Funeral Order of Service and How to Design a Booklet That Tells a Life Story

A funeral order of service is the printed guide guests receive as they arrive, setting out what will happen, who will speak and which words everyone is invited to share. Over the hours that follow, it quietly becomes something more: a keepsake with a photograph, a name and a few lines that may sit in a drawer or on a shelf for decades. Because it does both jobs at once, it deserves a little more thought than a simple list of times. This guide explains the difference between a funeral program and a funeral booklet, what to include, how to word each page, and how to shape the whole thing so it tells the story of the person you are farewelling.

Funeral Program or Funeral Booklet, What Is the Difference?

The terms are often used loosely, and printers and funeral providers use them slightly differently. As a rough guide, a funeral program is a single sheet, folded or flat, that lists the sequence of the service. A funeral booklet runs to several pages and can carry the full words of hymns, readings and prayers, a printed tribute, photographs and a thank-you from the family.

Choose whichever fits the service rather than the other way around. A short, secular farewell may need nothing more than a folded sheet. A service with congregational singing, such as an attending service cremation held in a chapel with hymns, usually benefits from a booklet so guests can follow along without hunting for a hymn book.

Most booklets are built from folded sheets, so page counts tend to come in fours. Deciding on the shape first makes every later choice easier, because you will know how much room you have for words and photographs.

What to Include in an Order of Service

Most services follow a similar arc, even when the details differ. If you are unsure about what to include in an order of service, think of it in three parts: the front, the middle and the back.

The front cover sets the tone. It usually carries the person's full name, along with any nickname or maiden name they were known by, a clear photograph, their dates of birth and death, and the date, time and place of the service. A line such as "In loving memory of" is traditional, though a gentler, more personal phrase can work just as well.

The inside pages follow the running order of the day. That commonly means entrance music, a welcome, readings or poems, hymns or songs, a eulogy or tribute, a moment of reflection, the committal or closing words, and exit music. Include the names of the people speaking or reading, so guests know who to look for.

The back page is often where the family speaks directly. A short thank-you, details of any gathering afterwards, and a line about donations in place of flowers, if that is the family's wish, all fit here.

Your celebrant, minister or funeral director can usually confirm the correct running order, which saves a good deal of guesswork. At a smaller viewing cremation, where only close family and friends gather, a simple four-page order of service is often plenty.

Order of Service Wording That Sounds Like Them

Wording is where a booklet either feels like a form or feels like a person. A few principles help.

Write the way the person spoke. If they were warm and plain-spoken, a stiff, formal tone will feel wrong on the page. Use the name they were known by, and keep any formal lines short.

Make speaker credits personal. Instead of "Eulogy delivered by Anna", you might write "Remembering Dad, shared by his daughter Anna". It costs nothing and tells guests how each person is connected.

Print the words guests will need. Hymn lyrics, responsive prayers and shared readings should appear in full, so nobody has to guess when to join in. Keep in mind that lyrics and poems may still be in copyright, so ask your printer or celebrant what is appropriate to reproduce.

Keep headings simple. "Welcome", "Reading", "Music", "Tribute" and "Committal" are clear and quiet. Save the personality for the cover, the life story and the closing message.

Finally, read it aloud. If a line sounds stiff or strange when spoken, it will read that way too, and a quick edit usually fixes it.

Telling a Life Story Through Photographs and Words

The most memorable booklets read like a short story rather than a programme. Think in chapters: childhood, family, work, passions, the later years. You do not need to cover everything, only enough that someone who knew the person slightly would still feel they had met them.

Choose three to five photographs from different decades, including at least one where they are laughing or caught in the middle of something they loved. A candid image often says more than a formal portrait. Avoid crowding the page, because white space lets each photograph breathe.

A short life summary of around a hundred to a hundred and fifty words is usually enough. Add one or two small anecdotes, the sort of detail that makes people smile through tears, such as the phrase they always said or the way they made tea. If the family wishes, a favourite quote or a line from a letter can sit quietly at the bottom of a page.

On the practical side, send photographs as original files rather than screenshots or copies shared through a messaging app, since print needs more detail than a screen does. If you are not sure whether an image is good enough, ask your printer before you design around it.

Using an Order of Service Template Without Losing the Personal Touch

When time is short, an order of service template is a good friend. Many funeral homes, printers and online design tools offer ready-made layouts, often with fold lines and sensible page counts already built in. Starting from a template removes the blank-page fear and keeps the structure reliable.

The risk is that the result feels generic. A simple rule helps: change at least three things. Choose your own cover photograph, write the tribute in your own words, and add one personal touch that belongs only to this person, whether that is a recipe, a saying, or a drawing by a grandchild.

Keep the design restrained. Stick to one or two fonts, make the text large enough for older guests to read comfortably, and leave generous margins. Dark text on a light background is easier on the eyes than anything fancy.

Even when the family chooses a no service cremation and no ceremony is held, some people still print a small memorial card or booklet to share with those who could not be there. A template makes that quick and manageable, and it gives friends something tangible to keep.

Size, Paper and Printing Choices

Booklets are usually printed in A5 or A6, with A5 offering more room for photographs and A6 fitting neatly in a pocket or handbag. A heavier cover paired with lighter inner pages gives a booklet that feels sturdy without being bulky. Matte finishes look understated, while gloss can make photographs stand out.

A good funeral booklet printing guide will set out the common sizes, paper stocks and page counts, which makes it easier to compare quotes and decide what suits your budget.

Order a few more copies than you expect. Guests often take one for a relative who could not attend, and families usually want several to keep. It also helps to keep a digital copy, so you can share the booklet by email or print more later.

Timing matters too. Some providers ask for all text and photographs about two days before the service, so confirm the deadline early and work backwards from there.

Proofing, Timing and Mistakes to Avoid

A booklet is only as good as its proofing, and small errors are the ones people notice most. Before approving anything, run through a simple checklist.

1. Check the spelling of every name, including the person's own, speakers and family members.

2. Confirm the date, time, venue and address against the booking.

3. Check hymn titles, song titles and reading attributions.

4. Make sure the order of speakers matches what has actually been arranged.

5. Read the whole proof aloud, preferably with a second person following along.

6. Check the page order, especially if the booklet is folded.

7. Ask your celebrant or funeral director to review the final version.

Common mistakes are rushing the proof, changing photographs at the last minute, and assuming the printer will catch spelling errors. File checks usually look at print suitability rather than proofreading, so that responsibility stays with the family.

A Few Words About Time and Support

It can feel strange to be choosing fonts and photographs while grieving, but many families find that the task gives them something gentle to do with their hands and their memories. It also does not have to be done alone.

Black Tulip Funerals can talk you through how the service will run, which makes it much easier to write an accurate running order. If you are still deciding what kind of farewell feels right, the team can explain the options clearly and without pressure, so the booklet can follow naturally from the service you choose.

Moving Forward

A funeral order of service is a small piece of paper with a large job. It guides guests through the day, helps everyone feel included, and gives the family something to hold onto afterwards. The best ones do not try to say everything. They choose a few good photographs, a handful of honest words, and a structure that lets the day unfold calmly.

Start with the shape that suits the service, borrow from a template if time is short, and add the details that only you know. Proof it slowly, ask someone you trust to read it, and allow the finished booklet to be what it is meant to be: a quiet, lasting way of saying that this person was here, and that they mattered.