Funeral Order of Service Ideas: How to Make a Funeral Program

By Memorial Stationery | January 27, 2022
order of service template In Remembrance of loved ones

The digitalisation of things has grown over time, and with the effects of the pandemic making things like virtual funerals a possibility, it’s no surprise we are finding more ‘convenient’ ways to do things. That said, sometimes you need something physical to hold in your hands and appreciate.

Funeral order of service, for example, is something that is not the same as a digital copy. Funeral order of service is a key piece of funeral stationery and plays such an integral role in the funeral service. It is used to catalogue the events of the service, including any information of the after events, such as the wake. Additionally, an order of service is often kept by the attendees as a keepsake of the day to remember the deceased.

Honouring a loved one is an important thing, and we think this is best categorised in a bespoke and elegant written manner in a funeral order of service.

It can feel overwhelming when tasked with organising funeral arrangements. If you feel you have too much on your plate, reach out to other family and friends of the deceased and ask them to assist you with the funeral planning and writing the order of service.

What is a funeral program?

A funeral program is another name for a funeral order of service. It is a piece of funeral stationery presented in a printed booklet or a card that details the events of the funeral service. It will typically include the birth and death date of the deceased, pictures of them, and poems/songs/hymns/prayers included in the service for the guests to follow along.

It is customary for guests to be handed the funeral order of service as they enter the service, or for one to be left on the seat for when guests arrive.

Funeral order of service templates

There is no set way to write an order of service, it should be personal to you how you wish to honour your loved one. There are typically religious ceremonies and non-religious ceremonies, however. An example of a religious service is listed below:

  • Intro music
  • Processional
  • Scripture Reading
  • Prayer
  • Congregational Hymn
  • Reading of Obituary
  • Eulogy
  • Piano Solo
  • Remarks from guests
  • Poem Reading
  • Final Words
  • Closing words/thoughts
  • Final Viewing and Procession to Cemetery

An example of a non-religious service is listed below:

  • Title: In Loving Remembrance of [name], loved wife/husband, brother/sister, father/mother.
  • Location
  • Welcome/Introduction
  • Reading/poem/speech
  • Song
  • Life Tribute from a family member
  • Meditation or moment of silence
  • Open Mic (limit to 2 minutes per person)
  • Acknowledgements and Closing Remarks
  • Refreshments and Gathering to Follow the Service
  • Optional: add a quote, poem or verse to end the service with

If you are unsure of the style of service fit for your loved one, they may have detailed their wishes in their will. Furthermore, the service should reflect the personality and wishes of the deceased. If this is not clear, their closest family and friends should be consulted.

Additionally, it is understandable that organising the order of service can be quite stressful. If you require some inspiration or ideas, you can browse our selection of funeral order of service templates. We carry a wide selection of elegant funeral order of service templates to suit every taste and style. However, if you are keen to create your own order of service, we offer bespoke funeral order of service templates with customisation tools.

Tips on how to write a funeral order of service

Writing order of service can feel overwhelming and might spark a lot of emotion. It is important to remember the funeral and order of service is to remember the deceased and therefore should reflect them as a person, their interests, passions, and concerns. For this reason, it is important to consider the following.

Colours and design:

Choose a colour that matches the theme of the vent. For example, for more formal, religious ceremonies, neutral colours are favoured as they offer a classic and elegant theme. However, if the funeral is a non-traditional service, perhaps a splash of colour may feel more fitting. Additionally, there has been a rise in non-sombre funerals that focus on the life lived by the deceased, rather than mourning their death. For funerals such as these, colours and designs can be slightly more creative and expressive.

Photos:
Not everyone decides to have a collection of photos in the order of service. It is customary for the front page to feature a picture of the deceased that best represents their personality. Some people choose a topic a more formal photo for the front page, while also including some more candid pictures towards the end of the booklet.

Tone:

Use language that embodies and represents the mood of the celebration. Decide how formal you’d like to be and if you want a touch of humour or not. The tone will be important and likely set the mood of the service and the guests. If you’re having a traditional religious ceremony, a formal tone is typically taken. For non-traditional services, you can set your own tone. Just make sure it is consistent throughout.

Font:

Similar to the tone, a font is also very important. You will want to choose something that reflects the tone of the service and is easy to read.

Whatever style of funeral order of service you choose, the most important thing is to make sure it reflects your loved one and their wishes. Your guests may find your order of service as a sweet memento and a source of comfort on a difficult day.

If you wish to go a step further, there are other types of funeral stationery you can browse on our website. Funeral stationery such as:

  • Attendance cards

  • Announcement cards

  • Memory boards

  • Welcome boards

  • Funeral order of service template

  • Bookmarks

Posted in Order of Service