Planning Guides

Celebration of life planning

A celebration of life honors a person for the way they actually lived — less a service to get through, more a story worth telling well. Start with the guides below.

• What is a celebration of life?What it is, how it differs from a funeral, who plans it, and when it's held.
• Celebration of life vs. funeralA clear side-by-side — tone, structure, timing — and whether you can have both.
• What do you do at a celebration of life?The typical flow — stories, music, food, photos, and a toast.
• What is a death doula?The non-medical guide who supports a dying person and their family.