How to Plan a Post-Funeral Gathering

Making funeral arrangements is not a task that most people want to undertake. A person you love has passed away, and now you’re expected to put together plans and navigate through all the logistics. Fortunately, your funeral home near Midlothian, VA, is there to take care of most of the arrangements. While you will need to make some decisions, they do most of the legwork when it comes to putting it all together. This allows you and your family to focus more on being together and dealing with your loss. There is one thing that you may want to consider planning ahead for, however.

A post-funeral reception or gathering is a common occurrence that takes place after a funeral and burial. Family and friends have endured a long day of grieving, hugging, crying, and seeing their loved one laid to rest. They may have barely even had a chance to eat, let alone sit down and process it all. Having a small gathering with food and drink after the funeral takes place provides an opportunity for everyone to sit down and unwind a little bit. Everyone can take a seat, eat, have a drink, catch up, and reminisce about the person they lost, all in a much more informal atmosphere.

The main things you will need to plan are where you want everyone to get together, and how you want to provide a meal. Many people choose to have this gathering at the funeral home or church where the funeral took place. There is often a space that is conducive to this sort of reception. Some families might travel to a restaurant, where everyone can sit down and order what they want. Another option is to host it at the home of a family member or friend. This can save you money, but it can also be a little more work.

When it comes to what food to serve, you have a few different options. You could have it in a potluck style, where everyone has made a passing dish ahead of time to bring and share. On the other hand, you might want to order carry-out for everyone and bring it to the venue where you are getting together. Some people might even choose to have it catered, although this will be a larger expense. If your family chooses to go to a restaurant or somewhere similar, then you can relieve yourself of the burden of serving the food and cleaning up afterward. It may not be the most inexpensive option, however.

These are a few of the things you will want to consider when putting together a post-funeral reception. It isn’t always the first thing you think of when it comes to making funeral arrangements, but it is an important part of the day overall. Your funeral home near Midlothian, VA, can show you what kind of space they have for you to use, or they can provide you with local suggestions and resources instead. That way, you can ensure that you, your family, and your friends all have a chance to sit down together and relax a little bit after an emotional and difficult day.