At Lighten, our mission is to empower families to plan personalized celebrations of life that truly honor their loved one’s unique identity. Sometimes, a person’s hometown is core to their identity and is meaningful enough to honor in their life celebration. If your loved one was a dedicated Chicagoan, read on for ideas about how you can incorporate their beloved city into their celebration of life. If you’re interested in full-service planning options to hold a Chicago-style (or any other style) celebration, Lighten is here to help.
Consider: Choosing An Iconic Chicago Location
Oftentimes, the location of the gathering can be one of the most important elements for adding sentimental significance and evoking happy memories. Did your loved one spend most of their time in a specific Chicago neighborhood? Whether the Loop, Hyde Park, Logan Square, or one of the numerous other vibrant Chicago neighborhoods, choosing a venue in your loved one’s favorite neighborhood can evoke their personality and bring family and friends the comfort of happy memories spent there with your loved one.
Selecting an iconic venue can also be a way to celebrate your loved one’s life and personality. Perhaps the venue is personally iconic to your loved one or your family. For example, Lighten once supported a family in planning a celebration of life at the Chicago Botanic Garden. They chose the location because their loved one was passionate about spending time in nature and because he loved to ride his bike past the Chicago Botanic Garden on his regular rides. Another Lighten client chose The Harp and Fiddle Irish pub in the Chicago suburb of Park Ridge. She chose this venue for her husband’s celebration because each week his soccer team gathered there after their weekly matches. These are just a couple of examples of the ways that choosing a personally memorable Chicago location can help you uniquely honor your loved one’s life.
Another option for selecting an iconic Chicago location for a loved one’s gathering is to select a city-wide icon. If a beautiful view of Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline is important to you, for example, you could choose a lakefront venue, such as Theatre on the Lake. An outdoor lakefront location, like Burnham Park, can deliver similar benefits and add a piece of Chicago history. The park was named for Chicago’s famous architect and planner Daniel H. Burnham, who was Chief of Construction for the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893 and also created an initial vision for a south lakefront park in his seminal 1909 Plan of Chicago.
Another approach could be to choose a historic Chicago landmark, such as The Chicago Cultural Center. Constructed in 1897 as Chicago’s first central public library, it continues to play a leading role in Chicago’s vibrant cultural scene. It provides free year-round music, dance, and theater events, films, lectures, art exhibitions, and family events – an ideal setting for a loved one who immersed themselves in arts and culture. Two other historic landmarks in which Lighten has held celebrations are the historic Davis Theater in Lincoln Square and the iconic Goodman Theatre in Chicago’s storied Theatre District. These are just a handful of examples of iconic Chicago venues that can evoke your loved one’s Chicago spirit.
Consider: Incorporating Chicago Sports
If your loved one was a passionate Chicago sports fan, planning a celebration of life that features one or more of their Chicago sports teams is an option you may consider. Whether your loved one was a fan of the Sky, Red Stars, Bears, Bulls, Cubs, White Sox, Blackhawks, or Fire, honoring their teams can provide a unique and spirited way to infuse their personality into the celebration. You might consider a sports bar or a venue with iconic Chicago sports memorabilia. Whether celebrating in one of these locations or simply in a family home, you can decorate your gathering space with colors, banners, and jerseys from the team. Flowers and centerpieces in team colors, for example, can add a touch of team spirit. In one Lighten celebration, for example, the family chose to drape their loved one’s White Sox jersey over the podium from which speakers gave their reflections.
If an interactive component of the gathering feels appropriate and the location of the celebration allows, you could even incorporate a sports-inspired activity. You might consider a basketball shooting contest, a mini hockey game, or a football toss. To add additional personalized touches, you might even create custom invitations resembling sports tickets and encourage guests to dress in their team jerseys. To enhance the experience further, you can consider including music from your loved one’s favorite Chicago sports teams. For example, an avid Chicago Blackhawks fan might appreciate incorporating the song “Chelsea Dagger,” by The Fratellis, into the gathering. The song became a Chicago sensation during 2010, when the Blackhawks had their first Stanley Cup run in 49 years. In a similar fashion, the song “Sirius,” by The Alan Parsons Project, is likely to strike a chord with Chicago Bulls Fans. The song was used to introduce the starting lineup of the Chicago Bulls for home games during their iconic era in the 1990s.
These examples of personalized touches can help you highlight memorable moments from Chicago’s sports history and from your loved one’s life. With thoughtful planning, incorporating Chicago sports in a way your loved one would appreciate can help create a vibrant atmosphere for celebrating their life. This thematic approach can bring comfort and joy to friends and family as they commemorate the life of their loved one in a way that resonates with the spirit of Chicago sports.
Consider: Incorporating Chicago Cuisine
If Chicago-style cuisine factored into your loved one’s affinity for Chicago, incorporating Chicago food favorites into the menu for your loved one’s celebration could be a wonderful touch. Chicago’s rich and diverse culinary scene offers many options for curating an authentic Chicago menu. The Windy City is renowned for its iconic dishes, from deep-dish pizza to Chicago-style hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches.
There are numerous ways to incorporate Chicago favorites into a menu. You may consider starting the reception with a casual spread of miniature deep-dish pizzas, each slice oozing with melted cheese and flavorful toppings. For a true Chicago touch, you might offer guests the chance to build their own Chicago-style hot dogs, complete with the traditional fixings, like relish, diced onions, pickles, tomatoes, peppers, and a sprinkle of celery salt (hold the ketchup!). You might enhance the dessert experience by incorporating Garrett’s famous mix of caramel and cheese popcorn, a sweet and savory treat that captures the essence of Chicago snacking.
To elevate the celebration, you might consider hiring local chefs or catering services that specialize in Chicago cuisine. Whether your loved one’s gathering is a formal dinner or a casual get-together, there are numerous opportunities to infuse the event with the city’s culinary spirit. Lighten once planned a celebration for a woman who loved to visit the Chicago History Museum and eat a Chicago-style hotdog during her visit. The menu for her elegant celebration included a deconstructed “hot dog” made with spiced & slow braised beef short ribs. Or, if an interactive and immersive food experience feels like the right approach for celebrating your loved one’s life, the options in Chicago won’t disappoint. For example, to celebrate loved ones who loved Chicago pizza, a tour like Pizza City USA will bring your guests to sample numerous pizza favorites around town.
Incorporating elements of your loved one’s beloved city can be a beautiful way to celebrate what was important to them. If you’re interested in full-service planning options to hold a Chicago-style (or any other style) celebration, Lighten is here to help. Begin by telling us your loved one’s unique story and we will curate a celebration worthy of their life.
