Guides / Funeral programs
What goes in a funeral program, page by page
The program is the one thing every guest takes home. It tells them who you’re honoring, walks them through the service, and gives them something to keep. If you’re putting one together this week, we’re so sorry for your loss. Here is what goes on each page, in the order guests will read it.
First, pick the size
Most homegoing and memorial programs come in one of three sizes. The more stories and photos the family wants to share, the more pages you’ll want.
- 8 pages at 8.5 x 11, with room for the obituary, the order of service, tributes and two pages of photos. This is the most common choice for a full service.
- 4 pages, one 11 x 17 sheet folded in half: a cover, the obituary, the order of service and a back cover.
- A trifold, one 11 x 17 sheet folded in thirds into six panels, for a shorter service or a graveside service.
What goes on each page
This is the order most 8-page programs follow, and the order our 8-page rose programs use.
Page 1: The cover
A clear portrait, their full name and their dates. Many families write the dates as Sunrise and Sunset. Under that goes the service: a line like Celebrating the Life of or A Homegoing Celebration for, then the day, date and time, the church or chapel, and the address. Some covers also name the officiating pastor.
Sunrise: March 2, 1945. Sunset: October 4, 2026.
Page 2: The obituary
The life story sits right inside the cover, often with a second photo, because it’s what guests read first while they wait for the service to begin. Our guide on how to write an obituary for a funeral program walks through it, with a fill-in-the-blank starter.
Page 3: The order of service
Each part of the service, in order, so guests can follow along. There’s a typical order in the next section.
Page 4: Reflections and tributes
Short words from the people closest to them: a spouse, the children, the grandchildren, a lifelong friend. Two or three tributes of a paragraph each fit on one page, often beside small photos.
Pages 5 and 6: Photos
Baby pictures, school photos, the wedding, the grandbabies, church anniversaries and family reunions. About six photos on a page reads well. Many families add a favorite verse or a short poem to the second photo page.
Page 7: Acknowledgments
The family’s thank you for every call, card, meal and prayer, followed by the details guests ask about: the pallbearers, honorary pallbearers and flower bearers, where the interment will be, and where the repast will be held.
The family of Mary Ellen Carter gratefully acknowledges every call, card, meal and prayer during this time.
Page 8: The back cover
A favorite scripture, hymn or poem, often with one last photo. Psalm 23 is a common choice. The funeral home usually goes at the bottom, as “Services entrusted to” followed by its name.
A typical order of service
Every church and tradition does it a little differently, so follow what your pastor and funeral director give you. A homegoing service often runs in these ten parts:
- Prelude, as guests are seated
- Processional, as the family enters
- Scripture readings, often one from the Old Testament and one from the New
- Prayer of comfort
- Musical tribute
- Reflections, often two minutes each
- The obituary, read aloud or read silently
- Eulogy
- Final tribute, when guests view and say goodbye
- Recessional
Many churches also add a hymn of comfort, a second musical selection, and a time for acknowledgments and resolutions, when cards and condolences are read aloud.
Write each name the way it should be announced, like Sister Gloria Whitfield or Deacon James Carter, and confirm the list with the pastor before it goes to print.
A shorter program
For 4 pages, keep the cover, the obituary, the order of service and the back cover. Put a short acknowledgment at the bottom of the order of service, and let the back cover carry one photo and a verse.
For a trifold, the front panel is the cover. Open it, and the three inside panels usually hold the obituary, the order of service and a few photos. The two other outside panels carry the acknowledgments and a verse or the funeral home.
How many photos to gather
Choose one clear, recent portrait for the cover, where they’re looking toward the camera. Then gather 10 to 15 more from across their life. Our 8-page rose programs have 15 photo spots. To copy an old print, lay it flat near a window in daylight and take the picture straight on, so there’s no glare. A single group text asking relatives for their favorites gets everything to one place.
Printing it
- 8 pages that fold to 8.5 x 11: print on two 11 x 17 sheets, two-sided, then fold them and nest one inside the other. A print shop can do this for you. Ask for an 11 x 17 folded booklet.
- 8 pages on Letter paper: print two-sided on four Letter sheets, stack them in order, and staple along the left edge.
- Paper: a heavier paper or light cardstock keeps photos crisp and feels like a keepsake.
- How many: count the guests you expect and add about a fifth more. Family members often want extras to mail to loved ones who couldn’t come.
- Test first: print one copy, fold it, and check that the pages fall in order and every name is spelled right.