How to Make a Funeral Program Without Starting From a Blank Page

Start with the information before the design

When a service is approaching quickly, the easiest way to reduce design stress is to separate content collection from layout. Gather the name exactly as it should appear, birth and passing dates, service date and time, location, officiant or speakers, and any burial or reception details before choosing a visual style.

Keep one person responsible for the final spelling of names, dates and service details. A beautiful layout cannot compensate for an incorrect time or misspelled family name.

• Full name and preferred display name
• Birth and passing dates
• Service date, time and location
• Order of service
• Obituary or life story
• Acknowledgments and reception details

Choose the right program length

A simple four-page fold works well when the service information, obituary and acknowledgments are concise. Longer memorials may need additional pages for photographs, readings, tributes or a more detailed life story.

Let the amount of content determine the page count. Shrinking everything to tiny type usually creates a worse program than adding a page or simplifying the wording.

Build the order of service separately

Treat the order of service as a sequence rather than a paragraph. List the major moments in the order guests will experience them, such as welcome, prayer, reading, musical selection, remarks, eulogy and closing.

If a speaker or performer is not confirmed, leave that line out until it is verified. Avoid guessing names or roles simply to fill a layout.

Use photos intentionally

A strong cover usually needs one clear main photograph rather than a collage. Additional images can be grouped on an interior memories page. Choose photographs that reproduce clearly and avoid stretching small images beyond their useful size.

Before printing, review every crop. Faces should not fall into folds, trim areas or text blocks.

Do one final factual review

Before approving a digital or printed copy, read the program as if you were attending the service. Verify the date, time, address, names, order of events and any reception instructions. Then ask one other person to review the same facts independently.

Finished. keeps the content separate from the design style, so you can change typography or layout without re-entering the service information.