Whitney Houston funeral to stream online

As superstar Whitney Houston is laid to rest this weekend, her family has been cautious to avoid the precedent set by Michael Jackson's gigantic 2010 funeral.

The Houston family has designated the funeral as a private, invite-only event, but announced Thursday that fans will be able to watch it stream live over the Internet.

According to Yahoo! News, the service, taking place at New Hope Baptist Church, will be broadcast online for fans to partake in. The church is Whitney's hometown church, in which the diva sang in the choir as a child.

Gospel singer and pastor Marvin L. Winans will give a eulogy at the service. A longtime friend of the Houston family, Winans told CNN that the family didn't "want to have a parade."

"I don't think knowing Cissy (Houston's mother) and the Houston family ... it was a matter of public or private as it was this is my daughter, this is my sister, this is my mother, this is my friend and we want to do this with dignity," Winans said.

Speaking with the funeral home making the arrangements for the Houstons, NBC New York emphasized this is a time for her family to say their goodbyes, after sharing Whitney with the world and often getting second priority over the fans for so many years.

"Whitney has shared her entire life with the public. This is her final farewell. Let her family share that time with her," said Carolyn Whigham, the funeral home's owner.

NBC New York is also planning on carrying the livestream of Whitney's funeral here.