Funeral Reception Guidelines
Funeral receptions usually take place shortly after the memorial service. The reception gives loved ones of the deceased an opportunity to recover somewhat from the funeral service in the company of friends. This event also provides an additional chance for individuals to commemorate the deceased and remember his life. Many funerals and receptions are not leisurely planned and must be put together quickly; as long as some basic guidelines are followed, most receptions progress smoothly and without too much stress. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
-
Location
-
Planning a funeral reception begins with choosing a location. Many grieving families find it easiest to host the reception at a family member’s house or the home of the deceased. It might be particularly meaningful to host the reception at a location that was significant for the deceased, such as a favorite park or restaurant. Some other location ideas include reception areas within the funeral home or the deceased’s church. Regardless of the specific location, make sure that the reception area will fit the anticipated number of guests, and be sure to reserve the locale ahead of time.
Guest List
-
Decide on the guest list as soon as possible. The reception typically follows the memorial service, which can be emotionally taxing on those who were very close to the deceased. If you don’t want to be overwhelmed with well-meaning mourners, make the reception a family-only event where you can reminisce and feel comforted. To coordinate this event, inform only family members of the reception, and ask them to keep it within the family. To host a more open reception, inform all funeral-goers of the location and time of the reception before or after the memorial service.
-
Food
-
Have food ready at the reception. Comfort food, like sandwiches and soup, usually go over well to soothe grieving guests. If planning the reception is not high on your priority list or the deceased’s death was unexpected, keep it simple by making the reception a potluck event or asking family members to contribute food items. For a more elegant event, enlist the services of a catering company.
Events
-
The structure of any funeral reception depends on a lot of different factors, including how much time you have to prepare and what you think the deceased would have wanted. A simple family get-together with home-cooked food may require no additional events. For a larger reception, you might want to ask one or more guests ahead of time to say a few words about the deceased. Playing a pictorial slideshow or home videos can be a particularly meaningful way to remember the life of the deceased and an appropriate funeral reception event.
-
References
- Photo Credit George Doyle/Stockbyte/Getty Images
