Since the departed remained in the home after preparation for burial, it only made sense that the wake would be held there too. Members of the family watched over the body throughout the night, which is where the term "wake" came from. The custom originated to make sure that the person was actually dead and did not wake up during the night. Protection of the body from rats was another reason to watch over it after dark. African Americans had their own customs and would bind the departed jaw shut to keep the soul from wandering. Also, a plate of salt and ashes was placed under the cooling board to absorb any diseases.
Before the 1880's a man's widow was not allowed to attend his funeral because she had to remain home and grieve. When the time came the pallbearers carried the casket to the hearse or in the case of family cemeteries, directly to the grave. As they carried the casket out of the house, it was always feet first because if their head faced backwards it might encourage others to follow them into the pale nations. During the burial, others stayed behind to remove the black crepe, turn mirrors around, and restart the clocks.
All traces of the departed was to be removed before the family returned for refreshments. As to their black clothing, the producers of mourning dresses spread a rumor that it was bad luck to keep such clothing afterwards. This ensured that mourners would buy "new" clothing for each death, which in those days was often. Also popular in the late 18th and early 19th Century was postmortem photography. To capture the last photo of their loved one (and many times the only photo) they dressed and posed them before photographing them.
Postmortem photos 1890
Posing with his departed brother 1880's
A stages postmortem photo 1880's