Today we are going to show you 39 of the best invitations for a funeral reception that you can order online today.
We cover traditional cardstock invitations for mailing (for when the after funeral reception is at least a few weeks away), as well as electronic and print-it-yourself invitations for when a funeral reception is imminent.
We spent a great deal of time compiling our ultimate list of invitation designs so that you don’t have to spend hours combing through catalogues. (We are quietly confident that we can help you find a design that you love.)
Our top design picks come from 13 reputable companies that all offer online ordering. We also provide you with important details that you need to know for each company, including invitation cost and delivery time-frame.
You will also find a helpful comparison chart that sets out all the information you need to know in a glance.
We will also share with you 3 easy rules 3 easy rules for wording an invitation for a funeral reception. Following these rules will save you a great deal of time.
Last, but not least, we give you 7 different wording samples you can directly use. All you have to do is pick the wording sample that best fits the tone and style of the funeral reception you are planning and fill in the blanks.
Let’s get started by revealing—in no particular order— the 13 best invitation companies that can be found online today.
1) Paperless Post
It’s impossible to not love Paperless Post.
This company has 100+ stunning templates for both flat-printed cardstock and electronic invitations.
While the Paperless Post website does not have a category specifically dedicated to funeral receptions, many templates in the existing categories—particularly in ‘charity and fundraiser’—are appropriate for an invitation to a reception after a funeral or memorial service.
We debated back and forth which designs were our favourites for funeral reception invitations—there were so many to chose from—and eventually reached a consensus that they are: Arabesque Dark Blue (top); Moth Orchid Menu (bottom left); and Corinthian Large Tall (bottom right).
In addition to a plethora of design choices, the site is extremely easy to navigate with plenty of options to further customize your invitation for the after funeral reception.
You are also able to preview each invitation template, which makes it easier to determine the exact style of invitation you are looking for.
When it comes to price, there are different pricing scales for printed and electronic invitations—which is unsurprising because it costs more to print and post a physical card.
For flat-printed cards, the cost per invitation is anywhere between $1 and $4. The cost per invitation decreases as you order more invitations.
The screenshot below shows Paperless Post’s price scale for flat-printed cards:
Paperless Post’s electronic invitations, on the other hand, are sold for virtual ‘coins’ which can be purchased through the website.
You receive 25 coins just for creating an account and then have the option to purchase more ‘coins’ at $6.00 for 20 coins.
Electronic invitations cost approximately 2 coins per invitation. This means that you can send out 10 online invitations for $6.00.
For more detailed information about Paperless Post’s coin system, please review the screenshot below:
Production time for flat-printed cards is 3 to 7 business days, depending on the complexity and volume of your order.
When it comes to delivery options within the USA, Paperless Post offers ground shipping (3-5 business days), two day-rush, and overnight shipping via FedEx. The cost of delivery will depend on the size of your order.
Paperless Post also delivers to Canada, but there is a shipping fee of $15. An order to Canada takes 4 to 7 business days for delivery. However, you can pay a $30 ‘priority’ shipping fee to ensure that your order arrives in 2 to 4 business days.
As soon as you place an order with Paperless Post for paper invitations, you will receive delivery tracking information.
If you are unsure whether your paper invitations will be delivered in time for a funeral reception, it is best to use Paperless Posts electronic invitation system.
The beauty of the online option is that you can immediately download a funeral reception invitation and send them out to guests. No shipping hassles.
2) Event Kingdom
Event Kingdom is another fantastic option for funeral reception invitations.
It offers gorgeous designs for both paper and electronic invitations. You can also adjust the font style, line height and spacing, to create the perfect funeral reception invitation.
You won’t be disappointed with the invitation designs on offer from Event Kingdom. The styles we selected for our sampler above are: Water Flowers (left); Pink Flowered Frame (middle); and Flower and Frame (right).
Event Kingdom has recently launched a new category dedicated to funeral and memorial invitations that can be used to created funeral reception invitations. In addition to these designs, most of the invitations in their other categories, especially the wedding category, are gorgeous and are suitable for an after funeral reception.
