A funeral program is a printed guide handed to attendees that identifies the person who died and walks through the service. Include cover details, the order of service, participant names, a brief obituary, personal tributes, and closing information on the back. Families use the same document as a keepsake after the service. A clear layout helps attendees follow along and preserves key details for those who could not attend.
Table of Contents
- What belongs on the cover?
- How do you lay out the order of service?
- Who should be named as participants?
- What tribute goes inside?
- What goes on the back panel?
What belongs on the cover?
The cover orients attendees. It identifies the deceased with full name plus nickname if used, birth and death dates, and a photo, according to The Funeral Program Site Knowledge Base cover guidance.
It also gives the service date, location, and officiant. Choose one recent, clear photo rather than a collage for the front. Keep names and dates consistent with the death certificate and service records.
How do you lay out the order of service?
List the ceremony sequence in the order it will happen. That sequence covers opening words, hymns or songs, prayers or scripture, readings, eulogy, committal, benediction, and recessional, according to The Funeral Program Site order-of-service guide.
Add titles and lyrics where attendees need to sing or follow along. A simple scan-ready format works best:.
- Opening words and welcome
- Song or hymn title, with lyrics if sung together
- Prayer, scripture, or reading title
- Eulogy, committal, benediction, and recessional
Who should be named as participants?
Name each participant by role so attendees know who is leading each part. Include the officiant, readers, singers or musicians, and active and honorary pallbearers and flower bearers, according to Funeral Pamphlets program contents guide.
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This also honors helpers by recording their service. Use the role title each person actually filled. Check preferred spellings with family members before printing.
What tribute goes inside?
Place a brief obituary or biographical sketch as the central tribute. It recounts major life events, qualities, accomplishments, and surviving family relationships.
Keep it focused on facts family members agree on. Add personal touches that reflect beliefs and personality. Favorite photos, poems, scripture verses, quotes, and short memorial messages can sit inside or on the cover.
What goes on the back panel?
Use the back panel for thanks and next steps. It commonly carries a family acknowledgment, interment location, repast details, and the funeral home name, address, and phone for follow-up.
This keeps logistics in one place attendees can keep. Proofread names, dates, and spellings before printing, since a full program with tributes and photos often becomes a keepsake for absentees.
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