Aug. 3, 2019

Increasingly, funerals are not mere memorial services. Rather than being strictly somber and reflective, today’s funerals are often turned into celebrations of life. Family members take advantage of the opportunity they have to come together and enjoy family fellowship.

They mourn together, but also look back on the deceased’s life with fondness, and use that fondness as a springboard for joyful and life-affirming parties.

For many such celebrations, the party is restricted to the grounds of the funeral home. Grieving family members would rather not deal with the inconvenience of preparing for large parties in their homes. As such, everyone stays at the funeral home to enjoy time together—prompting the need to bring in outside catering and related accommodations.

Catering at funerals is growing more and more popular, and as such the available options are increasingly numerous. Some families prefer to keep things simple, putting out just a few finger foods or light sandwiches. In other instances, complete meal menus and more lavish catering options are used. This is strictly a matter of the family’s preference. Caterers, of course, are happy to comply with the family’s vision for their celebration of life, and can typically coordinate menus on short notice.

Naturally, there is more to any celebration than just food, and so culinary wares are not the only things imported to funeral homes. These celebrations often include entertainment—swing bands, jazz ensembles, subtle piano accompaniment, or anything else the family deems appropriate.

The difficulty with any of this is simply making the needed arrangements on short notice, and during a particularly trying period. Funeral homes, increasingly aware of these trends, can often help coordinate the necessary vendors, and alleviate the family’s party-planning burden.

If you would like a FREE funeral decisions planning guide please email me at: [email protected]

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