Funeral Program Template: What to Include & How to Build One
Funeral Program Template: What to Include & How to Build One
A funeral program — sometimes called the order of service — is the printed keepsake guests hold during a service. It tells everyone what will happen and when, names the people taking part, and gives mourners something to take home. Putting one together in the middle of grief can feel like one more thing to carry, so this guide walks you through exactly what a program usually includes and how to build one, section by section, at your own pace.
What should a funeral program include?
A funeral program usually has a few standard parts, and you can keep or drop sections to suit your service. The front cover carries a favourite photograph, the person's full name, and their birth and death dates, often with a short line, verse or title beneath. Inside comes the order of service — the sequence of what happens, such as the opening words, hymns or songs, readings and poems, the eulogy or tribute, prayers or a moment of reflection, and the closing. Many programs then list the people taking part: the officiant, pallbearers, and anyone giving a reading or eulogy. A committal section notes where the burial or scattering will take place. The back is usually reserved for acknowledgements — a thank-you from the family — and sometimes details of a reception or a chosen poem. There is no single correct format: the best program is simply clear, warm and easy for guests to follow.
What a funeral program is
A funeral program — also called an order of service or memorial program — is the folded card or booklet handed to guests as they arrive. It does two quiet jobs at once: it guides everyone gently through the service so no one feels lost, and it becomes a keepsake people carry home and keep for years.
There is no official template you must follow. A simple single-fold sheet works just as well as a multi-page booklet; what matters is that it is clear, accurate and feels like the person it honours. If you are still arranging the wider service, our guide to how to plan a funeral walks through the bigger picture, and the program slots neatly inside it.
The sections to include
Most programs are built from the same handful of parts. Use the ones that fit your service and leave out the rest:
- Front cover — a favourite photograph, the person's full name, their birth and death dates, and often a short verse, title or line of meaning.
- Order of service — the sequence of the service: opening words, hymns or songs, readings and poems, the eulogy, prayers or reflection, and the closing.
- Eulogy or tribute — the name of who is speaking, and sometimes a short printed obituary or life summary.
- People taking part — the officiant, pallbearers, and anyone giving a reading, prayer or piece of music.
- Committal — where the burial, cremation or scattering will take place.
- Acknowledgements — a thank-you from the family, and any reception or gathering details on the back.
Our eulogy examples can help with the words for the tribute itself.
How to build one, step by step
You do not have to be a designer. Working through it in order keeps it manageable:
- Confirm the order of service first. Ask the officiant or funeral director for the sequence before you lay anything out.
- Choose the photo and the words for the cover. One clear, well-loved picture is better than several small ones.
- Gather the names. Double-check the spelling of every person taking part — getting a name right matters deeply.
- Pick the readings and poems. Decide whether to print them in full so guests can follow along.
- Lay it out simply. A folded A4 or letter sheet, one clear typeface, and plenty of space reads best.
- Proofread, then print a little extra. Read it aloud to catch errors, and print more copies than your headcount.
If a written life summary feels out of reach, our guide on how to write an obituary gives a gentle starting frame you can shorten for the program.
Let the program fit the person
A program for a quiet, traditional funeral and one for a celebration of life can look very different, and both are right. A celebration of life might lean toward colour, favourite lyrics and warm photographs; a traditional service might hold to hymns and prayers. Follow the tone the family wants, not a rigid format.
Whatever you choose, give yourself grace. The program does not have to be perfect to be loved. Its job is simply to help everyone in the room share one afternoon of remembering — and to send each person home with something to keep.
A program that keeps going after the service
A printed program holds one afternoon; a free digital memorial page holds the whole life. You can add a small QR code to the program so guests can scan and see far more than a single sheet can hold — photographs across the years, a video, the music they loved, and the stories others choose to add. After the service, that page stays open: family near and far can keep visiting, sharing memories and lighting candles long after the chairs are packed away.
It is free to create and takes about five minutes. A QR plaque is optional and comes later — the page is the heart of it.
Create a free memorial page
Extend the program into a lasting memorial
The digital memorial page is free to create — start free, gather a lifetime of photos, video and stories, and add the page link or a QR code to your printed program so guests can scan it during and after the service. The physical QR memorial plaque is an optional keepsake that links the same page to a headstone, a bench or a garden stone with a single scan (you will see the current price on the product page). The program is for the day; the page is for the years that follow.
Funeral program template — FAQ
A funeral program usually has a front cover with a favourite photo, the person's full name and their birth and death dates; an order of service listing the sequence of the service (opening words, hymns or songs, readings and poems, the eulogy, prayers or reflection, and the closing); the names of people taking part such as the officiant and pallbearers; a committal section noting where burial or scattering will happen; and acknowledgements — a thank-you from the family — on the back. Keep or drop sections to suit your service; the best program is simply clear, warm and easy to follow.
The order of service is the part of the program that lists what will happen and when, from start to finish. A typical sequence is the opening words or welcome, an opening hymn or song, one or more readings and poems, the eulogy or tribute, prayers or a moment of reflection, a closing hymn, and then the committal or final words. Printing it out lets every guest follow along, know when to stand or sing, and feel part of the service rather than unsure of what comes next.
Start by confirming the order of service with the officiant or funeral director so the sequence is correct. Choose one clear, well-loved photo and the words for the cover, then gather the names of everyone taking part and double-check every spelling. Pick the readings and poems, deciding whether to print them in full. Lay it out simply — a folded A4 or letter sheet, one typeface, plenty of space — then proofread by reading it aloud and print a few more copies than your expected headcount.
There is no fixed size, but the most common formats are a single folded A4 or letter-size sheet (giving four panels) or a small multi-page booklet for longer services. A single fold is plenty for most funerals and is the easiest to print and read. Choose the size by how much you want to include — photos, full readings and a longer tribute may call for a booklet, while a clear order of service fits comfortably on one folded sheet.
The back of a funeral program is usually reserved for acknowledgements — a short thank-you from the family to everyone who attended, sent flowers or offered support. It often also carries details of any reception or gathering after the service, a chosen poem or verse, or a note about a charity the family invites donations to in place of flowers. It is a warm, quiet way to close the program and guide guests on what happens next.
Yes, and many families now do. A small QR code printed on the program lets guests scan it with a phone to open a digital memorial page that holds far more than a single sheet — photographs across the years, a video, the music they loved, and stories others can add. It keeps the program useful long after the service, since family near and far can keep visiting and sharing memories on the same page.
Build the program, then keep their story alive online — free, in minutes.
Start a free memorial page, add the photos and stories a single sheet can never hold, and link it to your printed program with a simple QR code guests can scan.