A portrait that feels like them.
A treasured photograph or an optional illustrated portrait or avatar, chosen with the family, can welcome guests and appear on the menu and memory cards.
GATHERINGS IN LOVING MEMORYSWISS BASED. ITALIAN AT HEART.
What a life.
What a farewell.
Their face. Their favourite things.
The stories that bring a smile.
The people they brought together.
A farewell shaped around the person you love.
Their food, their stories, their people. Together.
GOOD FOOD. FAMILIAR FACES. THEIR FAVOURITE SONG.IMAGINED GATHERING · AI-GENERATED IMAGE
01 / THE IDEA
A goodbye can be
full of life.
Some people fill a room with laughter. Some bring everyone to the table. Some always turn the music up. Their farewell can feel like them, too.
What a Farewell brings that spirit to celebrations of life: personal gatherings built around the things and people they loved. A favourite meal. A wonderfully embarrassing story. A song everyone knows.
There is room for tears. And there is room for joy. You never have to choose.
THE PERSON AT THE HEART OF IT ALL
A little of them.
In everything.
Their face at the table. Their favourite dish being passed around. A small story that makes everyone smile. The person you love shapes the whole gathering.
A theme only they could inspire.
A Sunday lunch, a love of the mountains, a garden full of colour. Their food, drinks, music, and little habits give the day its character.
Memories around the table.
Cards share a favourite saying, a recipe, or a small adventure. Guests can add a memory of their own, then take a card home to keep.
Remember, in your own way.
A favourite song, a shared toast, or a few quiet words. Join in, listen, or simply sit with the people who understand.
AN IMAGINED EXAMPLE
Sofia’s
Sunday table.
She loved lemon risotto, a glass of Barbera, and making room for one more. Her farewell brings those small joys back to the table.
A fictional person, to show how a real life can shape an experience.
REMEMBERING SOFIA · AT HER TABLE
The lemon
risotto.
Always a little more lemon. Always enough for another guest.
REMEMBERING SOFIA · HER WORDS
“There’s room
for one more.”
A place for old friends, new faces, and the people from every chapter of her life.
A warm welcome. Familiar details. Time to breathe.
We create space for joy and serenity, with room for whatever you feel.Share a glass✳Tell their story✳Play their song
A GATHERING THAT FEELS LIKE THEM
Farewell
Experiences.
Every experience begins with a person. Choose a format, then weave their portrait, favourite things, and memories into the day.
Three example formats, inspired by Italy. Guest numbers and durations are starting points; every event is quoted individually after we agree the setting and scope.
01 / THE APERITIVO
One More
Toast.
A favourite bar, a sunlit terrace, or a garden. Wine, aperitivo bites, and the stories that always bring a smile.
- Example gathering
- 15–40 people · About 2 hours
- The atmosphere
- Easy, informal, warmly hosted
Your proposed experience
- Venue sourcing and event coordination
- Wine, soft drinks, and aperitivo bites
- A host to welcome guests and lead a toast
- Portrait, story cards, and favourite-song playlist
Make it personal
Name a drink after their favourite saying. Welcome guests with a photograph or family-chosen illustrated avatar. Leave a story card by each glass and invite people to add a memory. Finish with their favourite song.
02 / THE LONG LUNCH
A Table
to Remember.
Bring their people around one table for a proper Italian lunch. Familiar flavours, good wine, and no hurry to say goodbye.
- Example gathering
- 20–60 people · About 3 hours
- The atmosphere
- Generous, intimate, unhurried
Your proposed experience
- A restaurant room or catered private setting
- A shared menu and agreed drinks selection
- Personal menu, portrait, and keepsake recipe cards
- A host and time for stories between courses
Make it personal
Serve their signature recipe, pair it with a favourite wine or soft drink, and put the story behind each dish on the menu. A portrait or illustrated avatar brings their face to the table. Guests take home a recipe-and-memory card.
03 / THE PERSONAL FAREWELL
Their Life,
In Good Company.
A hosted remembrance followed by food, drinks, and music. A thoughtful way to honour the whole person, together.
- Example gathering
- 30–80 people · About 4 hours
- The atmosphere
- Personal, reflective, then sociable
Your proposed experience
- A host or secular celebrant and running order
- A life theme, portrait, memory cards, and music
- A reception with food and drinks
- Event coordination and a quiet space
Make it personal
Build the setting around something they loved: the sea, their garden, a favourite journey. Pair photographs or an illustrated portrait with five stories and five songs. Make space for one quiet moment, then bring everyone together over food and drinks.
All formats include alcohol-free choices and room for quiet. Venue availability, catering, staffing, and any extra music or transport are confirmed in a written quote. The hosted remembrance is secular; after a church Mass, we can focus on the reception instead. Funeral services and church arrangements are separate.
Your person. Your people. Your version.
Tell us the place, the approximate guest count, and a little about the person you want to remember. We can discuss a personalised proposal. Enquiries are open. Experiences are in development; bookings are not yet open.
02 / YOUR WAY TO SAY GOODBYE
Two paths.
One beautiful purpose.
Honour a life in a way that feels right for them, for you, and for the people coming together.
WITH A CHURCH SERVICE
Faith, followed
by a full table.
Keep the funeral Mass at the heart of the farewell. Afterwards, gather somewhere special for favourite food, stories, music, and a toast to a life well lived.
- A separate celebration after the service
- Timing coordinated with the family and parish
- Personal touches at the reception
The parish guides the church service and its music. The celebration has its own space.
WITHOUT A CHURCH SERVICE
Their life.
Their kind of goodbye.
A personal, secular farewell in a garden, a favourite restaurant, or another meaningful place. Bring together memories, readings, music, and a meal in their honour.