You must live in Great Britain or Europe for ordering traditional cardstock invitations. There isn’t a geographic limitation when it comes to ordering electronic invitations.
Cardstock invitations cost approximately €0.70 per card. Below is a screenshot showing Event Kingdom’s pricing structure for paper invitations:
Event Kingdom offers standard delivery for free to anyway in Great Britain and Europe. Delivered takes 2 to 4 business days.
If you don’t live in Great Britain or Europe, you can still take advantage of Event Kingdom’s wide array of electronic invitations. Again, the big plus of online, or ‘virtual’ invitations, is that you won’t have any issues with shipping to contend with.
Electronic invitations are sold using a virtual ‘stamp’ system (which is similar to Paperless Post’s coin system). You will receive 20 stamps for free by simply creating an account.
Each electronic invitation card costs approximately 1 stamp, but you will also need to purchase an electronic envelope and an electronic stamp for display on your envelope, which effectively means that it costs approximately 3 stamps for each funeral reception invitation you send.
Below is a screenshot of Event Kingdom’s stamp system:
When it comes to electronic invitations, Event Kingdom has a very user-friendly guest management system that enables you to keep track of RSVPs.
After you have previewed the funeral reception invitation you have created, you simply enter the e-mail addresses of all your guests.
Your funeral reception invitation is then sent out to all of your guests with the click of a single button.
We particularly love how the electronic invitation displays when opened by a funeral reception guest.
The electronic invitation is animated, with the card emerging out of the envelope as if you were physically pulling it out.
The guest is made to feel as if he or she is receiving a personal invitation, rather than a mass e-mail:
3) Greenvelope
Greenvelope offers a stunning array of designs for personalized electronic invitations, so it had to be included in our list of top picks.
We absolutely love Greenvelope’s options for colour palates, prints, and fonts. And not for just the main card, but for the envelope and envelope liner as well.
No detail has been overlooked.
While Greenvelope does not have a section dedicated to invitations for a funeral reception, the invitation designs they do offer can easily be customized for a reception in honoured of a loved one who has passed away.
In our sampler above, we used the following designs: Floral Wreath (left); Classic Lattice (top right); and Garden Shillouette (bottom right).
Just as the company name suggests, Greenvelope is committed to environmental sustainability, therefore it only offers electronic invitations.
Greenvelope also puts its money where its mouth is by donating a portion of every sale to ‘Mountains to Sound,’ a non-profit organization that maintains forests.
So by using Greenvelope, you not only help save paper, you also help save trees as well.
Greenvelope’s platform is intuitive and incredibly easy-to-use.
It allows you to import e-mail addresses for your funeral reception guests—which saves you a lot of typing—and to send out all the invitations with the click of a single button.
But in the event you aren’t confident with technology, Greenvelope hosts training videos that guide you through the process of designing, editing and e-mailing your reception invitation, step-by-step.
There is also a help centre in case you need a little extra guidance.
Greenvelope provides you with the option of a free trial where you can send up to 10 funeral reception invitations to guests at no cost.
For more than 10 funeral reception invitations, you purchase a package based on the number of invitations you wish to send out.
The packages range in price from $39 for 40 invitations, up to $124 for 150 invitations.
If you plan on inviting more than 150 guests to the after funeral reception, you simply enter the number of guests into the price calculator and a price quote is generated for you.
For more details regarding Greenvelope’s pricing, see the screenshot below:
4) Minted
Our list of the best invitation companies had to include Minted because of the plethora of absolutely stunning designs it offers.
While Minted specializes in wedding invitations, its design templates are highly customizable, which means that you are easily able to make gorgeous invitations for a funeral reception.
With our sampler above, we selected: Poetic Blue (left); Gilded Wildflowers (top right); and Gilded Shore (bottom right).
Minted offers printed invitations only.
While it doesn’t offer electronic invitations that can be sent via email, don’t despair if you are in a time crunch as Minted has a variety of gorgeous print-it-yourself invitations to choose from.
