How to Write a Funeral Order of Service - A Detailed Guide (2024)

Creating a funeral order of service is a deeply personal process, a tribute to the life and memories of someone dear. This comprehensive guide offers advice on designing a memorable funeral booklet, ensuring each aspect reflects the essence of the departed and honours their legacy.

You can click on the list items below to jump to the content.

Inside the Funeral Booklet

Understanding what to include in a funeral booklet provides direction and comfort during a difficult time. A well-constructed order of service may include the following:

• Presiding Minister and Funeral Planning
• Funeral Order of Service Template Examples

Common Questions and Elements:

• How many pages will you need?
• Copying Hymns from the internet
• A small selection of our popular Funeral Order Of Service designs
• Message of thanks

Front Cover, Page Design & Printing

• Front cover design
• Stiff heavyweight 350gsm card
• A photo or photo-montage of your loved one
• A selection of our popular Funeral Order Of Service designs

• Photo pages
• Proofing
• Streaming Funeral Services
• Order of Service Funeral Printing

Presiding Minister and Funeral Planning

Talk to your funeral director or celebrant first. They will be a valuable source of advice and guidance on the service.

Any wishes left by the deceased can be discussed then too.

Template Examples

A good Funeral or Memorial Order of Service template provides a framework for the congregation to follow. It provides all the details of the service. It is much more than a formal list of hymns, prayers, and reading, and choosing the right template is important.

View our Order of Service Templates

Funeral Service Length & Donations

Know your service duration first. Your Funeral Director will book a timeslot. In places of worship, the service length is likely to be flexible. At crematoria, services are typically 30 minutes long.

If donations are planned, the cause can be specified on the back page of your order of service booklet along with ways to donate.

Funeral Hymns & Readings and Eulogies

From their wealth of experience, your funeral director can advise on both funeral hymns and music.

For ideas, read our ‘What are the most commonly played songs at funerals’ article.

Many hymns have different or shorter versions, which you can find online too.

Selecting an appropriate order of service template is crucial. It should serve as a guide for attendees, detailing the service’s proceedings beyond the mere listing of hymns, prayers, and readings.

Our collection of templates offers a variety of designs and each page has templated content to guide you in creating your perfect program.

View Our Order of Service Templates

Service Duration and Donations

Understanding the length of the service is essential, as it influences the content of your booklet. Whether held in a place of worship with flexible timing or a crematorium with a set half-hour slot, this knowledge will shape your planning. Additionally, mentioning any charitable donations on the booklet’s back page informs guests how they can honour the deceased’s memory.

Music and Eulogies: A Personal Touch

Music and hymns play a pivotal role in funeral services, evoking memories and emotions. Consider the deceased’s musical tastes or consult our article, Choosing Songs for the Older Generation’, for inspiration. Remember to source copyright-free lyrics for any chosen hymns or songs.

Eulogies are heartfelt tributes that celebrate the deceased’s life. Listing the eulogist and the title of their piece in the order of service guides attendees through this emotional homage. For more funeral reading ideas read our ‘How to choose a reading for a funeral article’

Order of Service Design:

The design of your order of service should reflect the life it honours. From selecting the perfect cover photo to deciding the booklet’s length, each element contributes to a tribute that captures the spirit of your loved one. Our templates range from traditional to modern designs, allowing you to create a service booklet that truly reflects their personality.

Photographs and Memories:

Incorporating photographs brings the memories of loved ones to life. Our guide on [digitising and selecting photographs](#) for your order of service will help you navigate this process, ensuring every image adds to the narrative of their life story.

Final Touches: Messages of Gratitude and Remembrance

Concluding your order of service with a message of thanks is a warm gesture of appreciation for the support received during this time. It’s also an opportunity to invite guests to continue remembering and celebrating the life of the deceased at any post-service gatherings.

Front Cover

Here, you need the deceased’s name and the date and location of the service.

Photos are lovely to use. You can also choose images or graphics to go along with your text for your front cover.

Draw on memories to choose a befitting style. We have many traditional and elegant funeral order of service designs for you to choose from.

How many pages will you need?

A standard 4-page booklet will comprise a front and back cover along with two inside pages. These two pages will provide space for two hymns along with prompts for readings and prayers.

