Ultimate Funeral, Reception & Wake Planning Guide

40+ Unique Ideas to Celebrate a Life Well Lived

A meaningful goodbye doesn’t have to follow a strict formula. From relaxed gatherings to heartfelt receptions and nontraditional ceremonies, today’s families are creating more personal and thoughtful end-of-life events.

Use these 40+ ideas to help plan a funeral, wake, or reception that truly reflects the person you’re honoring.

16 Wake Ideas That Encourage Sharing, Comfort & Connection

A wake is a gathering held before or after a traditional funeral, often more informal than the service itself. It's a chance for friends and family to come together, share memories, offer condolences, and support one another in a relaxed setting.

1. Host it at home or a family property

Create a familiar and comforting space where gues ts feel at ease sharing memories.

2. Use a memory or tribute table

Display photos, personal items, and keepsakes that tell your loved one’s story.

3. Display a photo wall or slideshow

Help guests reflect with images from childhood to recent moments.

4. Offer favorite snacks and comfort food

Serve simple refreshments that your loved one enjoyed.

5. Play a curated playlist

Fill the room with music that brings back memories or sets a peaceful tone.

6. Light candles in honor of the deceased

Set up a candle-lighting station or lead a moment of shared reflection.

7. Invite guests to write in a memory book

Let attendees contribute thoughts, memories, or messages for the family.

8. Share a toast or blessing

Offer a short prayer, quote, or toast to bring people together.

9. Use scent to spark memories

Incorporate flowers, candles, or baking smells associated with your loved one.

10. Offer printed prayer cards or quote cards

Provide keepsakes with comforting words or favorite sayings.

11. Invite casual dress or themed clothing

Encourage guests to wear your loved one’s favorite color or team jersey.

12. Include a favorite game, movie, or pastime

Play a movie they loved or include a small table with their favorite game.

13. Hand out flowers or mementos

Let guests take home a single flower or symbolic keepsake.

14. Create a timeline display of their life

Map out key milestones with photos or captions on a poster or wall.

15. Open the space for storytelling or shared reading

Encourage informal sharing during the gathering.

16. Offer grief resources or support info

Provide handouts, bookmarks, or cards with helplines and websites.

10 Alternatives to Traditional Funerals

A funeral is typically the most structured part of saying goodbye, often involving a ceremony with readings, music, and reflection. It may occur at a funeral home, house of worship, graveside, or another meaningful location, sometimes including the casket or urn. While many funerals follow religious or cultural traditions, others choose creative or nontraditional approaches to better reflect the person’s life and values, including one of these ten ideas:

1. Celebration of life event instead of a funeral

A joy-filled gathering that focuses on honoring rather than mourning.

2. Living funeral (hosted before death)

A chance to share love and gratitude with someone while they’re still here.

3. Potluck or picnic-style gathering

Invite friends and family to contribute food and memories in a casual setting.

4. Memorial hike, paddle, or group walk

Spend time outdoors in a place they loved while reflecting as a group.

5. Online memorial or virtual ceremony

Bring faraway friends and family together using Zoom or a memorial website.

6. Home vigil or backyard service

Hold a quiet, intimate gathering in a familiar space.

7. Group volunteer event in their honor

Support a cause they cared about through collective action.

8. Ashes scattering ceremony with poetry or music

Choose a meaningful spot and include readings, music, or personal words.

9. Eco-conscious burial or tree planting memorial

Opt for green burial options or plant a tree to honor their life.

10. Destination gathering or vacation spot tribute

Hold a memorial where they made their best memories — beach, mountains, or abroad.

14 Funeral Reception Ideas That Bring People Together

The reception takes place after the funeral or memorial service, allowing guests to gather more casually. It’s often centered around food, conversation, and remembrance, creating space for storytelling, comfort, and honoring a life in a shared community.

1. Serve their favorite foods or recipes

Celebrate their tastes with the meals they loved.

2. Create a themed menu or regional cuisine

Highlight their heritage, travels, or culinary passions.

3. Display their cookbooks or handwritten recipes

Add a personal touch to the food table with photos or recipe cards.

4. Set up a dessert or coffee bar

Offer sweets and warm drinks that comfort guests.

5. Host a toast or open mic session

Give attendees a chance to speak from the heart.

6. Provide memory cards or a message station

Create a space where guests can write down personal thoughts or advice.

7. Give guests keepsakes like bookmarks or candles

Send them home with something small to remember your loved one by.

8. Create a playlist of their favorite music

Fill the space with the songs they played, sang, or danced to.

9. Share a slideshow or video tribute

Project a loop of photos or video clips to tell their story.

10. Display photo albums and scrapbooks

Let guests flip through memories and spark conversations.

11. Include their hobbies — puzzles, art, or collections

Decorate with their favorite pastimes or let guests participate in an activity.

12. Hand out seed packets, tea bags, or snacks to take home

Choose a practical but thoughtful favor to thank attendees.

13. Use seasonal or themed decorations

Set the tone with decor that reflects their birthday month, favorite season, or favorite colors.

14. Include a guestbook or quilt square activity

Invite guests to sign their names or contribute to a creative memorial.

Your Goodbye Party

Whether you choose just a few of these ideas or use them as inspiration for your own, the most important thing is that the goodbye feels personal, comforting, and true to the life it honors.

If you’re thinking about planning your own funeral, now is the perfect time to express your wishes. Preplanning allows you to shape the celebration in a way that reflects your personality and can lift a huge emotional and financial burden from your loved ones later on. Get our free planning guide and take the first step toward creating a farewell as unique as your life. 

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