If your loved one’s funeral reception is 4+ weeks away, Minted has a large catalogue of customizable invitations that you can order from and have shipped.
Minted ships printed invitations within the USA, as well as internationally to 200+ countries.
The estimated delivery time is based on where you are located. For both domestic (USA) and international orders, delivery can take anyway from 5 business days up to 9 business days, depending on what shipping option you select.
Below is a screenshot showing all of Minted’s delivery options:
The cost of the invitations is based both on the design you have selected and on the quantity of invitations you order.
As the total number of invitations you plan to purchase increases, the price per invitation decreases, as can be seen in the screenshot below:
5) Pingg
When it comes to gorgeous invitations, Pingg ticks all the boxes.
Pingg offers a variety of highly customizable design templates for both digital and paper invitations.
Like its competitors, Pingg does not have a selection dedicated to funeral reception invitations.
However, you will find 100+ templates on the website that can easily be customized for a funeral reception.
We found the invitation templates in the wedding and engagement sections particularly beautiful.
After much deliberation, we selected the following designs from Pingg to feature in our sampler above: Brown Band (top left); Peach and Cream Lacy Floral Damask (bottom left); Vintage Garden (right).
Pingg operates on a membership basis. There are three packages to choose from, the details of which are outlined in the screenshot below.
Pingg also has a useful RSVP management system where you can set up reminders, automatic thank you emails to funeral reception guests who respond, and much more.
If you order printed funeral reception invitations, they are sent via post in clear envelopes. Each invitation costs $2.50, plus postage.
Once you’ve selected a design that you love and added your details, as well as entered the name and address of the reception guests, Pingg will address, stamp and mail the invitations for you to any address in the world.
This is a wonderful option if you want traditional printed invitations, but are pressed for the time or energy that is required to perform all the necessary tasks that are involved with paper invitations.
Pingg also allows you to send postal invitations to your entire funeral reception guest list, or just to a select few.
So you may choose to send the bulk of the funeral reception invitations electronically, but send paper invitations to elderly friends and relatives who may not be computer savvy.
You can also mix US and international cards within the same postal delivery order and Pingg will automatically calculate the correct charges for you.
Pingg’s mailing service costs $2.50 US per card plus $0.65 US postage for US addresses ($3.15 US total per card), or $1.18 US postage for international addresses ($3.68 US total per card).
Whether you choose a traditional cardstock reception invitation, or the modern electronic invitation version, be sure to use one of our funeral reception wording templates that you will find if you keep reading.
6) Tiny Prints
Tiny Prints is a fantastic site and is the first one we have come across so far that has a section specifically dedicated to funeral invitations.
If you are planning a reception after a funeral, and modifying a wedding invitation template so that it is appropriate for the occasion is upsetting for you, then consider using Tiny Prints.
Tiny Prints is in the business of making beautiful cardstock invitations and do not offer a digital invitation option.
It offers a selection of flat, double-folded, and tri-fold, printed invitations. You are able to customize the invitation’s colour palate, font and trim, and add a photo.
The site has over 75 unique and gorgeous invitation designs in its designated ‘memorial invitations’ section.
The designs we fell in love with, and which are shown in our sampler above, are: Brushed Damask (top left); Washed Sand (top right); and Celebrating a Life (bottom right).
The templates here are very helpful, as they prompt you to include information that specifically pertains to a funeral. The invitation templates are also customizable.
Tiny Prints has an option to include a photo of your loved one that passed away on the funeral reception invitation. (Or you could include a scenery photo that had special meaning to him or her.)
Please note, however, that if you choose to include a photo, the number of words that you can write on the funeral reception invitation will be reduced, as the photo will take up a large chunk of the available space.
But don’t be deterred from including a photo, as we found that there was still enough room to include all of the necessary information.
Memorial invitations range in price from $1.29 to $2.39 per invitation. Each envelopes cost around 50¢.
Pricing varies based on the quantity and style of invitation purchased. For a detailed summary of Tiny Prints’ pricing structure for the “Washed Sand” invitation featured above, see the screenshot below (you can purchase up to 500 cards):
Tiny Prints ships domestically (within the USA), as well as internationally to 200+ countries.
