A funeral program is a printed guide and keepsake for the service. It typically includes a cover with key details, the order of service, a short obituary, readings and songs, participant names, a thank-you note, and practical logistics. Families use it to help guests follow along and remember the person. The exact length varies, from a single folded sheet to a multi-page booklet, depending on religion, culture, and family choice.
Table of Contents
- What goes on the cover?
- How do you list the order of service?
- What life story, poems and readings should you print?
- Whom should you name and thank?
- What practical details belong on the back page?
What goes on the cover?
The cover identifies the service at a glance. It usually shows the deceased's full name plus any nickname, birth and death dates, a favorite photo, and the service date, time and location, according to the Funeral Program Site cover guide.
Choose a clear, recent photo that family members recognize. Keep the layout simple so guests can read names and dates quickly.
How do you list the order of service?
The inside pages walk guests through the ceremony in order. This sequence often includes opening words, prayers or scripture, hymns or songs, readings, the eulogy, committal, benediction and recessional, with names of the officiant, readers and musicians, as described by Funeral Templates in its order-of-service guide.
List each item on its own line with the leader's name beside it. Add start cues such as "Please stand" or "Congregation joins in" where guests take part.
What life story, poems and readings should you print?
Many programs include a short obituary or life story. It summarizes major life events, family relationships, accomplishments and survivors, which helps attendees who did not know the person well.
📨 Get Free Funeral Cost Guides Alerts
Free · No spam · Unsubscribe anytime
Full programs also add tributes, poems, scripture texts, hymn lyrics and photo collages. Print the full wording for anything guests will read or sing, so they can follow and participate without hunting for another book or handout.
Whom should you name and thank?
Name people with special roles, especially pallbearers and the officiant or celebrant. This publicly honors their contribution and makes clear who does what during the service.
Include a brief family acknowledgment or thank-you note. Per Chelmsford Star Co-op Funeral Directors, families routinely add memorial-donation details in this spot, telling attendees how to contribute to a named charity or online collection.
- Officiant or celebrant leading the service
- Readers, musicians and eulogy speakers
- Pallbearers
- Charity or collection for donations, with exact name and how to give
What practical details belong on the back page?
The back page gives logistics for after the service. It often lists interment or cemetery details, wake or repast location, and funeral-director credit, according to the Funeral Pamphlets program guide.
Add addresses, start times, parking notes and whether all guests are invited to the reception. Confirm spellings, times and locations with the officiant before printing, since no law sets a required format.
You Might Also Like
- Wake vs Visitation vs Funeral Viewing: The Differences
- Funeral Etiquette: Who Attends, Where to Sit, and Money
- What to Write in a Sympathy Card: Message Examples