“Last year, I had the pleasure of helping to celebrate the incredible life of a student who lost his life to Cancer. We gave the family the idea to display artwork on easels, brought in bright balloons, and decided the soundtrack of the day would be from his personal Spotify playlist. My all-time favourite memory is when one of his brothers requested to play some Nicki Minaj after the ceremony was over. These small personalized touches are part of what I love so much…”
Have you ever wondered who it is behind that beautiful wedding cake you had? Or who setup that amazing life celebration for that relative of yours? While you may have most likely had some interaction with your vendors during your wedding day, most likely the day was a complete blur and you probably only met them briefly and didn’t get to know the person that well.
In this new series of photographs and brief interviews, I will be taking you Behind The Scenes of what makes vendors (wedding and, in this case, non-wedding) so passionate about what they do. Why do they do what they do? Why do they love weddings or life celebrations? Behind each wedding cake, dress, decor setup, photograph or video is a human being with a passionate flame burning inside them that drives them to make, create and/or organize on your wedding day. #weddingdaybts
Today’s Wedding Vendor is… actually NOT a Wedding Vendor!
While she does event planning including weddings, her passion is about something different: End of Life Celebrations.
Today’s Vendor is:
Christina at New Narrative Memorials
What do you love to do when not working on weddings or funerals?
I enjoy the working process! When I can, I try and attend every end of life and death-centred festival (they’re out there!) when I can. I’ve been to ReImagine End of Life (New York City & San Francisco) twice and hope to attend more festivals in the coming years. Otherwise, you’d probably see me at 49th Parallel with my laptop, reading, or hanging out with my big Italian family!
How did you start in Event Planning and End of Life celebration planning?
I’ve been in the events industry for the better part of ten years in a variety of roles (sales, production, planning, etc) and when my Uncle died three years ago, I was volun-told by my mom (did I mention that I had a big Italian family?) that I would be using my event expertise to plan his Celebration of Life.
We had an incredibly personalized event with his favourite music, greenery, food, and a scrapbook station which allowed everyone in my family to feel his presence through the smaller touches we incorporated. Everyone in the family was able to be present in their own way, knowing the details were taken care of. I wanted to bring this sense of relief and calm to other families who desired this new narrative for their loved ones’ Celebrations.
So, New Narrative was born in the Summer of 2017! The name comes from my uncle, an English teacher, who always encouraged his students to “find their narrative(s).” The name fits in so many ways - and I think about him every time the company is introduced.
What inspires you? What drives you?
I’m inspired by the families I get to work with and the incredible life stories that are told through the events I help plan. I feel so lucky to hear speeches, edit slideshows, and have a look at videos that capture the ‘greatest hits’ of someone’s life. It’s not lost on me how incredibly special these memories are and being privy to these legacies is so meaningful to me.
The biggest driver for me is how much potential there is for innovation and change in the industry and the profession. If you think about it, our iPhones have changed more in the last two years than how we approach the end of life process, overall. I’m glad this is changing and that there are so many out there leading the way to give families more options when it comes to end of life. I keep saying that the Funeral Planner of 2019 is what the Wedding Planner was in 1998; JLo headset and all.
Why do you love doing life celebrations?
Ah there are so many things I love about this job.
My favourite part of the process is getting to know our honouree’s network of family, friends, clients, colleagues, etc. and hearing incredible stories. Everyone who attends has a unique perspective to the person who has died and I love hearing stories, seeing photographs, and watching videos. I certainly don’t get someone’s full life story through anecdotes and photos, but I bet I come very close.
Last year, I had the pleasure of helping to celebrate the incredible life of a student who lost his life to Cancer. We gave the family the idea to display artwork on easels, brought in bright balloons, and decided the soundtrack of the day would be from his personal Spotify playlist. My all-time favourite memory is when one of his brothers requested to play some Nicki Minaj after the ceremony was over. These small personalized touches are part of what I love so much.
People often ask why I decided to specialize in this work (which I’ll answer even though you didn’t ask!). I find that there so many exceptional Wedding and Corporate event planners in the city, but that there was also room for an events professional to step up for the families who are faced with planning one of the most difficult events in their life. It’s hard, often emotional, and often a short timeline, but it’s incredibly rewarding and I’m working hard to advocate for this space in the events market.
Who is your ideal client?
Families who are open to having a supportive guide through the planning process but want to give the reigns to someone else on the day of the event so they can relax and enjoy being with family and friends. I think many people think of a planner as someone who helps during the planning process, however I find the most value I bring is being the main contact on the day of the event.
I find that I’m mostly working with people between 25 - 40 who understand that they have more options than the funeral home’s reception room and want a different experience. Though there are some incredibly modern funeral homes in the city, not everyone wants that option. Sometimes a funeral home can be too small, which is where an event planner would really come in handy.
What should people look for in an End of Life Celebration Events Coordinator?
Very interesting question! Definitely asking about previous experience and any additional training they may have had in the end of life space. You’ll want someone who’s managed personal events before and who would be the most supportive based on the way you want to work during the process. Some families prefer to be very hands-on and some would like to hand over complete control.
Of course, availability is also a factor!
What is your differentiator? How do you feel that your values & principles set you apart in a meaningful way?
The main differentiator for me is that I plan Celebrations of Life! I know several colleagues and funeral professionals who also plan Celebration of Life events, but New Narrative is the only event planning firm that focuses primarily on these events. My process is also very collaborative and tech-forward, using Google Drive and group texts when necessary.
Value-wise, I’m a big advocate of offering event ideas and untraditional alternatives to what you would ‘usually see’ at a memorial event. My favourite thing is discussing alternative guest book ideas in lieu of your standard issue book with names and address. Sure, these other ideas come at a cost, but you never know when someone is willing to rearrange their budget or intentionally spend a little more on something unique that you’ve suggested which they will cherish forever
Finally, although tea sandwiches are a guilty pleasure of mine, I’m adamant on running an event company that’s not your Grandma’s funeral (….unless it’s your Grandma’s funeral!).