Details regarding delivery options within the USA are as follows:
Here are the details regarding international delivery options:
7) Purple Trail
Purple Trail is a website dedicated to helping you unleash your creativity. It offers a wide selection of beautiful templates for printed invitations to get you started.
With up to 5,000 designs to choose from, you are sure to find one that fits the tone and style of the funeral reception you are planning in memory of your loved one.
Like most of the invitation businesses we have already mentioned, there isn’t a category specifically dedicated to funeral reception invitations.
However, many of Purple Trail’s invitation templates would be appropriate for such an occasion and, of course, they are all highly customizable.
It was hard to choose our favourite designs on the site—there were too many! We finally settled on the following designs, shown in the sampler above: Gold Polka Dots (left); Cascading Hand-Painted Floral (middle); and Taupe and Peach Feather (right).
You can also upload any invitation design that you want, and Purple Trail will print it for you.
And if you have a vision in your head, but can’t express it on paper, a consultant will work one-on-one with you to transform your vision into reality.
We also love that Purple Trail allows you to create matching envelopes, envelope liners and address labels. So not only can you personalize your funeral reception invitation, you can personalize all these other supporting elements to create a stunning package for your guests.
After creating your own design, if you select Purple Trail’s ‘Mailing Service’ option during checkout, the company will also send out your funeral reception invitations for you. (This service is available for USA recipient addresses only, and requires 2 additional days for processing.)
The cost of the Mailing Service is $0.85 for each rectangular envelope, and $1.05 for each square envelope.
Purple Trail has a phone number that you can call to speak to a live person, as well as a forum for live chat, where you can get more information on pricing, delivery area and shipping options.
This company also offers 10% off all orders over $200. Given how expensive funeral services can be, this is an appealing offer.
8) Punchbowl
Punchbowl is another one of our favourite sites for creating electronic invitations for an after funeral reception.
This site has a user-friendly interface. At the start of the process, it asks some questions regarding the event that you are planning and, based on your answers, it gives you suggestions about the invitation.
Punchbowl offers a wide selection of online invitation templates for many different types of occasions. However, there is no option for printing traditional cardstock invitations.
You are bound to find an invitation design on Punchbowl that fits the style and tone of the funeral reception that you are planning.
Our favourite designs from Punchbowl—featured in the sampler above—are as follows: Peach Blossoms (top); Regal Border (middle); and Blue Flowers (bottom).
Once you have designed a gorgeous funeral reception invitation using Punchbowl, you can invite guests via e-mail, Facebook and Twitter.
Your dashboard will also show you which guests have indicated that they will come to the funeral reception (which is helpful when planning how much food and drink to order).
Punchbowl operates on a membership basis, as opposed to charging per invitation.
While Punchbowl offers a free membership, this may not be the best option for you for two reasons.
First, with their no-cost membership, you can only send up to 10 digital cards per month and invite a maximum of 100 guests to the funeral reception.
(This means that for 100 guests, you would have to start sending digital invitations at least 10 months before the funeral reception. Furthermore, your guests would not get the same amount of advanced notice.)
The second reason to not use the free membership is that invitations that you haven’t paid for will feature advertisements.
Punchbowl offers 3 membership packages, starting from $1.99 per month, up to $6.99 per month. The screenshot below outlines the features contained in each package:
You should also note that each membership package offers you a 7-day free trial.
The trial period gives you full access to membership features at no charge.
If the membership is still active after the 7-day trial period has ended, the membership will then be charged to the credit card or Paypal account you provided when signing up.
To cancel your free trial, simply sign in to your Punchbowl account, click your name at the top of any page and select Account Settings. Click the “Cancel Membership” link found in the Membership section.
9) Paper Source
Paper Source specializes in beautiful printed invitations.
Not only does Paper Source have a visually stunning website, it offers a wide variety of invitation templates for a funeral reception.
It is one of the few websites that has section specifically for “in memory of” invitations.
This dedicated section offers four different designs with a wide variety of colours, text and font options.
