Can a Celebration of Life event co-exist with a traditional funeral service?

• A Celebration of Life Event is held at some point after the individual’s physical remains have been cared for, whether through burial or cremation.  In fact, it does not necessarily need to be viewed as an alternative to the traditional funeral service.   The family may still opt to have a viewing and burial ceremony and follow it up some weeks later with a Celebration of Life event. 

How much does a Celebration of Life event cost?

• Aside from all the aforementioned benefits of a Celebration of Life, this event is notably more economical than the traditional funeral and burial service. A typical Celebration of Life Event is as low as $2,750, which is in stark contrast to the typical funeral service ranging upwards of $10,000. 

• To gain further insights of what your Celebration of Life Event fees would include, contact us by clicking here.

What is the basic agenda of a Celebration of Life Event?

• Each table setting will have a laminated front and back page of the decease’s biography.  This bio will familiarize all attendees of the chronological highlights of the life of your deceased loved one.  Also at each table, there will be a laminated ancestry chart illustrating the family tree – this way all attendees are familiar with the family ties (who’s who).  Click here for an example.

• Each table setting will also have a heavy-stock memory card – about the size of a 3x5 index card.  This way each attendee can write out a cherished memory they personally had with your loved one.   These cards are then placed in a large (gallon size) jar with the name of your loved one on it.  Click here for an example. 

• So…let’s set the stage so far.  Say the event starts at 11 am on a Saturday.  Everyone mixes and mingles and finds their assigned seat.   Some are filling out their memory card, others are reading the biography, and others are viewing the ancestry tree – all the while laughing and crying together.  

• Around noon, a lunch buffet is served and people continue to mix.  Towards the end of the meal, around desert time, a professionally produced movie is shown on a large screen that features videos and photos of the loved one throughout their life.  This 15 to 20 minute movie will capture the person’s life story in an uplifting emotional manner.  It will be personalized with selected background music.  An example movie will be provided upon the initial orientation.

Who will orchestrate and coordinate the event?

• Our Event Planner does all the heavy lifting and takes most all the burden off the grieving family.  A point of contact(s) amongst the surviving family members is established and the Planner will first conduct an orientation to review all agenda items, assignments and timetables to ensure a smooth execution of the process. 

Where and when should the event take place? 

• The Planner will identify a preferred location with the assistance of the family’s point of contact(s).  Typically, this is at a local hall, club or a private room in a restaurant with catering services.  There are no hard and fast rules for when the Celebration of Life event needs to occur.  However, the optimal time frame is typically within 5 to 7 weeks from the departure date. 

How are the invitations handled?

• The first couple of weeks after the loved one’s departure is comprised of generating the invitation list (postage mail, phone calls, emails – all arranged by the planner).  Click here for an example of a typical invitation.  

• Unlike a traditional funeral service, which has a “crunched” time factor, the turnout to the Celebration Event is much higher because attendees have time to plan for it in advance.  Imagine how many times people call the loved ones after a funeral and apologize for not being in attendance.  This situation is drastically reduced with a Celebration of Life Event.  

• After the invitations are sent out, the Event Planner manages all the “replies”; who is coming, who isn’t.  The Planner then works with the point of contact to coordinate the seating arrangement at the tables.   This way family members, relatives, friends and neighbors are all properly situated for familiarity and comfort. 

How are eulogies handled with a Celebration of Life event?

• Aside from the professionally developed movie featuring your lost loved one, the opportunity for properly eulogizing the departed is the highlight of the event.  Our invitations and correspondence with the attendees in advance of the event provides ample time for speech preparations.  The ambience of the event, along with the sequential agenda items, provides the ideal atmosphere for people to collectively or individually, eulogize your loved one.   

How and why can I expect to get better closure with an event like this?

• Interesting enough, it’s not just the event itself that provides the benefits of closure.  We find that the approximate 4-week preparation period offers immense value towards lessening your grief.  Our planner will take point with keeping you occupied with various assignments.   You’ll be busy working with us to develop the invitation list.  We’ll interview you regarding your loved one’s life bio and family tree; you’ll be gathering photos, old videos, cassettes, VCR tapes, 8-mm and other memorabilia.  All the while, you’ll feel productive knowing you are focused on a worthwhile cause.  Will it be difficult at times?  Yes!  But this is done by design.  It is a key component to the incremental and gradual healing process.