How does the Salute differ from your other pieces?
Our other pieces are designed to capture multiple life stories and experiences as told by the celebrant. The Salute, on the other hand, is a short narrative written by the patron to the celebrant. That's why we refer to it as the ultimate greeting card. You write the message and we turn it into a work of art, beautifully framed for presentation. It is our smallest offering.

What does the term “celebrant” mean?
The celebrant is the person whose life is being celebrated through the telling of his or her life story. The person who receives the gift of a Salute is the celebrant.

What does the term “patron” mean?
The patron is the person (or group) who commissions a Salute. If you commission a Salute for someone else, then we would consider you to be the patron.

What will the Salute look like?
Our Salutes are matted and framed works of art. We customize the size, shape and materials for each client and we always include some type of art, whether that's original illustrations, drawings, or designs. To view an example of a Salute we created to honor a father with a military background, please visit our gallery.

What are the steps involved?
Let us give you a brief tour of our creative process. Click here to get started.

What kinds of materials will be used?
Living Celebrations only uses archival quality and acid-free materials in the creation of our Salutes. We may include, but are not limited to, handmade papers, letterpress printing, foil stamping, and watercolor illustrations.

I prefer not to do the writing myself. Could you have a writer do it for me?
Yes, one of our professional writers would be happy to work with you. This service is available to you for an additional cost.

How much does it cost?
Our Salutes start at $1,500. This base price includes a professional editor to check over your own typewritten manuscript (up to 500 words), printing, archival and acid-free papers, original artwork, and custom framing. Additional services are available upon request.

How much time does it take?
Generally, a Salute takes between six to eight weeks to produce.

Do you protect the privacy of your clients?
Protecting the privacy of our patrons and celebrants is always our top priority. We respect the fact that we may receive sensitive information during the development process. You can rest assured that we will never present your personal history for public consumption. In fact, all of our artists and staff have signed contracts prohibiting them from divulging information about our patrons and celebrants to outside parties.

Is the Salute a scrapbook?
Living Celebrations does not create photo albums or scrapbooks. We are a fine art company and our award-winning artists use old world techniques to turn people's life stories into masterpieces of art.

Do you do videos?
If you request our interviewing services, Living Celebrations may videotape those interviews. However, we do not do video production or repackage interview tapes for sale.

Do you do portraits?
Yes, we certainly can include a portrait in your Salute. However, depending on the type of portrait you're looking for, there may be an additional fee. Please ask us when ordering.

How do we begin?
You’re ready to get started – that’s great! Contact us today so that we can discuss the particulars with you and begin the development process.