Guides
Written for the week before a service
Plain answers to the questions families ask while they put a program together.
Making the program
- Choosing the photos for a funeral program How to choose the cover portrait and the inside photographs for a funeral program, copy old prints with a phone, and gather pictures from family.
- Funeral program size, paper and folding The common funeral program sizes, what paper weights mean, matte or gloss, folding heavier paper, and how to print a folded program on both sides.
- Funeral program wording, section by section Wording examples for every part of a funeral program: the cover heading, names and dates, the service details, the order of service and the back page.
- How many funeral programs to print How to work out how many funeral programs to print, with a quick table by number of guests, who else needs a copy, and what to do if you run short.
- Making a funeral program when the service is days away How to make a funeral program when the service is a few days away: what takes longest, a calm plan, what to hand to others, and what can stay simple.
- What to put in a funeral program What a funeral program includes, panel by panel: the cover, the service, the order of service, the obituary and the back page, and what to leave out.
- Where to print funeral programs Where to print funeral programs: at home, a local print shop, a print center, the funeral home or church, or online, with what to bring and what to ask.
Orders of service
- A simple funeral order of service A simple funeral order of service, part by part: what each line means, who decides the order, how to name the readers and hymns, and common variations.
- Celebration of life order of service A celebration of life order of service: a sample order, two worked examples, ideas such as an open microphone or a planting, and wording for the cover.
- Graveside service order of service A graveside service order of service: a simple order, what to print for a service outdoors, how military funeral honors are arranged, and other variations.
- Homegoing service: order of service and traditions What a homegoing service is, the parts often found in its order of service, and the traditions around it: the resolution, the acknowledgment and the repast.
- The Catholic funeral Mass, step by step The Catholic funeral Mass step by step, from the reception at the church door to the final commendation, with what to print and how the readings are chosen.
Words for the program
- "In lieu of flowers" wording How to word an "in lieu of flowers" request in a funeral program, with examples for charities, memorial funds and other ways to remember someone.
- Announcing the repast or reception How to word the repast or reception in a funeral program, with examples for open invitations, family and close friends, after the committal, and private meals.
- Funeral program acknowledgment examples Examples of the family acknowledgment for a funeral program, from traditional to simple, with wording to read aloud and a card of thanks.
- Listing pallbearers and honorary pallbearers How to list pallbearers and honorary pallbearers in a funeral program: what each does, how many are needed, headings and order, and how to ask.
- Wording for a funeral fundraiser Examples of wording for a funeral fundraiser, from the fundraiser page to a message to share, a line in the program and thanks afterward.
- Writing the obituary for a funeral program How to write the obituary for a funeral program: how it differs from a newspaper's, a simple structure, a worked example, and what to leave out.
The slideshow
- How many photos for a memorial slideshow How many photos a memorial slideshow needs at about seven seconds each, with a table from two minutes to ten, photos per song, and looping at a reception.
- How to make a memorial slideshow How to make a memorial slideshow in seven steps: choosing and ordering photographs, the length, music, title and closing slides, the format and a test run.
- Playing a slideshow at the service: TV, laptop or USB How to play a memorial slideshow at a funeral: what to ask the venue, a laptop, USB stick, PowerPoint or frame, sound, sleep settings, backups and looping.