When it comes to planning a funeral and a post-funeral reception there is a lot that a funeral director can help you with. Having someone at your side to help tailor the funeral service to the wishes of you and your loved one cannot be underestimated, as it can be a very stressful and emotional experience.  However, while a funeral director can assist you and help you to personalise a funeral, there are some decisions which will benefit greatly from your input.  One such decision is what kind of music and entertainment to have at the post-funeral reception.

Funerals can be tiring both emotionally and physically, and the post-funeral wake has evolved as a way of helping mourners to come together, relax and celebrate the life of the person who has passed away.

While mourners may wish to share stories about the deceased, catch up with old friends and enjoy food and drink, one of the best ways to evoke the memory of the deceased is through music.

First of all you should decide whether you would like a live musician or group of musicians to perform or whether you would prefer to play recorded music. Although this can come down to personal preference, it is also worth noting that some reception venues might not have the correct licensing for live music to be performed and you should also note that a live musician will usually incur a cost.

If you wish to have live musicians perform then websites like lastminutemusicians.com list hundreds of professional musicians for you to choose from and you can listen to song samples to help you find someone appropriate.  Popular choices for funeral receptions often include violinists, gospel singers, or acoustic musicians, and given enough notice, they may accommodate your requests if there was a particular song your loved one enjoyed.

If you decide that you would like recorded music then you should inquire with the venue as to whether they have stereo equipment that you can use, and whether or not you will need to bring CDs or an MP3 player such as an iPod and prepare a playlist of songs that you would like to have played.

While you may wish to choose from songs which are popular at funerals and receptions, you may also want to choose music which your loved one may have enjoyed. This could be songs they used to sing, artists they listened to regularly or perhaps just music associated with the region or country in which they were from.

When making decisions about a post-funeral reception you should consult with your friends and family about what your loved one would have wanted. You should also speak to a funeral director who will have lots of useful experience and contacts to draw from.

For more information see our ‘guide to planning a post funeral reception’ or alternatively you can call us 24-hours a day on 0151 228 3900.