By taking certain steps to commemorate a loved one, you’re honoring their memory and helping friends and family work through their grief. While monuments are a common element of remembrance, many families also host a wake before or after the funeral service. Here are a few tips to create a compassionate and engaging environment for everyone to share their memories.

How to Host a Loved One's Wake

1. Invite Only Close Family & Friends

Wakes can serve as an extension of the funeral service, where everyone comes together to eat and reminisce. However, many families opt to hold private wakes with only close family and friends. This arrangement offers a more meaningful impact because everyone in attendance shares a special connection over their love of the person who has passed.

2. Choose a Comfortable Setting

For a wake, pick a casual location that's cozy and inviting. A special venue, private area of a restaurant, or your home can offer an intimate atmosphere. Creating a stress-free environment allows your guests to feel more comfortable sharing their personal memories of the person that's passed away.

3. Add Personal Touches

While a monument serves as a memorial with long-term benefits, a wake is designed to provide short-term comfort. Add personal touches to the event, like pictures and decorations. Consider playing their favorite music, serving their favorite foods, or creating a slideshow. Little details make the bereaved feel more at ease and stir up happy memories of the past that everyone will enjoy.

Losing a loved one is incredibly challenging, but creating a monument in their honor will ensure their memory lives on. Since 1915, Derrick Monument Company, Inc has provided quality headstones and grave markers in Le Roy, NY. This family-owned and -operated business is committed to helping Genesee County families pay touching tributes to their loved ones. Learn more about their monument options on their website or by calling (585) 768-8470.