What is a celebration of life?
Explore celebration of life ideas and learn more about this alternative funeral option.
What is a celebration of life?
Like a funeral, a celebration of life takes place after a person dies. It's not the same as a "living funeral", which takes place while the person is still alive.
It's different from a funeral because it focuses on celebrating the life of the person who died. It's usually less formal, more personalised and more celebratory – hence the name – than a traditional funeral.

At a celebration of life, people share memories and stories about the person's life and the impact they had on others. It can happen at any time after the person is buried or cremated.
What are some celebration of life ideas?
A celebration of life is more personalised than a traditional funeral. The event can include a combination of music (live and recorded), poetry, eulogies and videos.
As well as this, guests could be encouraged to share memories on a memory board or in a memory box. The location itself can be one that had personal significance to the person who died. You could, for instance, gather at their favourite restaurant or club.

If the person was into sports, games or gaming, you could hold some kind of competition. You could also plant a memorial tree or unveil another kind of memorial.
What to wear to a celebration of life
By definition, a celebration of life is a more uplifting and celebratory affair than traditional funerals. This means you can wear whatever you like unless otherwise specified.
That said, it's always worth checking with the family or funeral director to see if there are any instructions or recommendations about attire.

Sometimes, a celebration of life will have a dress code relating to the interests of the person who died: a sports strip, for instance.
Celebration of life FAQs
Do you wear black to a celebration of life?
Most of the time, people organising celebrations of life encourage guests to wear the kinds of clothes they would wear to a celebration. This could include black, but is likely to be less sombre than a traditional funeral. When in doubt, check with the family or funeral director.
What should a celebration of life speech include?
If you've been asked to speak at a celebration of life, you may be unsure about what to say. There's no right or wrong way to do it. However, most speeches at celebrations of life focus on positive memories and the personality, interests and influence of the person who died.
How long are celebration of life services?
The length of a celebration of life is up to the family or people organising. It could be an hour or it could be a day. Often, however, the service lasts between an hour and 90 minutes. It all depends what's on the agenda.
How do you plan a celebration of life?
If you want to arrange a celebration of life for a loved one, your first port of call should be a funeral director. They will lend a listening ear and help arrange the event.
Where did celebrations of life originate?
Holding a celebration of life for someone who's died is a relatively recent phenomenon. The idea may have come from Irish wakes, which combine poetry, food, music and drinking with more traditional funeral practices.
Who attends a celebration of life?
A celebration of life is attended by anyone who's invited. This could include friends, family, colleagues, community members and members of the public, depending on the wishes of the organisers.
Where can you hold a celebration of life?
A celebration of life can be held in any venue. It could be in the family home or a public space like a community centre, pub or private venue. It could be outdoors in a park or beach.
It could also be held at a space that held particular significance for the person who died, be that a restaurant, sports ground or other venue.
When is a celebration of life held?
A celebration of life can be held any time after a person's death. This flexibility is part of what makes it an attractive option to some people.
How do you arrange a celebration of life?
Celebrations of life can be family-led, arranged through a funeral director or a combination of the two. Because the focus is on personalisation, family and friends are often heavily involved in the planning process.
Arrange the funeral you want with AFD
At Akshardham Funeral Directors, we offer a flexible, compassionate service to people of all faiths and cultures. If you want to organise a celebration of life, get in touch via our
webpage or on our 24/7 phone line on 020 8355 7876.