Where more content is required, choose from our 8-page or 12-page booklets which should provide all the space you need for details of the service along with a variety of stunning photo pages.

Each inside page of your booklet can accommodate one hymn along with prompts for prayers or readings.

You may wish to include photographs to share treasured memories. Use our photo-page templates to offer a wide variety throughout the Order of Service. Don’t forget to include these in the overall page count.

Photographs & Pre-digital Images

Treasured photos mark important life events. If cropping is required, our Order of Service Funeral Template photo editor allows you to crop images easily online.

If you don’t have access to scan older photographs, an easy workaround is to take a photo of the photo with your smartphone.

Photo Pages

The inclusion of photo pages has become popular and we have photo pages on all our templates. Aim to use the highest quality digital photos you have. Don’t worry about quality if you’re using older photos, they are wonderful as they are.

Message of thanks

You will most likely have received numerous messages of condolence. Include a brief message of thanks at the end of your Funeral Order of Service. You can also invite the congregation to any post-service gathering for refreshments.

Funeral Thank You Cards can be printed to thank all those who have provided support or attended the funeral service.

Choose Your Design to Customise

Fonts, Bold & Italics

The font should be bold for headings. This helps to break up the different passages and make them easier to read. Use Italics for quotes or to highlight sections to the congregation.

Proofing

Check your content carefully. No one will notice a rogue apostrophe, but getting key details or dates wrong must be avoided.

Our funeral order of service templates allow you to share proofs. Ask someone to check important details such as dates and the spelling of names.

Streaming Funeral Services

Many funeral venues offer the option of streaming. Ask your presiding minister if it’s a service they can provide.

We offer PDF copies for online participation. If you would like an electronic copy, ask at the time of order and we will email one to you with pleasure.

Quality Materials

The quality of materials used for your funeral order of service reflects the significance of the occasion. Opt for high-quality cardstock and paper to create a booklet that is not only elegant but durable, a lasting keepsake for all who attend.

The cover should not be printed on anything less than a 350gsm card for a high-quality finish. The inside pages should use high quality paper too. We use 120gsm paper for the inside pages to ensure quality.

Finishing & Binding

The card we use is folded by hand, and stapled, to give the highest-quality finish that machines can’t reproduce.

Our team at Funeral Stationery 4U is dedicated to supporting you through this process. From selecting the right design to ensuring the final product meets your expectations, we’re here to assist every step of the way.

We hope we answered your questions about how to write a funeral order of service. Please contact us if you would like help creating yours.

With over 30 years of dedicated service in the funeral stationery industry, Alec brings a profound depth of understanding and compassion to the delicate task of creating funeral orders of service and accompanying stationery. His journey began in 1990, driven by a mission to support families during their most challenging times, providing them with a tangible piece of remembrance that honours the legacy of their loved ones.

“In the early days, orders were designed and fulfilled offline but with ever more sophisticated online editors becoming available we started the move online in 2010. And were one of the earliest adopters to do so in the UK for Funeral Stationery.

Over time, with the increasing robustness of online systems and customers’ growing confidence in embracing online ordering, the business has gradually transitioned to primarily serving an online clientele.

However, online ordering isn’t for everyone and the nature of families’ circ*mstances during a bereavement means that Funeral Stationery 4U will always have room to provide an offline service for those that require the help and guidance of experienced support staff.”

Throughout his time as a funeral stationer, Alec has worked closely with hundreds of families, listening to their stories, understanding their needs, and crafting stationery that reflects the personality and life of the departed. His expertise encompasses a deep knowledge of what makes each farewell special and meaningful.

Alec has provided solace and support to those grieving. Recognising families’ evolving needs and preferences, he has integrated uplifting designs with traditional touches, ensuring that every order of service commemorates loved ones befittingly.

As a leading authority in funeral stationery, Alec is dedicated to sharing his insights and experiences through his blog, offering guidance to both families planning a farewell for a loved one and fellow professionals seeking to enhance their service to grieving families. His contributions to the field are driven by a heartfelt understanding of the importance of his work and a commitment to supporting others during their time of loss.

Connect with Alec on LinkedIn to learn more about his expertise and career.