A funeral program usually includes the name of the person being remembered, birth and passing dates, a photograph, service information, the order of service, an obituary or life story, photographs, acknowledgments, and any relevant prayers, scriptures, readings, participant names, interment details, or reception information.
Not every funeral program needs every section. A simple four-page program may contain only the most important service information, while an 8-, 12-, or 16-page funeral booklet gives the family more room for photographs, tributes, a detailed life story, and other keepsake content.
This guide explains what to include in a funeral program, how to organize the information page by page, what to prepare for your designer, and what to check before printing.
Funeral Program Checklist
Before choosing colors, flowers, borders, or a design theme, gather the information that needs to appear in the program.
A funeral program may include:
- Full name
- Birth and passing dates
- Main memorial photograph
- Funeral or memorial service information
- Order of service
- Obituary or life story
- Family photographs
- Poems
- Prayers
- Scriptures
- Readings
- Tributes
- Speakers and participants
- Pallbearers
- Interment information
- Repast or reception information
- Family acknowledgment
- Closing quote or memorial message
You do not need to include every item. The right amount of content depends on the type of service, your family’s preferences, the number of pages available, and whether the program will mainly guide guests through the service or serve as a detailed memorial keepsake.
What Goes on the Front Cover of a Funeral Program?
The front cover should immediately identify the person being remembered. It does not need to contain every service detail.
A clean, focused cover is often more effective than trying to fit several photographs, long quotations, service information, and decorative elements onto one page.
Full Name
Use the name the family wants guests to remember.
This may include:
- Full legal name
- Middle name or initial
- Maiden name
- Nickname
- Professional title
- Military title
- Religious title
Check the spelling carefully before design begins.
Birth and Passing Dates
The cover commonly includes the person’s birth and passing dates.
For example:
January 14, 1948 – September 2, 2026
or:
1948 – 2026
Some families prefer expressions such as Sunrise and Sunset, while others prefer standard dates. Either approach can work.
Main Photograph
Whenever possible, choose one strong portrait for the cover.
One clear photograph generally creates a stronger visual focus than several small photographs. Additional pictures can appear inside the program.
Whenever possible, send the original photograph instead of a screenshot downloaded from social media or a messaging app.
Memorial Title
Common wording includes:
- In Loving Memory
- Celebrating the Life of
- Homegoing Celebration
- A Life Well Lived
- Forever in Our Hearts
- In Memory of
The memorial title should support the person’s name rather than compete with it.
Does the Service Date Need to Be on the Cover?
No.
Some families prefer a simple keepsake-style cover containing only the portrait, name, and birth and passing dates.
The service date, time, and location can appear inside the program instead. This often creates a cleaner cover.
What Should Go Inside a Funeral Program?
Inside pages normally combine two types of information:
- Information guests need during the service.
- Information that tells the person’s life story.
The number of available pages determines how much information can be included comfortably.
Order of Service
The order of service shows the sequence of the funeral or memorial ceremony.
It should follow the final order confirmed by the family, church, funeral home, celebrant, or officiant.
A possible order may include:
- Processional
- Opening Prayer or Invocation
- Scripture Reading
- Musical Selection
- Welcome or Opening Remarks
- Obituary Reading
- Family Tribute
- Solo or Hymn
- Eulogy
- Remarks
- Acknowledgments
- Closing Prayer or Benediction
- Recessional
This is only an example.
A church funeral, Catholic service, homegoing celebration, graveside ceremony, military service, nonreligious memorial, and celebration of life may all follow different structures.
Always confirm the final sequence before printing.
Obituary or Life Story
The obituary or life story tells guests more about the person beyond the dates shown on the cover.
It may include:
- Place of birth
- Parents and family history
- Education
- Career
- Marriage
- Children
- Faith
- Church involvement
- Military service
- Community involvement
- Hobbies
- Achievements
- Personality
- Important relationships
- Surviving relatives
- Family members who preceded them in death
The obituary does not need to document every event in someone’s life.
For a four-page funeral program, shorter wording often works better because the obituary must share limited space with other important information.
An 8-, 12-, or larger booklet provides more room for a detailed life story.
Family and Memorial Photographs
Photographs can turn a funeral program from a simple service handout into a meaningful keepsake.
Consider using photographs from different stages of the person’s life, including:
- Childhood
- Graduation
- Wedding
- Career
- Military service
- Church activities
- Family gatherings
- Travel
- Hobbies
- Children
- Grandchildren
- Favorite candid moments
Avoid adding photographs only to fill empty space.
A smaller number of photographs displayed clearly can look more professional than dozens of tiny pictures crowded onto a page.
Poems, Scriptures, Prayers, and Readings
Families may want to include wording that reflects the person’s faith, personality, culture, or values.
