How to Plan a Celebration of Life

A celebration of life is a heartfelt and uplifting ceremony that brings friends and family together to honor and celebrate a life well-lived. If you're tasked with planning a celebration of life, you might be wondering where to begin. In this guide, we'll walk you through planning a memorable celebration of life that showcases your loved one's unique personality and spirit. 


Together our staff will take a personalized approach and help tailor a service that is one of a kind. To help get you started, here's what you should consider when planning a celebration of life.

Planning A Celebration of Life Checklist

Setting a budget

Prior to initiating the planning process for a celebration of life, it’s crucial to talk with your family and come to a consensus on a budget. Once you know what you are able to spend, you can begin to look at how you want to honor your loved one and what the celebration of life will include.

Where, and when, should the event take place?

This is where the planning really begins. Before you decide on a date for the celebration of life,  start by checking with family members for any scheduling conflicts. This is especially important if family members live far away and you need to make travel arrangements to get there. By choosing the ideal setting and date, you'll create a warm, friendly atmosphere that honors your loved one's memory

Who will lead the event?

Although a celebration of life is often more casual than a funeral service, it’s still a good idea to decide who will lead the event. If your loved one was religious, you may want to invite their local religious leader. Some families will choose to hire a non-denominational celebrant to oversee the event.

What activities will take place?

If you want to make the celebration of life special and unique, consider organizing an activity for guests to take part in. The activity could be as simple as a craft station for guests to create a keepsake to take home or as elaborate as a fireworks display. For celebration of life ideas for groups, check out some idea suggestions below.

Food and beverages to serve

Food and drinks are an important part of any event. Food brings people together and can create opportunities for guests to share memories with one another. Some families serve hors d’oeuvres and others will host a meal. In either case, think about some of your loved one’s favorite food and drinks and try to serve them during the event.

What audio and visuals will be included?

Technology can play an important role in honoring a loved one and paying tribute to them. Memorial videos, slideshows, and music playlists can help create a warm atmosphere of remembrance. If you want to include this special touch, talk to your funeral director about your technology needs and consider the following questions: 
  • What audio/visual equipment is needed? 
  • What pictures, videos, and other content do you want to display? 
  • How will these choices help honor the deceased and celebrate their life? 

Who will speak at the event?

At some point during almost every celebration of life, there will be an opportunity for someone to say a few words. These can be more formal speeches like a eulogy or just a simple toast to the deceased and thanking guests for coming. Next, it’s important to decide who will have the opportunity to speak. Will there be prepared speeches or an open floor for guests to share stories and memories if they wish? Below are some questions to consider when selecting your speakers:
  • Will the service be formal or informal? 
  • Do you want to leave the floor open for guests to speak? 
  • What family members or friends do you think would like to say something? 
  • Do you want to include readings or prayers? 

Mementos and keepsakes

If you want to show your appreciation, consider buying or creating some small personal keepsakes for guests to take home. It could be as simple as a packet of memorial seeds to plant in a garden or as personal as hand written notes from the family thanking guests for coming. In either case, having something for guests to take home with them shows that your family is thankful that they chose to come and provides guests with a physical item to help honor the deceased’s memory.

Send out invitations

Last but certainly not least, it’s time to create a guest list and send out invitations. Once you know the where and when, you can start putting a guest list together. Think of everyone that would want to be there and add them to the list. Once you’re ready to send out invitations, you might want to ask guests to RSVP. Doing so will help you make sure you have enough food, drinks, and keepsakes for the celebration of life.

Celebration of Life Ideas

Celebrations of life are all about personalization and capturing the spirit of your loved one. To truly make the service as unique as your loved one, check out the ideas below for inspiration.

Create a Time Capsule

A great way to help the family long after the service has ended is to create a time capsule of memories. For this idea, invite guests to bring small items like photographs, cards, books, letters, and other little mementos. As guests add their item into the capsule, they can share the memory with everyone in attendance. Afterwards, your family can choose to bury the capsule or lock it away. On the first anniversary of the deceased’s passing, your family can open the memory capsule and revisit all the memories that were shared.

Host A Potluck

If your loved one loved to cook or enjoyed trying new foods, consider hosting a potluck. Create a list of your loved one’s favorite dishes and invite guests to sign up to bring them. Not only will you be serving the food your loved one enjoyed, guests can feel a greater connection to the deceased and that they were a part of the celebration.

Scatter the Remains

If your loved one has been cremated, you may want to consider planning an ash scattering ceremony during the celebration of life. There are many ways to do this from scattering remains in a garden to releasing them in a body of water. Whatever you decide to do, make sure to check with the funeral director and local authorities about any laws or regulations surrounding ash scattering.

Let Us Help with the Celebration of Life

We know that's a lot to think about. But we urge you to take your time; be thoughtful, and don't hesitate to explore all the celebrations of life ideas which arise as part of this experience.

As we've said, we've got the experience which could make planning a celebration of life easier for you and your family. Don't hesitate to pick up the phone and call us at (516) 223-3516. Let's talk about your loved one's life; share some stories with us. We're confident that, together, we can come up with the perfect celebration of life event to suit your needs and expectations.