Celebration Of Life Event Planning
You know you want to honor a loved one with a celebration of life, but you’re not sure where to start. And in between mourning and taking care of their affairs, you don’t have the time or energy for anything else. Some days, just making it through the day or the hour feels like enough.
Our celebration of life planning clients turn to us because they’re overwhelmed. They want someone they can trust to sift through their options and narrow things down, so they can make as few decisions as possible. They want someone to handle logistics as well as all the little details so they can host a beautiful event without adding to their stress.
And often, they’re not exactly sure what a celebration of life should look like, so they need expert advice on creating an event that truly reflects the honoree.
At Lovely Day Legacies, we offer celebration of life planning services designed to make this difficult time easier. Throughout the process, we’ll also point out small details you might not have considered.
Does this sound like you? Let’s chat about your event.
“Lindsey worked diligently to handle things on a short timeline, but she did so with the thoughtfulness that was critical during the weeks after my father’s death. She felt like more than an event planner. She was a support for our entire family - helping us through one of the hardest moments in our lives. ”
Our celebration of life planning packages include:
Consultation
An initial phone call before booking for you to tell us about your honoree, your ideas, discuss your vision for the celebration of life memorial, and answer your questions. After that, we will send you a custom quote for your event.
Planning
If you haven’t yet selected a venue—most of our clients haven’t when they book us— we can help you find and book the one that feels right
Once your venue is booked, we’ll accompany you on a site visit at your venue to talk about the layout and logistics of the event, including guest arrival, parking, setup for the program/service, menu selection, seating, where photos will be placed, etc
Assistance planning the program or service itself—such as how many speakers, who should speak, and how long it should last—so it feels both meaningful and intentional
Phone and video meetings as needed to answer your questions and keep you on track with the event planning, so you don’t feel stressed out
Vendor sourcing & communications
We’ll recommend vendors from our carefully vetted list, such as a florist, a caterer, musicians, etc, then handle the booking process on your behalf
Coordinate with the signage artist for directional and information signs, so you’re not fielding calls on the day of the event, as well as welcome signs, name tags, and other paper goods, each with a personal flourish
Manage vendor communications and coordination so you don’t receive a flood of emails with questions about logistics, and questions you are not sure how to answer
Proofread the event website, programs, and invitations for accuracy
Create and maintain an event day timeline and distribute it to your vendors to ensure the day goes smoothly and as scheduled
Call your vendors the week of the event to confirm details, review the timeline, and send them the finalized timeline so everyone is on the same page
On the event day, we’ll:
Arrive early with an assistant, typically before the other vendors, to oversee the event setup, so you can simply show up to the event
Serve as the point person for questions from vendors, so you’re not disturbed during the event
Keep the day on schedule and flowing so you can be present with your loved ones
Set up personal items provided by you (programs, favors, photos, guestbook, menus, memorabilia, signs, etc.), so all you have to do is show up to the event
Apply final touches to the decor so everything is ready when guests arrive
Assist guests and family as needed, answering any questions that arise
During the program/service, coordinate and cue musicians, AV, photographers, videographers, and speakers so the program moves smoothly
Collect cards, the guest book, and personal items at the end of the event, and give them to a designated person to take home
Oversee vendor clean-up and breakdown
Bring our signature event day ‘Fix It’ bag to handle, repair, and fix items
Investment:
All our packages are custom-created for your specific event. We begin with a call to learn about your loved one, your vision for the event, and what you already have in place. After our call, we’ll send you a custom quote.
That said, families typically spend $8,000-$20,000 with us for event planning services. Your venue, number of guests, and the complexity of the event will determine the cost of your event planning proposal. For example, families planning a 100-person event spend $7,500 - $9,500 with us on average.
A Look Back at Celebrations We’ve Planned
A celebration of life is meant to reflect the spirit and personality of your loved one.
Many of our clients do “traditional” celebrations of life with speeches and slideshows. Others have planned events that took the form of a relaxed luncheon, a mini music festival, or an all-out dance party.
