Honoring a deceased friend or family member is an important step in the grieving process. Funerals help with healing and offer comfort for the living. Besides traditional services, you can have a celebration of life, which is an informal and less somber event. Here are five ways to plan it.

How to Plan a Celebration of Life

1. Make a Guest List

Details will be based on how large or small you want the celebration of life to be. Start with those closest to the deceased, including friends, family, coworkers, teammates, and more. You may choose to have a small funeral followed by a larger celebration of life or vice versa. Either way, solidify who will be invited before moving forward.

2. Choose the Location

Unlike a funeral that is often planned a few days after the death, a celebration of life can occur at any point. Decide where you’d like to have it since that will determine how long you will need to plan. For example, holding the event in a public place like a park or on the beach will require permits that can take time. 

3. Create a Budget

Consider all elements such as any costs associated with the location, permit fees for public places, food, musicians, decorations, and other details. Speak with other close friends and family members about your ideas, and you may find that others will want to contribute, either in money or in donations. If not, make sure you organize what you can comfortably afford.

4. Set Time & Dress Code

Most celebrations of life occur from mid-morning to early afternoon, but some choose evening and dinner events. It can be as long as you want, but generally, one to two hours is an acceptable timeframe. Include how casual you want it to be and note any special wardrobe requests like favorite colors to wear.

5. Plan a Memorial

While a funeral may have items like photos present during the service, a celebration of life should include details to honor the lost loved one. An image board or digital image gallery can work, but also include a memory table with some of their favorite things like sports memorabilia, books, a memory book that guests can write in, and even activities designed for kids like a coloring book featuring their favorite characters. You can also lay out tokens that attendees can take home such as a small photo, bookmark, or candle.

Since 1938, Bolton & Lunsford Funeral Home has been a compassionate resource for grieving families in the Cincinnati area. The funeral home offers everything you need to plan the right arrangements for a lost loved one, including burial and cremation services. Whatever your faith or culture, their caring staff will provide respectful guidance and preparations to honor your family member or friend. To begin funeral planning, call (513) 661-4059. For pre-planning, visit their website.