How to Plan a Wake

Video Transcript

"Our topic, is how to plan for a wake. A wake, what is a wake? To many families, another term for planning for a wake, would be planning for a visitation time, with the family, or with the deceased. A wake is a time for family to come together, family and friends to come together, and have a visitation or a wake time, before the funeral ceremony, for friends and loved ones to come in, and pay their respects, their respects to the deceased, and pay their respects also, to the family that is left behind. A wake in many areas can be held different ways. Many times families will just invite individuals into their home, for a time that is considered the wake, or visitation time. Many families will do this within the funeral home, themselves. Many times there is some religious preferences, will plan a wake, like an Irish Wake, that may be held outside the family's home, or outside the funeral ceremony, or the funeral home themselves, which might be at a favorite gathering place. It might be at some type of community center, some of those type things. I have known folks that planned a wake ceremony at a golf course, or a ball field, or a basketball gym. Those are things that meant something to the individual, and meant something to this family, so they planned the wake around that event."