  If they loved the outdoors, check out wildlife areas.  If they loved hockey, how about a local hockey arena with a skating party (in season).  As long as it legal, your Celebration of Life or memorial service can probably be accommodated in some form.
• What location factors should be considered?
  When selecting the location for your Celebration of Life or memorial service, there are several factors to consider:

1. Size of the space needed to accommodate both the number of potential attendees and the type of displays/memorials you wish to create.
2. The Quality and Appearance of the Venue you select will help guide the theme of the event. Maybe the location is a local restaurant that may not have adequate sound equipment for all to hear speeches or music selections or not let decorations to be displayed.  Some venues may have poor seating arrangements or ambiance not suitable for an intimate meal for family and friends only.  Some venues may have less than desirable lighting, etc.  – check your location before committing to hold your event at that location.
3. Technical equipment and support that may be available vary with the quality of the technical equipment available, what equipment you may need to rent, bring from home or rely on others to provide, and the technical support you may or may not receive. Many funeral homes today are better equipped with technology than local clubs or community locations.  From our list of 40 Questions to Ask, can the location you select provide live streaming, quality sound and visual services, and so on.
4. Is the location accessible for all those who may attend? Consider ease of access such as stairs, elevators, washroom facilities for those attendees who may be older and not quite as mobile.

• Do you require assistance with setting up the event?
  While many of us have planned a small birthday or graduation event, you may choose to invest in major life events to professionals such as Wedding Planners to offer ideas and suggestions on how to create, coordinate and manage the event you are considering.  With a Celebration of Life or memorial service, you may wish to enlist the services of a funeral Celebrant, funeral director, or in some cases, an Event Planner.  Today, a growing number of funeral homes can provide or arrange for an event planner to help guide the event you are planning.
• What is the budget?
  With an event like a Celebration of Life or memorial service, you may want to set a budget that includes costs for location rentals, catering, alcohol, music, theme enhancements, professional help from a funeral director, celebrant or event planner, technical equipment, and support, event hosts, communicating the event through an obituary, or social media.

When you begin to think about a Celebration of Life or memorial service, there is no right or wrong, there is only the way you wish to be remembered.  Plan ahead, detail your plan, and let the right people know!