Unique wake venues in Nottingham

A wake is an informal event that traditionally takes place after a funeral service and cremation or burial. It’s usually an informal event that involves family and friends gathering to share memories and celebrate the life of their loved one.

Traditionally, wakes would take place at someone’s home, or a community centre or pub, but they can take place anywhere. The people organising the wake may want to honour their loved one by holding the wake at a place that was special to them, such as at the grounds of their favourite football team, for example. 

Also, although wakes usually take place directly after the funeral service, they can be held at any time. They can also be as structured or as informal as the organiser would like. Wake organisers have the freedom to host the event that’s right for them, their family and friends, and their loved one.

If you’re organising a wake in Nottingham, there are plenty of unique venues where you can host the event in your own way, from a picnic at the Arboretum, to a meal at the Nottingham Contemporary or an afternoon spent at the scenic Wollaton Hall.

Find your funeral director in Nottingham who will help you arrange a cremation and give you ideas for a wake, memorial or reception that's right for you.

The Nottingham Contemporary Gallery has welcomed over two million visitors and presented more than 50 exhibitions since opening in 2009. It is renowned for its innovative research and learning programmes, and the building has been praised for its architecture. 

The Nottingham Contemporary is a contemporary and unique space with plenty of spaces to hire to celebrate the life of your loved one. These include the spacious, fully-equipped performance space, which is great for larger events. But the gallery also has smaller, and more intimate spaces available to hire too. A full range of technical support is available, as well as catering.  

Plus, the gallery is located in the City Centre with fantastic transport links for those travelling to the venue from further afield. It’s located minutes away from the train station and is on the main tram and bus route.

The Arboretum is a historic park that is beautifully maintained and home to an important collection of over 800 trees, some of which have survived since the 19th century when the park was opened on 11 May 1852. The Arboretum is Nottingham’s oldest public park and has won multiple awards. It is also the closest park to the City Centre.

The park's layout and design were constructed by Samuel Curtis, who was a botanist and horticultural publicist in 1850. Samuel was also involved in the layout of the Victoria Park in London’s East End in 1842.

Gather your friends and family for a stroll in the Arboretum before settling down for a picnic to share memories of your loved one and celebrate their life. 

You can access the Arboretum easily from the City Centre and the wider community thanks to the tram network. The Arboretum is a much-beloved area in Nottingham and is often the site for numerous organized events, and would be a lovely place to host a wake.

A breathtaking Grade I listed Elizabethan mansion, Wollaton Hall is in the heart of Nottingham and is set in 500 acres of natural parkland. The hall itself is famous, playing the role of Wayne Manor in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises, and overlooks the gorgeous park where the red and fallow deer roam. The floodlit hall looks stunning at every angle come nightfall.

It is the ideal location for a number of events, including wakes, and is home to a number of unique buildings and spaces, such as the Natural History Museum which opened in 1926. It is also home to the Nottingham Industrial Museum that celebrates Nottingham’s industrial past. 

The formal gardens are found at the back of Wollaton Hall and are home to several statues, a Doric temple, and the Camellia House. These gardens are often hired for events and would be a beautiful place to celebrate the life of your loved one. 

Camellia House, for example, is the oldest cast-iron-framed glass in Europe and is the last remaining of its kind in the UK. This is another beautiful, intimate space to celebrate the life of your loved one. It also has gorgeous views over the Park and Lake, and the camellia flowers are in bloom between autumn and late spring. 

Meanwhile, the Botanical Garden is right next to the stable block and is looked after by volunteers of the Nottingham branch of the Hardy Plant Society. The gardens are open on Sundays between 2 pm and 4 pm, April through to September. When you buy a plant from the botanical garden, it helps the botanical garden to thrive.