Has anyone ever done an Anniversary Memorial Service?

My grandmother will be gone 5 yrs this Halloween. Because she passed away a week before my wedding, my family decided not to have a wake or a big service. To this day my mom always regretted this.

I thought I would have a Memorial Service for her and maybe for some closure.

Do churches do this? How do you let people know about it, invitations, word of mouth?

TIA

Re: Has anyone ever done an Anniversary Memorial Service?

We had a memorial service for my MIL for the 1st anniversary of her passing.

We just had immediate family (about 30 people) at the church where they dedicated the Mass to her (my FIL contacted the church and they took care of it).

Then we all went to the beach with individually boxed butterflies (my MIL's inspiration thoroughout her boughts with cancer), said a prayer, and released them.

It was a nice tribute.

Re: Has anyone ever done an Anniversary Memorial Service?

Im curious to hear more responses too.

Re: Has anyone ever done an Anniversary Memorial Service?

Well, we do something a lot less formal. The thing my dad liked best was for the family to be together. On the first anniversary of his death, my mom, sister and I went to his favorite museum (he was an amateur artist) to remember him. We went out to lunch and told stories about him, and talked about him.

Now we try to pay tribute to him on his birthday and not the anniversary of his death.