Funeral: The Wake or Viewing - Seattle Wrongful Death Attorney

In many faiths, a wake or a viewing is held either a couple of days before the funeral, the day before the funeral, and sometimes immediately before the funeral. A wake gives family and friends of the deceased a chance to pay their final respects and say goodbye. During a wake or viewing, the casket is usually present. It may be open or closed, depending on the wishes of the immediate family members. You will need to coordinate the day and time of the viewing with the funeral director.

In terms of preparing the room for the wake, you do not have to do much at all. The staff at the funeral home will be open to suggestion on placement of the casket and flowers, but often they have helpful suggestions on how best to prepare the room for the wake. Generally, when people send flowers after a death they will send them directly to the funeral home or the church. This means that you will not have to move or transport the flowers.  All you have to do is let the director know where you want them in the room.

The wake can be as long or as short of a period you want it to be. Some families may choose to have a viewing two nights in a row and others may want just one viewing. The viewing or wake can be anywhere from a couple of hours to all day, depending  on the wishes of the family members.