You should also note that the invitation designs featured in other sections of the site could also be altered to suit your funeral reception needs.
In our sampler above, we selected the following designs: Leaves Invitations (top left); Botanical Memorial Invitation (top right); and Triptych Memorial Announcement (bottom).
The price for a batch of funeral reception invitations is determined by the complexity of the design that you choose and the number of invitations you order.
Paper Source offers free standard shipping on all orders of $75 or more.
Most orders are processed and shipped within 1 to 2 business days after the order is submitted (not including custom orders), provided that the shipping address is within the contiguous United States.
Orders with priority shipping are processed the day the order was received if submitted by 1pm.
Domestic orders shipping outside the contiguous United States (Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Alaska) take up to 15 business days with Standard shipping.
Below is a screenshot showing the shipping options and pricing:
Paper Source will also ship your funeral reception invitations to Canada for a flat fee of $40.
10) Polka Dot Design
Polka Dot Design offers many gorgeous invitation templates for ordering printed cardstock invitations.
You are sure to find a beautiful design that perfectly suits the after funeral reception you are planning.
The designs we chose to feature in our sampler above are: Chantilly Lace (top left); English Rose Garden (top right); and Linen Lace (bottom left).
Polka Dot Design currently only serves customers living in the USA.
Prices vary based on design, but generally speaking, funeral reception invitations cost around $1 to $3 each.
It takes 1 to 5 days to process your order, depending on the level of customization that you want.
Polka Dot Design’s website has a convenient “Quick Ship” icon. If selected, you will receive your funeral reception invitations in 1 to 2 business days after your order has been printed.
11) Red Stamp 
Red Stamp has some beautiful templates for designing invitations to an after funeral reception.
The designs that we show in our sampler above are: Lovely Leaf Garland Invitation (top left); Berry Pattern Invitation (top right); Floral Vines Greeting Card (bottom left).
Red Stamp offers both electronic and printed cardstock invitations.
The print service is only available to customers living in the USA. A cardstock invitation will cost you up to $2.50 each.
You can have Red Stamp mail your funeral reception invitations to guests for you, if you wish.
You can check how long it will take your funeral reception invitation to arrive at its destination by entering the recipient’s postal code.
Electronic invitations created and emailed through Red Stamp are free of charge. The platform is user-friendly and allows you to import e-mail addresses.
You should note, however, that many of Red Stamp’s templates have set text that cannot be modified, meaning that they cannot be used for making funeral reception invitations.
(Red Stamp does not have a section dedicated to funeral reception invitations.)
But the designs that we show in our sampler above were made using Red Stamp’s more customizable templates.
And given that Red Stamp offers free electronic invitations, it is a site worth checking out.
12) Greetings Island
Greetings Island offers every form of funeral reception invitation possible: electronic; traditional cardstock; and print-it-yourself.
While Greetings Island has a separate category dedicated solely to funeral and memorial announcements and invitations, all of its design templates are highly customizable and simple to use.
Some templates also allow you to add a photo of your loved one to the invitation design.
Our favourite designs from Greeting Island are shown in the sampler above: Flowers and Ribbon (left); Garden Flowers (top right); and Watercolour Frame (bottom right).
When it comes to printed cardstock invitations, Greeting Island offers flat and folded options, and will ship worldwide.
If you choose to have your funeral reception invitations professionally printed through Greetings Island, the ‘per invitation’ price is determined by the total quantity of invitations you purchase.
Nevertheless, the average price is $1.50 per funeral reception invitation. Envelopes are free. Greetings Island provides free shipping within the USA for orders over $29.
Standard delivery within the USA takes 6 to 8 business days, while priority shipping takes 4 to 6 business days. International orders take 5 to 15 business days to ship, depending on where you live.
If you are pressed for time, Greetings Island provides you with the option to create and download a version of your funeral reception invitation to print yourself at home, completely free of charge.
Alternatively, Greetings Island also offers free e-cards that can be sent to family and friends to inform them about the upcoming after funeral reception for a loved one that has passed away.
