Planning a Memorial Service

How to Plan a Memorial Service or Celebration of Life

The loss of a loved one is never an easy experience. In many cases, attending a funeral can make the experience that much more difficult when you are surrounded by a room of people who are overwhelmed with sadness. The alternative to this is a celebration of life. A celebration of life is a great way to pay tribute to a loved one and celebrate their legacy. Unlike most funerals that often share similar prayers and readings; a celebration of life is unique to the individual.

Considerations When Planning the Ceremony

Rather than opting to do things "the same old way", many families today want to celebrate the life of a loved one. Many funeral service professionals see this change as one of the many contributions to social change made by 'Baby Boomers'. The National Funeral Directors Association notes, "As baby boomers age and find themselves having to plan funerals for loved ones and themselves, they are making funeral choices based on values that are different than previous generations. Baby boomers see funerals as a valuable part of the grieving process and are seeking ways to make them meaningful." If you too desire to make the funeral for a loved one more engaging and personally meaningful, a celebration of life may be the perfect concept to build on.


One very important thing to remember when planning a celebration of life is that it reflects your loved one’s passions. More importantly, though, a celebration of life should be focused around the who, where, and how.


Who is the celebration of life for? While it is important to celebrate the life of the deceased, you need to remember that the event is not for them. Its main purpose is to allow the family to say goodbye, give them closure, and begin the healing process.


Where will this event take place? A celebration of life or a memorial service can take place just about anywhere. Many families often hold them at the funeral home or the deceased’s home as these venues often offer a beautiful space for loved ones and friends to gather.


How will you honor your loved one at the event? This is when you can begin thinking about what you would like the celebration to include. To help get you started, check out the planning checklist below.


It's really a process of asking–and answering–questions. Sit down with other family members, at least once, but maybe even more than once; to explore the celebration-of-life ideas which arise from answering the questions below.

Checklist to Memorial or Celebration of Life Planning

Download Checklist
  1. Setting a budget: Before you can begin planning a celebration of life, it’s important 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.
  2. 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, make sure to find out any scheduling conflicts your family might have. This is especially important if family members live far away and you need to make travel arrangements to get there.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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? 
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. Who will be invited? 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.


Here's How to Come Up with Unique Memorial & Celebration Service Ideas

Our experience has shown us that many of today's families want more meaning than a traditional funeral memorial. This can be done by bringing more of the personality and lifestyle of the deceased into the memorial arrangements. By displaying photographs or staging the event around a favorite pastime, a memorial service can become more personal and meaningful.

If a personalized memorial service suits the needs of your family, we suggest you consider the following questions to get memorial service ideas:
  • What did your loved one like to do?
  • What was he or she like as an individual?
  • What was their profession and how did that shape their life?
  • Was your loved one spiritual?
  • Was he or she proud of their cultural or ethnic heritage? 

Let Us Help with the Celebration of Life& Memorial Services in TN

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. If you are planning to attend a celebration of life or a funeral, we have a guide for funeral etiquette and funeral preparation. 

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. 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.
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