- A farewell shaped around their wishes
- A host or celebrant to bring it together
- Time for quiet, laughter, and connection
A gathering can take place alongside funeral arrangements or on a later date.
What a Farewell focuses on the celebration. Funeral care, transport, burial, and cremation remain with the family's funeral provider.
03 / PICTURE THE DAY
ONE POSSIBLE CELEBRATION
Pour a little.
Remember a lot.
Imagine their photograph beside a handwritten menu. Their favourite recipe on the table. Small memory cards starting conversations. A long Italian lunch that feels like time spent in their company, with no pressure to speak or join in.
A warm welcome
Their portrait, a familiar song, a favourite drink, and a place for everyone.
The stories only you know
A story on every table. Write a memory, share it aloud, or simply listen.
Everyone around the table
The food they loved. The people who loved them.
A glass raised. A memory shared.
Raise any drink in their honour. Take a memory card home and stay a little longer.
04 / PERSONAL, FROM THE START
Start with a person.
Build a day around them.
Tell their story.
What made them, them? Begin with their wishes, the family's feelings, and the moments you want to remember.
Make it feel right.
Choose the setting, the people, and the atmosphere. Agree a clear budget and a plan before anything is booked.
Be there, together.
A thoughtfully coordinated celebration leaves you space to spend time with the people who matter.
YOUR FAREWELL, IN YOUR OWN WORDS
Your life.
Your wishes.
You can plan your own farewell party ahead of time. Choose the people, stories, music and atmosphere you want, and leave detailed instructions for someone you trust.
Imagine the gathering.
A long lunch, a quiet garden, one last great playlist. With a church service or a secular farewell, now is the time to say what feels like you.
Put the details in writing.
Record the guest list, favourite food and drinks, photographs, memory cards, speakers, readings and things you would rather leave out. Set a budget and say where there is room to adapt.
Share it with someone you trust.
Choose a main contact and a backup, give them a copy, and tell them where the latest version is kept. Date your wishes and update them whenever life changes.
A free, editable text template to save on your device. Share the completed copy with your trusted person; this website does not store it. It records celebration preferences, not a will, medical directive or binding funeral contract.
WHERE TO COME TOGETHER
Your people.
Your place.
We welcome enquiries for five countries. The areas below are proposed places to explore; service availability is not yet confirmed.
Switzerland
Enquiries open · availability unconfirmed
Cantons to explore
Ticino · Vaud · Geneva · Valais · Zurich
Proposed first focus: Ticino.
Enquire about SwitzerlandItaly
Enquiries open · availability unconfirmed
Regions and local areas to explore
Lombardy: Como, Varese, Milan · Piedmont: Verbano-Cusio-Ossola · Veneto: Verona · Tuscany: Florence · Lazio: Rome
Proposed first focus: Lombardy.
Enquire about ItalyFrance
Enquiries open · availability unconfirmed
Regions to explore
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur · Île-de-France
Exploratory enquiries.
Enquire about FranceSpain
Enquiries open · availability unconfirmed
Autonomous communities to explore
Catalonia · Community of Madrid · Valencian Community · Andalusia
Exploratory enquiries.
Enquire about SpainPortugal
Enquiries open · availability unconfirmed
Areas to explore
Lisbon area · Porto area · Algarve · Alentejo
Exploratory enquiries.
Enquire about PortugalSomewhere else? Tell us the country, region or province, and town. We can discuss what might be possible. Ask about another area.
A FEW THINGS YOU MAY BE WONDERING
A place for grief.
And good memories.
How do you bring the person into the celebration?
We begin with their wishes and the people who knew them. A photograph or family-chosen illustrated portrait, favourite recipes, meaningful music, and memory cards can shape the whole experience. You choose what feels comfortable and what stays private. An avatar is an optional visual tribute, clearly presented as an illustration.
Is a joyful funeral disrespectful?
Joy can be a way to honour someone. The person's wishes and the family's comfort come first. A celebration can be lively, gentle, or a little of both. Nobody is expected to feel happy or join in.
Can we still have a Catholic funeral Mass?
Yes—the concept pairs a parish-led funeral Mass with a separate celebration afterwards. The parish determines what is appropriate within the liturgy. Favourite pop songs, toasts, and dancing can belong at the later gathering.
Does it have to happen on the funeral day?
No. A later gathering can give distant friends time to travel, or simply give the family more space. A memorial on an anniversary is another possibility.
Can I plan and pay for my own farewell in advance?
You can start with the detailed wishes template and discuss your own farewell with us. Choose the people, food, music, stories and atmosphere, then share the instructions with someone you trust. Advance payment is not available. An independent-custodian arrangement is under evaluation; no escrow account, protection or release terms are in place and we do not accept funds.
Where will What a Farewell operate?
We welcome location enquiries for Switzerland, Italy, France, Spain, and Portugal. Our proposed first focus is Ticino and Lombardy. The regions listed on this page are areas to explore, not confirmed service coverage. Local partners, venues, and dates must be confirmed before any booking.
Can I book a celebration now?
Enquiries are open. Experiences are in development; bookings are not yet open. We can discuss your wishes and the proposed format. There is no online payment or automatic reservation.
LET’S START WITH A CONVERSATION
Tell us what
you have in mind.
Planning your own farewell, remembering someone you love, or exploring an idea? Send a short enquiry. No booking or payment is made here.
You can also email hello@whatafarewell.com.
FOR THE PEOPLE WHO MADE US WHO WE ARE
Their stories live on.
Especially around a table.
Keep the celebration guide Start a conversation: hello@whatafarewell.com. Enquiries are open. Experiences are in development; bookings are not yet open.