A funeral tea is the name for the social occasion after a funeral. It is also known as a wake or funeral reception. A funeral tea offers family, friends, and loved ones the chance to get together following the funeral to remember the person who has died and celebrate their life. 

Much like the funeral itself, a funeral tea can be tailored to reflect the individual preferences and wishes of the person who has died. This can range from a small, intimate gathering of the closest family and friends to a larger, more open affair with past colleagues, old friends and neighbours in attendance. 

At the George Albert Hotel, our friendly and compassionate team has years of experience in hosting funeral teas tailored to meet your specific wishes. We understand planning a funeral tea can be an emotional and daunting task, so we have put together a guide to help you plan the send-off your loved one truly deserves.

What to Expect at a Funeral Tea

A funeral tea is usually a more informal affair following a funeral. It offers family, friends and loved ones the chance to get together and remember the person who has passed away. A funeral tea is often held at a family home, hotel, village hall, or pub.

It is usual for light refreshments, like sandwiches and cakes, to be offered at a funeral tea. Normally, they are served buffet style to enable people to continue mingling and reminiscing.

Tea and coffee are normally free-flowing, but other drinks, including alcohol, may be available if you decide to host the funeral reception at a hotel or bar.

How to Choose a Venue for a Funeral Tea

Choosing the ideal venue to host a funeral tea depends on many factors from your loved one’s preferences and how many people you plan to invite to cost and convenience.

For some people hosting the funeral reception at home is ideal as it is a comfortable location where you feel more at ease. Hosting at home can also help to keep the costs down if you can cater the event yourself. However, hosting a funeral tea at a time when you are already feeling emotionally drained can be daunting. You can get caterers in to help ease the burden, but you will still need to make sure the home is ready for guests before the event and act as host on the day.

The effort of hosting at home means many people choose to hire a venue to host a funeral tea. The benefit of hiring a venue is that the catering is taken care of for you. Many venues will assign you a dedicated events manager as your point of contact in the run-up to the event and on the day. Their job is to ensure the funeral reception runs smoothly so you can focus on celebrating your loved one’s life.

A venue is also often a better option if you’re expecting lots of people, as you can choose a venue that can cater to your expected numbers.

Who to Invite to a Funeral Tea

When it comes to deciding who to invite to the funeral reception, this is entirely down to you. You may prefer a smaller intimate gathering or a larger affair. But whichever you choose it is best to make your intentions clear at the funeral. If you are happy for everyone to attend, you can publicise the time and venue of the funeral tea on the order of service or ask the celebrant to announce it at the end of the funeral service.

Funeral Teas at The George Albert Hotel

If you are looking to organise a funeral tea in Dorset, consider the George Albert Hotel. Our event space can accommodate 20 to 300, so whether you are looking to plan a small intimate gathering for your nearest and dearest or a larger get-together, we can help.

Our friendly and compassionate team will meet with you to discuss your requirements and ease the burden of planning the funeral tea. They can help you tailor the reception to reflect the preferences and wishes of your loved one, whether that’s ensuring their favourite cake is served or catering to more bespoke needs.

When it comes to the day of the funeral tea, we will take care of everything for you. This ensures you aren’t worrying about whether people have food or hot drinks and enables you to take the time to speak to friends and family and reflect and share memories of the life of your loved one.