When planning an online memorial service, many families focus their attention on the formal portion—the eulogies, readings, music, and the structured moments that honor a loved one’s life. And rightfully so. A well-crafted memorial service can be deeply moving and meaningful.
But there’s a part of the experience that sometimes gets overlooked: the memorial reception.
Every now and then, a family asks if they can skip the virtual reception portion and just hold the service. Whenever that comes up, I always encourage them to reconsider—and here’s why.
The Reception Is Where Connection Happens
Imagine attending a beautiful memorial service in person—whether in a church, synagogue, funeral home, or any meaningful venue. The ceremony is heartfelt, emotional, and perfectly honors your loved one. But when it’s over, everyone quietly leaves without saying a word to each other.
No hugs.
No stories.
No shared memories.
It would feel incomplete, wouldn’t it?
That’s exactly what happens when a virtual or online memorial service is held without a reception afterward. The memorial reception isn’t just an “extra”—it’s the space for connection, for interaction, for real community.
A Virtual Reunion Across Time and Space
The beauty of a virtual memorial reception is that it opens the door for family and friends—many of whom haven’t seen each other in years, or may have never met at all—to reconnect.
It often feels like a family reunion.
You might have a college friend of the deceased meeting a former coworker for the first time. Or cousins who haven’t spoken in a decade catching up over shared memories. People from different seasons of your loved one’s life come together in the same (virtual) room, united by the impact that person had on them.
These conversations aren’t scripted. There’s no formal agenda. It’s simply people showing up, speaking from the heart, and being present with one another. And it’s beautiful.
Seen, Heard, and Remembered
In a virtual setting, especially when people are watching a memorial service alone from their homes, it’s easy to feel isolated. The reception changes that. It gives everyone the chance to be seen and heard—to laugh, to cry, to say, “Do you remember when…”
These spontaneous, unscripted moments often become some of the most meaningful parts of the memorial experience.
Don’t Skip the Reception!
If you’re planning an online memorial service, I can’t recommend strongly enough that you include a memorial reception. The service honors your loved one’s life, but the reception celebrates their relationships—the people they touched, the memories they made, and the community they built.
It’s a space for healing. A space for remembering. And a space that brings people together, even across miles and time zones.
Don’t miss out on that part of the experience. It matters more than you might expect.