Memorial Reception Planning
Having a reception after a memorial or funeral service is something that is customary and that can help people deal with the loss of a loved one. People need to mingle and talk and offer each other support and a reception can make this possible. It can be stressful to make these arrangements on top of the funeral or memorial arrangements, however, so it can make a difference to know a few things that you can do to make the process a bit simpler. Here are some tips that providers of cremation services in Colonie, NY want you to remember.
Deciding on the location is something that you want to think about with care. If you are working with a limited budget, you will want to consider having the reception at home or in the home of a loved one. You can consider having it outside, especially if you have lots of guests. You can choose to have it at a place of worship or a reception room, just be sure that you know what is included in the price that they charge so that there are no surprise fees.
The food is another thing you need to think about with plenty of time. Catering is always a great option but it may not be the right one for everyone because of costs. You can prepare the food yourself if the reception will be a small one, or you can even ask people to donate platters of food for it. This can be a great option, since it allows you to save money and it also lets people contribute to the reception. You need to decide if it will be finger foods and drinks or if it will be more like a pot-luck.
You can send out invitations for the reception individually, or if you want everyone to attend, you can include the information on the obituary or on the memorial program. Some people choose to hand out the invitations at the service discretely to those who have been invited, so that is something that you want to consider, as well. You can even send out invitations online which allow guests to RSVP so that you can get an accurate count of the people who will be there.
These are all excellent ways to save yourself lots of stress when planning a funeral or memorial reception. You want to think about the different options you have in terms of location and the kind of food options that you want to consider. A lot of this will depend on the budget you have available, so do not hesitate to start thinking about this early in the process. You can get started making arrangements for the reception by contacting a Colonie, NY cremation service provider like us at McVeigh Funeral Home, Inc. We are ready to help you with the reception and to ensure that you get all of the options you need. Stop by our location or give us a call right now to speak with our experts.
