How to Plan a Celebration of Life Event
How to Plan a Celebration of Life Event
Planning a Celebration of Life in the Denver area can be a large undertaking, it takes time yet it moves incredibly fast.
While coping with the loss of a loved one, there are many options for how to celebrate and honor them including a funeral, memorial service, private celebration, or a Celebration of Life where many guests will be invited. It has become more and more common for families to choose a celebration of life rather than a memorial or funeral to remember and truly celebrate their loved one.
Celebrations of life events typically are:
-
Celebratory of the loved one’s life (not focused on grief)
-
Tend to feel positive and joyful
- Very personal
-
More relaxed and more unique
- Celebrations with food and bar options available
- Focuses on joy and celebration rather than mourning
Consider these options for your venue – DIY or all-inclusve:
Do you have the capacity, and want to do the following:
- Set up and tear down chairs and tables, order or purchase linens and set them, decorate, clean up afterwards?
- Research multiple caterers and schedule delivery, set up, serving options, clean up?
- Provide your own food, purchase food, prepare, store properly for delivery, unpack, set up, serve, clean up.
- Choose an all-inclusive venue that offers onsite catering?
- Have the option of a bar available?
Finding the perfect venue or meaningful location
Considerations when picking a celebration of life venue:
- The primary driver for the venue and overall price of a celebration of life is the number of people attending the event. For example, a 200-person celebration of life will need twice as much food, beverages, and rentals (tables, chairs, linens, etc.) as a 100-person celebration of life.
-
What type of Celebration of Life are you wanting to host? Is it more formal or more casual?
- Will you have help if choosing a DIY option, or do you prefer an all-inclusive venue, or combination of both?
-
How many people are you expecting to attend?
-
Do you need to provide a caterer or does the venue provide a caterer?
-
What is the budget for the celebration including venue, food, beverages, decor, other?
-
Is the venue in close proximity to most of your guests?
-
Does the location have meaning to your loved one or can it be decorated to reflect their personality?
-
Does the venue have an AV system or do you need to provide one?
-
Do you want the event inside, outside, or a combination? Be sure to consider the time of year and risks of an outdoor location.
- Where will people park?
Other great ideas for a venue could be a place that your loved one enjoyed to go. This could be their favorite restaurant, a garden, museums, or state or national parks, the ocean, the mountains, a sports event, etc.
What is needed, besides the venue, to create a Celebration of Life Event?
- Setting a theme, timeline and flow for the celebration
- Involving loved ones who want to contribute in some way
- Invitations – (digital or paper)
- Food – (and all that is involved with food set up, service, clean up)
- Beverages or Bar – (bartender)
- Decorations and table linens
- Florist
- Tables and chairs
- Set up and clean up
- Audio/Visual
- Creative Ideas for the Celebration
-
- make a custom Welcome Sign – Celebration of Life “Welcome Sign” template
- invite guests to share stories
- give guests ways to participate and contribute
- create opportunities for both sharing and reflection
- have memory cards at each table with a Memory Card Box available to collect them
- collect photos from guests with your loved one – family, co-workers, friends
- slide show
- play their favorite music
- start a group prayer or poem
- establish your loved ones memorial
- start a memorial fundraiser
- a Memory table with photos – the goal is to tell their story and capture their essence, everything from their hobbies, interests, values, passions, etc
- photographer
- videographer to record memories of the honoree
There are so many options to make it personal, unique and an intimate experience that your loved one would have enjoyed, and all will cherish for years to come.
Other Ways to Make it Personal
- Include Their Passions
- Include elements of their personality throughout
- Sports theme for an athlete
- Nature focus for an outdoors person
- Art supplies for a creative spirit
- Travel theme for a wanderer
- Incorporate Their Values and Family
- Charitable giving station
- Volunteer activity
- Environmental conservation
- Educational scholarships
- Have their children or grandchildren involved
Remember: The best celebrations reflect the unique personality and life of the person being honored while providing comfort and meaning to those gathering to remember them.
Plant a Memorial Tree
The act of releasing something:
Plan a trip to their favorite place
Scatter their ashes
Give guests keepsakes
Feeling overwhelmed? Let’s hop on a call or schedule a tour
We are a Celebration of Life Venue near Denver, CO and have been hosting beautiful and meaningful Celebration of Life Events for 20 years. We invite you to view more details about our all-inclusive or DIY options, as well as pricing, here on our page for a Celebration of Life
Bella Sera Event Center
Brighton, CO 80601
720-937-6337
No Comments