Examples include:
- Bible scriptures
- Prayers
- Poems
- Favorite quotations
- Religious readings
- Family-written messages
- Reflections
- Hymns when appropriate
If a passage is very long, consider whether the entire text needs to appear in the program.
Long passages can consume valuable space and force photographs or other important content to become too small.
Tributes and Personal Messages
A funeral or memorial booklet can include personal messages from:
- Spouse
- Children
- Grandchildren
- Siblings
- Friends
- Church members
- Coworkers
- Community organizations
When several people are contributing tributes, decide on an approximate length before design begins.
This helps keep the content balanced across the pages.
Pallbearers and Other Participants
You may also include the names of people participating in the service.
Examples include:
- Active pallbearers
- Honorary pallbearers
- Flower attendants
- Clergy
- Officiant
- Readers
- Soloists
- Musicians
- Eulogist
- Ushers
Check every name carefully.
Names and dates are among the most important details to proofread before printing.
Interment Information
If guests will travel to a cemetery or another location after the service, include the information clearly.
You may include:
- Cemetery name
- Address or location
- Time
- Procession instructions
Do not assume every guest already knows where the cemetery is located.
Repast or Reception Information
If the family is hosting a repast, reception, meal, or gathering afterward, include:
- Venue name
- Address
- Start time
- Hall or room name
- Special directions when needed
This information usually fits better inside the program or on the back cover than on the front.
Family Acknowledgment
The acknowledgment section allows the family to thank those who offered support.
For example:
The family of [Name] gratefully acknowledges every prayer, call, visit, message, flower, expression of sympathy, and act of kindness shown during this time. Your love and support are deeply appreciated.
The message can be personalized and does not need to be long.
What Should Go on the Back Cover?
The back cover is useful for information that does not need to appear near the beginning of the program.
Possible content includes:
- Family acknowledgment
- Closing photograph
- Favorite quote
- Scripture
- Poem
- Pallbearers
- Cemetery information
- Repast information
- Funeral home details
- Final memorial message
- QR code linking to a digital obituary or online memorial
The back cover should not feel like leftover space.
It is the final page guests see, so it should feel intentional and connected to the rest of the program.
What to Include in a 4-Page Funeral Program
A four-page funeral program is a good choice when the family has a concise obituary, straightforward service information, and a limited number of photographs.
Page 1 — Front Cover
Include:
- Main photograph
- Full name
- Birth and passing dates
- Memorial title
Page 2 — Order of Service
Include:
- Service sequence
- Speakers
- Music
- Readings
- Officiant or clergy
Page 3 — Obituary and Photographs
Include:
- Obituary
- Life story
- Family photographs
- Short tribute when space allows
Page 4 — Closing Information
Include:
- Acknowledgment
- Pallbearers
- Interment
- Repast information
- Closing photograph
- Quote or scripture
This arrangement is flexible. Your actual content should determine the final layout.
What to Include in an 8-Page Funeral Program
An eight-page program provides considerably more room for photographs and storytelling.
Page 1 — Cover
Use the portrait, name, dates, and memorial title.
Page 2 — Service Details
Include service information and the beginning of the order of service when necessary.
Page 3 — Order of Service
Present the complete sequence, participants, readings, and musical selections.
Pages 4–5 — Obituary or Life Story
Use these pages for a detailed biography and carefully selected photographs.
Page 6 — Memories or Tributes
Family messages, favorite photographs, or special memories can appear here.
Page 7 — Participants and Acknowledgments
Use this page for pallbearers, family thanks, interment details, or repast information.
Page 8 — Back Cover
Finish with a meaningful photograph, verse, scripture, quotation, or memorial message.
What to Include in a 12-Page Funeral Program
A 12-page funeral booklet works well when a family wants to preserve a more detailed story.
Possible sections include:
- Cover
- Service information
- Full order of service
- Extended obituary
- Childhood memories
- Education
- Career
- Wedding photographs
- Family photographs
- Church history
- Military history
- Personal tributes
- Poems
- Scriptures
- Acknowledgments
- Participants
- Interment information
- Repast details
- Closing memorial page
Do not feel obligated to fill every page with text.
White space, larger photographs, and comfortable typography can make the program easier to read and more meaningful as a keepsake.
How Do You Know How Many Pages You Need?
Choose the number of pages after collecting your content.
Do not choose the page count first and then try to force everything into it.
A short obituary, basic order of service, and several photographs may fit comfortably into four pages.
If you have a detailed obituary, many photographs, several tributes, church information, poems, scriptures, acknowledgments, and additional family history, an 8-, 12-, or larger booklet may provide a much cleaner result.
