Host a Celebration of Life Party in Houston, TX
When a loved one passes, it is customary for families to immediately start arranging funeral or memorial services for the deceased. Funerals are a beautiful way to remember and honor the life of a loved one and help bring comfort to those who are grieving a terrible loss. Traditional funerals are held at a funeral home or church and tend to be more formal and somber.
Losing a loved one is an overwhelmingly emotional experience, and the planning that comes with it can really take a toll. An alternative to a funeral or memorial service is a celebration of life party. Like a funeral service, a celebration of life party helps bring people together to grieve but also encourages everyone to focus on the good memories and positive parts of their loved one’s life. If you think a celebration of life is best to honor your loved one, use this guide to help plan a celebration of life party.
What is a Celebration of Life?
A celebration of life is a customized event that celebrates the passing of a loved one, comprised of everything that made the person unique. It provides an uplifting space where friends and family can remember the life of their loved one and focus on the legacy they left behind. A celebration of life party can be as formal or casual as you make it but is intended to be a more joyous occasion than a traditional funeral. Unlike a funeral, a celebration of life can take place at many different locations and be planned weeks after the passing. It is a great alternative for those who aren’t religious or prefer a lighter approach to saying goodbye or can be an additional service with planning a funeral.
Planning a Celebration of Life Party
A well-planned celebration of life party will feature the personality of your loved one and help everyone to remember their life in a fun and very personal way. When planning a celebration of life party, here are some things to keep in mind:
Guest List
The first thing you will want to do is make a list of everyone you would like to invite. Immediate family of the loved one is a great place to start then branch off from there to extended family, close friends, their coworkers, and so on. A celebration of life party can provide closure to those who were close to the deceased and to those who may have been close to them at some point in their life. The guest list can be as small or big as you like but will help in determining where to host the event.
Venue & Location
Choosing a location for a celebration of life party can depend on a few factors, like number of people expected to attend, adequate parking and nearby travel accommodations for those travelling from out of town. A celebration of life party can take place at a variety of places such as a church, dining hall, or a family home. Some families will choose a place that was a favorite of their loved one or a venue that is all inclusive to help with planning. Keep in mind a great venue will provide:
- • Flexibility to customize the space
- • Plenty of room for your guests
- • Hotels located nearby
- • Event staff
- • Audio and visual capabilities
Food & Beverages
Like a funeral reception, serving refreshments is customary at a celebration of life party. What you decide to serve can range from small, finger foods to catering your loved one’s favorite meal. You can reach out to the deceased’s favorite restaurant and ask them to cater the event or another popular food and beverage choice for a celebration of life is a potluck, where guests will bring items to serve buffet style. Some celebration of life parties will include alcoholic beverages served by a bar service or ice chest full of favorite drinks.
Decorations
Selecting decorations can be as simple as using your loved one’s favorite color or hobby to decorate the space. You can have custom shirts made and available for guests to wear or ask everyone to dress as characters from the departed’s favorite movie or in theme with their favorite decade. Decoration options are limitless. The purpose of a celebration of life party is to provide a fun and festive way to remember a loved one, sharing great memories, laughs, tears, and celebrating the person’s life and legacy. The way you theme or decorate the event will help show the personality and uniqueness of the person being celebrated.
Music & Presentations
When it comes to the audio and visual part of a celebration of life party, you need to decide if you will have speakers and/or a video playing on a loop. It is very common to have a picture slideshow playing in the background with your loved one’s favorite music. Some family members or friends might want to share memories or prepare a short speech. A good idea is to set up an open mic and invite all guests to share a memory throughout the event.
For music, create a playlist of your loved one’s favorite songs and have a DJ play them during the event. You can opt to have a full band play or invite a friend or family member to perform if they are a musician. No matter what you choose, music helps create the more positive environment that is intended for a celebration of life.
Personalization
A celebration of life party is unique to your loved one, add a signature or guest book for your guests to write farewell messages to create intimate moments. Or set up a memories table where guests can take home a personal photo. Create a keepsake based on your loved one’s favorite things. If they loved craft beer, send guests home with a personalized beer pint or koozie.
Flowers
Many guests will want to bring flower arrangements so be sure to have a designated space where the arrangements can gather. An alternative to receiving many flower arrangements, you can set up a donation fund to a charity for an in lieu of flowers donation. Select a charity that was meaningful to your loved one and let guests know ahead of the event.
Celebration of Life Party at Imagen Venues
Planning a celebration of life party takes time and often can be emotional and stressful, Imagen Venues has the experience to help make planning easier for you and your family. We can help with every stage of planning and come up with a celebration of life party that best suits your needs and expectations.
Imagen Venues is an all-inclusive venue, providing catering, event staff, chairs and tables, and so much more. We have two event centers with enough space for any size celebration of life party and both customizable to meet your specific needs. Centrally located in Houston, Imagen Venues is a short drive from the George Bush International Airport and located on the service road of the major highway, I-69, allowing easy access to the surrounding accommodations.
Our friendly professional staff can help you plan the celebration of life party you want and take care of the many details for you. Contact Imagen Venues to discuss your event and schedule a tour.