How to Host a Wake
A wake is a time for friends and family to come together to celebrate the life of a loved one who has passed away. Sometimes a wake is called a viewing or a visitation, and can be held before or after the actual funeral service. Hosting a wake will require commitment of your time as well as a general understanding of the family's wishes for the funeral arrangements.
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Instructions
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Decide whether to hold the wake before or after the funeral service.
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Talk to the funeral home employees about how you or the family would like the wake to be conducted.
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Ask immediate family members to stand near the coffin. Funeral attendees will line up throughout the funeral home to express their condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased.
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Have guests sign a guestbook with their names and addresses, so that the family can send them thank you cards following the wake. You may want to prepare a program or card with some information about the deceased that the guests can take with them.
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Put donated flower arrangements around the room the coffin is in. You can spread photographs or other personal mementos of the deceased around the room as well.
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Consider continuing the wake at the home of a family member. Here, loved ones can eat, drink and share fond memories of the deceased.
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Tips & Warnings
Ask several family members or close friends of the family to place themselves around the funeral home for the course of the wake, so that they can direct guests through the viewing line.
Make sure there are plenty of boxes of tissues around the funeral home.
If the wake continues at someone's home, make sure the host provides plenty of food and drink for everyone in attendance. If there are small children present, make sure that there is something to keep them entertained.