13) Canva
We love Canva!
In fact, we love it so much that we used it to make the graphics that you see in this post.
It is a fantastic site that allows you to make professional-looking graphics for almost any situation that you can think of—blogs, business promotional materials, desktop wallpapers—and yes, even funeral reception invitations.
At first glance, it may not be obvious that you can use Canva to make invitations for a reception after a funeral.
But once you have joined and created an account (for free), click on “Create Design” and scroll down to the section labeled “Events”. Then click on “Invitation” to see designs that are appropriate for a funeral reception invitation:
Once you have clicked on “Invitation,” you are able to view the available designs in that category and make your funeral reception invitation:
As with other invitation websites, many of the designs within the “Wedding Invitation” section are also appropriate for an after funeral reception.
The designs that we chose to feature in our sampler for Canva were selected from the free options in the “Wedding Invitations” options.
You can use Canva to make funeral reception invitations in either an electronic or a print-it-yourself format. (Canva is a design platform and does not offer printing services.)
Canva is, for the most part, free of charge. It does offer some premium images and patterns, but it is only $1.00 to use one.
They’ve also written a super helpful article on modern day invitation etiquette that you might also find helpful!
Be sure to keep reading to find the perfect wording to use in your funeral reception invitation. We promise that our wording templates for funeral reception invitations will save you time and energy.
13 Best Invitation Companies at a Glance
Here is a helpful table that compares what the 13 best invitation companies found online today offer:
The 3 Easy Rules For Wording a Funeral Reception Invitation
There are 3 rules you need to follow before you start drafting the funeral reception invitation:
1. Decide Whether the Funeral Reception is Formal or Informal
The tone of the invitation should match the tone of the funeral reception. In other words, formal wording should be used for a formal and dignified funeral reception, while casual wording is appropriate for an informal gathering.
If you aren’t sure whether the funeral reception you are organizing is formal or casual, consider the location and the menu.
Formal funeral receptions are usually held at hired venues (e.g. the funeral home; a country club; or a restaurant) and are catered affairs (ranging from light finger food platters to full buffets or à la carte menu).
Informal funeral receptions are usually held at someone’s home and may be a “pot-luck” event where guests are asked to contribute a dish.
2. Write a Guest List for the Funeral Reception
You need to decide who is invited.
If you and your family want a more intimate gathering, you might wish to only invite immediate and extended family, as well as very close friends.
On the other hand, you and your family may wish to include other people that the deceased had relationships with, such as co-workers, neighbours, church members, golfing buddies, etc.
Working on a guest list will ensure that everybody you want at the funeral reception is invited and that nobody is inadvertently overlooked.
It will also help you determine how much food and drinks you will need to have at the funeral reception.
Be sure to slightly overestimate the amount you will need in case there are some last minute funeral reception attendees (i.e. people who initially thought they couldn’t make it to the funeral and the after funeral reception, but were able to organize travel and time off work).
3. Determine the Details of the Funeral Reception
Obviously the funeral reception invitation needs to provide the first and last name of the deceased, and the date of the funeral reception. The invitation also needs to state the venue and address.
You will also need to confirm with the venue the start and ending times for the funeral reception, as these times must be provided on the invitation. (For example, do you need to vacate the venue by a certain time because another event has been booked?)
The funeral reception invitation should also indicate what food or drinks are provided so that guests know what to expect and can plan accordingly. If you are planning a “pot-luck”, your funeral reception invitation should specify what you want guests to bring.
If the funeral reception is being held at an outdoor location, your invitation should include details about the backup plan in the event of bad weather.
The funeral reception invitation should also have the name of the person to contact, along with his or her phone number or email address, so that guests know who to call or email with questions, or to RVSP.
RSVPs are important so that you can get an accurate guest count and ensure that an appropriate venue is reserved and that there is sufficient food and drinks at the after funeral reception.
From the different examples of funeral invitation wording given below, pick a sample that that best suits the tone of the funeral reception you are planning and fill in the blanks (or you can mix and match wording from different samples).