We’re here to do what feels best for you.
You might be asking yourself:
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We’ve been in the event industry since 2010—for context, that’s pre-Pinterest and pre-Instagram. In the 15 years since, we’ve learned how to design an event that exceeds your expectations—and keep it running smoothly, come what may.
Celebrations of life, memorials, and funerals require the same skill set as weddings. There’s no “when we do this next year” for your celebration. That’s why you need someone who has event planning skills, a practiced eye for details, and the ability to find solutions in real-time during an event.
We’d describe our approach as calm, efficient, and honest. During the planning process, we’re there to listen, bring your ideas to life, and support you—but we’ll also tell you tactfully if one of your ideas won’t work. On the event day, we’ll be a reassuring presence, and when your planner is calm, you’ll also feel calm.
We believe in the power of relationships. That’s why we spend a great deal of time and energy on building and maintaining relationships with talented, compassionate vendors. On your event day, everyone works as a team, which is the foundation of a seamless, beautiful event.
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We are based in Napa and plan events in the San Francisco Bay Area as well as Napa Valley. That includes Mill Valley, Orinda, Oakland, Marin County, and Walnut Creek.
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Of course! We’re committed to inclusivity, and we also ensure that our vendors will be sensitive to your needs and those of your community.
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What no one tells you is that the venue event coordinator and your personal event planner are both crucial—but we play different roles.
The venue event coordinator’s job is to make sure the venue delivers on its responsibilities. Depending on which venue you book, they will likely direct venue staff, coordinate food and beverage service, and ensure the venue is set up correctly.
Your event planner works with you to book your vendors, make decisions about the menu, and design your event. They’re also a resource when you have questions about etiquette or planning the actual service. And on the day of the event, they steer both vendors and guests where they need to go, so that you can stay present on this meaningful occasion.
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Yes. As long as your event will take place in the Bay Area, we’re able to support you. Email and video calls make it easy for us to plan an event even when you’re in a different time zone.
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Of course! Most of our clients come to us without a clear vision in place—and what’s right for one family may not be for another. We’ll start by getting a sense of who your honoree was, and then we’ll walk you through the “traditional” celebration of life format.
Some of our clients say “that sounds great,” and we go from there. Others say “we don’t want it to feel like a funeral at all,” and we get more creative.
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Each event planning package is fully custom, based on multiple factors (such as the venue, the number of guests, the event design, and the complexity of the event). For more insight, we have a blog post featuring real budgets from past celebrations.
That said, our typical package ranges from $8,000 to $20,000+. Once we’ve met to discuss format, location, and overall budget, we’ll create a detailed quote for you.
To schedule your call and receive a custom quote, please fill out our contact form.
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The most important thing is that you feel comfortable with your planner. You’ll be working closely with them at an emotional time, and you want someone who you trust and can be open with, especially when family dynamics are at play. That’s why we always start with a consultation call; it’s your chance to make sure we’re right for you.
Your planner should also be:
Responsive
When we work with families, we want them to feel confident that their event is in good hands. We take on a limited number of celebrations of life each year to ensure that each family gets plenty of attention and quick replies to emails, especially since the timeline is often short.Attentive to detail
There are no do-overs when it comes to celebrations of life. You want your planner to make sure the program is proofread, the slideshow loads correctly, and your mementos are correctly displayed.
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Of course! We would be thrilled to help you plan one, whether you have in mind a small and intimate event or a grand celebration.
A living memorial, also known as a living tribute or a living funeral, is a way to celebrate an honoree before they pass. Guests gather to share memories, stories, and gratitude so that the honoree feels surrounded by love.
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No, we only provide event planning services.
“Lindsey made every single aspect of planning and day-of coordination for my Dad’s celebration of life easier so we could be 100% present with friends and family. She was amazing and flexible with design, planning, and problem-solving. Everything that day was made better because of the team she brought together under a really tight turnaround. Zero regrets. Will be forever grateful to Lindsey that we got to have that day.”