Trying to fit too much information into too few pages often results in:
- Very small text
- Tiny photographs
- Crowded margins
- Long blocks of text
- Poor readability
When you are unsure, send the complete content to your designer first.
The material can be reviewed before deciding on the final page count.
What Should You Send to a Funeral Program Designer?
Organizing your materials properly can make the design process faster and easier.
Prepare:
- Final obituary
- Final order of service
- Service date
- Service time
- Service location
- Original photographs
- Poems
- Scriptures
- Tributes
- Acknowledgments
- Pallbearer names
- Participant names
- Cemetery information
- Repast details
- Preferred colors
- Design theme
- Page size
- Number of pages if already decided
- Deadline
- Printer specifications if available
For multipage programs, consider placing all text into a Word document.
Clearly number the sections or pages when particular information must appear in a specific location.
If photographs need to appear beside particular sections, rename the files or provide image numbers.
How to Prepare Photos for a Funeral Program
Use original photographs whenever possible.
Images downloaded from social media or captured as screenshots may have been compressed. This can become noticeable when the image is enlarged for printing.
For the main cover photograph, send the highest-resolution version available.
If you are scanning an old printed photograph, place it flat on the scanner.
Avoid taking a picture of an old photograph at an angle if a proper scan is available.
Do not crop the image too tightly before sending it. Leaving some space around the person gives the designer more flexibility.
If you need background removal, brightness correction, scratch removal, or old-photo restoration, tell the designer before the layout is finalized.
The person’s natural likeness and recognizable facial features should remain intact unless the family specifically requests an alteration.
Funeral Program Proofreading Checklist
Never approve a funeral program only because the design looks beautiful.
Check every important detail before printing.
Verify:
- Full name
- Birth date
- Passing date
- Service date
- Service time
- Venue name
- Venue address
- Speaker names
- Clergy names
- Order of service
- Scripture references
- Song titles
- Pallbearers
- Interment information
- Repast information
- Obituary spelling
- Photo placement
- Photo captions
- Page numbers
- Page sequence
- Phone numbers
- Website links
- QR codes
Ask another family member to review the program as well.
A fresh reader may notice an incorrect date, missing name, duplicated word, or spelling error that you overlooked.
Common Funeral Program Mistakes to Avoid
Putting Too Much Information on the Cover
The cover should identify the person and establish the tone of the memorial. It does not need to summarize the entire service.
Choosing the Page Count Too Early
Collect the obituary, photographs, order of service, tributes, and other content before deciding on the number of pages.
Sending Screenshots Instead of Original Photos
Screenshots and compressed images may look fine on a phone but print poorly when enlarged.
Finalizing Before the Order of Service Is Confirmed
A change to the ceremony sequence can affect an entire page. Confirm the final order as early as possible.
Sending Corrections in Many Separate Messages
Whenever possible, review the entire proof and provide one organized correction list.
Mention the page and exact wording that should be changed.
Choosing Decoration Over Readability
A funeral program can be beautiful without making important text difficult to read.
Names, dates, service information, and obituary text should always remain clear.
Frequently Asked Questions About Funeral Programs
What information is essential in a funeral program?
Most families include the person’s name, memorial dates, service information, and order of service. An obituary, photographs, tributes, acknowledgments, and readings can then be added depending on the available space.
Does a funeral program need an obituary?
No. An obituary is common but not required. A simple service program may contain only essential information and the service sequence.
Should the service date appear on the cover?
It can, but it does not have to. Many families prefer a clean cover showing only the person’s portrait, name, and memorial dates.
How many photos should be included?
There is no fixed number. Use enough photographs to tell the story without making each picture too small.
Is an order of service required?
It is especially useful for traditional funerals, church services, and homegoing celebrations because it helps guests follow the ceremony.
What is the difference between a funeral program and an order of service?
The order of service is the ceremony sequence. A funeral program may include the order of service plus an obituary, photographs, tributes, acknowledgments, readings, and other memorial content.
Can a funeral program have more than four pages?
Yes. Funeral programs can be created as 8-, 12-, 16-, 20-, or larger memorial booklets when more space is required.
What if I need the program urgently?
Prepare the final text, original photographs, confirmed service information, requested format, and deadline before contacting your designer. Complete and organized material makes an urgent project easier to review and schedule.
Need Help Designing Your Funeral Program?
If you have the obituary, order of service, photographs, and service details but are unsure how to organize everything into a professional program, FuneralProgramDesign.com can create the layout for you.
Custom funeral programs can be designed as single-page programs, bifolds, trifolds, Z-folds, gatefolds, four-page programs, eight-page booklets, twelve-page booklets, and larger memorial booklets.
Send your content, photographs, preferred style, page size, and deadline for review.
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