Funeral Reception Wording Samples That You Can Use Today
You will find below wording samples that you can directly use for a funeral reception invitation. We will have a wording sample that is perfect for the funeral reception you are planning.
All you have to do is pick the wording sample that best fits the tone and style of the funeral reception you are planning, cut and paste the text, and then fill in the blanks.
Example 1: Wording Sample For Formal Funeral Reception (Light Refreshments Only)
[Deceased’s full name]
[Date of birth] to [Date of death]
The honour of your presence is requested at a Reception on
[day of the week e.g. Sunday], the [date of month e.g. 7th] of [month e.g. August],
from [start time] to [end time].
AT: [location of the funeral reception]
[Street address of reception location]
[Town/City]
Light refreshments will be served.
Please Contact: [name of contact] at [phone number or email address] to RSVP.
The favour of your reply is appreciated by [date].
~~May [his/her] soul rest in peace ~~
Example 2: Wording Sample For Formal Funeral Reception (Full Meal)
In Loving Memory of:
[Deceased’s full name]
[Date of birth] to [Date of death]
The honour of your company is requested at a luncheon reception
immediately following the funeral service on [date]
from [start time] to [end time].
AT: [name of venue], [street address of reception location], [Town/City]
Please Contact: [name of contact] at [phone number/email address] to
RSVP by [date].
“To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die” ~ Thomas Campbell
Example 3: Wording Sample For Informal Funeral Reception (Light Refreshments Only)
[Deceased’s full name]
[Date of birth] to [Date of death]
Please join us in celebrating the life and times of our beloved [first name of the deceased] at a reception immediately following the memorial service on [date]
from [start time] to [end time].
AT: [name of venue], [street address of reception location], [Town/City]
Light refreshments will be served.
Please Contact: [name of contact person] at [phone number or email address] to
RSVP by [date].
~ “I always did love a good party” ~
[or some other quote from the deceased]
Example 4: Wording Sample For Informal Funeral Reception (Full Meal)
Please join us for brunch on [date] at
[name and address of restaurant] to
celebrate the life of [deceased’s first and last name].
We will meet at [hour] [am/pm] to
share memories and stories about [deceased’s first name].
Please let us know if you are coming by [phoning/emailing] us
at [phone number/email address].
We need to confirm our reservation by [date].
We hope you can come.
Example 5: Wording Sample For Informal Funeral Reception (Pot-Luck)
Please join us in celebrating the life of [deceased’s full name].
We are gathering at the home of [name of family], at [address], on [date], commencing at [start time].
We will be having a potluck meal, so your contributions will be greatly appreciated.
Please let us know if you are coming by [phoning/emailing] [contact person] by [RSVP date] at the latest.
Example 6: Wording Sample For Outdoor Funeral Reception Following Ash Scattering
The family of [deceased’s full name]
request the honour of your presence at a special ceremony to
scatter [her/her] ashes.
We will gather at [outdoor location name and address] on [date],
at [start time] to [end time].
At the ceremony, you will have an opportunity to share your fondest memories of [deceased’s first name].
Light refreshments will be served after the ceremony is completed.
Please let us know if you are able to attend by [phoning/emailing] us
at [phone number/email address].
We would appreciate hearing from you by [date].
Example 7: Wording Sample For Outdoor Funeral Reception (With ‘Bad Weather’ Option)
To honour the life of [deceased’s name], we are gathering at
[name and address of outdoor location], a place [he/she] loved very much.
The gathering will take place on [date] from [start time] to [end time].
Please bring your best stories about [deceased’s first name],
as well as your appetite because nibbles and drinks will be served.
In the event of bad weather, we will meet instead at [name of venue and address.]
Please let us know if you are coming, either by phoning us at [phone number] or emailing us at [email address]. We’d love to know if you can make it by [date].
Adding Personal Touches
These samples should give you an idea of wording you can use in a funeral reception invitation.
You can personalize the wording sample by adding a favourite quote from the deceased, or using the deceased’s nickname, or simply embellishing the funeral reception invitation with colours and images that reflect his or her interests and tastes.
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