At Lighten, we once had a client planning a celebration for her late husband who told us she wanted to “throw a party worthy of his life and what he represented to so many people.” She felt a traditional, cookie-cutter funeral would not do justice to his larger-than-life personality. As uplifting memorials grow in popularity as an alternative to somber, stuffy funerals, the general sentiment toward how we celebrate the lives of our loved ones is changing as well. For example, seeing the words “celebration of life” and “party” in the same sentence might have been considered completely taboo at a point in the not-so-distant past. Today, many family and friends are gathering celebration of life party ideas so that they can honor their loved one in a way they think their loved one would have liked best… With a party! If this approach is for you, read on for ideas on how to throw a party worthy of your loved one’s life.
Personalized Celebration of Life Party Ideas
The centerpiece of the party is your loved one. And they are in the core of every detail as well. We believe that a celebration of life can be as unique as the identity of the loved one and that there are countless ways to achieve this.
As you gather celebration of life party ideas, we recommend that you keep in mind all the details that made your loved one them, while maybe taking memorial service customs with a grain of salt. For example, tradition generally dictates that white roses be used for any kind of memorial celebration. But if you know your loved one enjoyed sunflowers more than anything else, give yourself the freedom to break the white rose tradition and decorate with sunflowers. Not only would this detail make the party that much more personalized, but it also helps orient attendees with, “Hey, this is a celebration!”
“Life is a party. Dress for it.”
― Audrey Hepburn
First up on our list of celebration of life party ideas is attire. It is no longer uncommon for friends and family to stray away from the traditional all-black dress code. We encourage you to think of ways you can take it even a step further. You might include an instruction on the invitation to wear your loved one’s favorite colors or fan gear from their favorite sports team. We can also look to customs around the world for another idea. In Varanasi, India, colorful dressings are used to represent facets of a loved one’s character. For example, yellow signifies knowledge and red can represent purity. You can ask your attendees to choose a color they think best represents your loved one and make the event that much more personalized.
The Party is Wherever You’re Celebrating
The second talking point for celebration of life party ideas is location. Whether the memorial takes place in-person or virtually, the location can be a great vehicle for personalization.
Virtual Celebration of Life Party Ideas
Just because you’re hosting a memorial online, doesn’t mean it can’t be a party! Lighten helped one family plan a tribute that carried out what their loved one enjoyed most: dancing. The virtual celebration included time for attendees to stand up and show off their moves in honor of their loved one’s passionate involvement with the Miami dance club scene. One attendee even broke out a disco ball and put the party environment over the top.
The bottom line is, virtual celebration of life party ideas don’t need to be limited to photo slideshows and spoken tributes (although these are great components of a memorial!). You can tell us about the elements of your loved one’s unique personality and we will curate experience ideas to match.
In-Person Celebration of Life Locations
Can you think of a location that would make you feel closest to your loved one? Where would they go to enjoy celebrations during their life? If they were throwing the party, would there be a particular theme? Lighten offers in-person memorials at locations such as movie theaters and elegant mansions, as well as a package that includes tailgating while surrounded by your loved one’s favorite sports memorabilia. Whether you choose to host the party in your backyard or somewhere else, the unique identity of your loved one can shine through the location.
Celebration of life party ideas can be found throughout many of Lighten’s resources. We help families to think outside the box in order to create a deeply personalized memorial. If you’re ready to start putting your ideas into a plan, reach out to a Lighten Team Member.
