How to Plan a Funeral Order of Service
Start with the running order from the celebrant, then add the words and photographs the family would like people to keep.
There is no single correct format. Bring us the separate pieces and we can turn them into a booklet, or use this guide to organise the content before sending it.
What Normally Goes in a Funeral Order of Service?
The essential content is the information people need to follow the service; everything else is personal and optional.
Front Cover
The person’s name, photograph, dates and the service date or venue are commonly placed on the cover. Some families add a short phrase, flower, landscape or meaningful colour.
Running Order
List each part of the service in sequence. The celebrant or funeral director can usually provide the final order, including introductions, tributes, readings, music and committal.
Readings and Words
Include the full words only when people need to read or sing from the booklet. Longer readings can be printed in full or listed by title depending on the available space.
Closing Information
The back page often carries donation details, wake information, a thank-you message or a final photograph. It can also be left simple with a short closing line.
How Should You Organise Photographs?
Choose the main cover photograph first, then select a smaller group that represents different parts of the person’s life. A few well-chosen images usually reproduce better than trying to fit too many onto each page.
Do not worry if the photographs are different shapes or sizes. Send the largest digital files available, bring original prints for scanning, or share the best copies you have. We can crop carefully, improve faded images and create balanced page layouts.
- Identify the preferred cover portrait
- Send original digital files rather than screenshots where possible
- Keep important faces away from damaged edges
- Tell us if a crop must include another person or background detail
- Ask about restoration before relying on a badly damaged photograph
A Simple Page Plan
Use this as a starting point rather than a fixed rule. We will adapt it to the confirmed running order.
Cover
Name, dates, main photograph, venue and service date.
Opening Pages
Welcome, entrance music, opening words and the first hymn or reading.
Middle Pages
Tributes, poems, readings, music and additional photographs in service order.
Back Page
Closing music, donation or wake details, thanks and a final photograph or message.
What If the Service Is Only a Day or Two Away?
Send the running order, wording and photographs immediately and tell us the service date. Same-day or next-day booklet production is often possible, but rapid proof approval is essential. Ribbon binding and complex finishing may not be practical at the shortest notice; stapled A5 booklets are normally the quickest flexible format.
How Do You Check the Proof?
Read the proof slowly and ask one other person to check it independently. Printing begins only after approval.
Names and Dates
Check the spelling of every name, all dates, titles and relationships. These details are easy to read past when the wording is familiar.
Service Order
Compare the booklet against the final version supplied by the celebrant or funeral director, including music titles and who is giving each reading.
Photographs and Captions
Confirm the correct photograph is in each position, that nobody important has been cropped out and that any captions are accurate.
Final Information
Check the venue, time, donation details, wake address and any requests about flowers. Confirm that late changes have been included.
You Do Not Have to Build the Booklet Yourself
Many families arrive with a pile of separate papers, phone photographs and messages from different relatives. That is completely workable. Bring in what you have, or email it in parts, and tell us what must be included.
We can type short supplied sections, scan photographs, arrange the running order and create a consistent design. If you already have a Word file or Canva design, send it over and we will check whether it can be printed as supplied or needs adjustment.
- A5 four-page, eight-page and longer booklet layouts
- Stapled booklets and selected ribbon-bound formats
- Paper and cover recommendations based on page count and deadline
- A proof supplied for checking before print
- Collection in Hull with delivery options where required
Related Funeral Printing Services
Each page covers one part of the service in more detail.
Order-of-Service Printing
Sizes, booklet formats, paper options, turnaround and the complete print process. Read more.
Photo Restoration
Help with faded, scratched, damaged or black-and-white family photographs. Read more.
Memorial Printing
Coordinate bookmarks, keepsake cards, thank-you cards and display photographs. Read more.
Order-of-Service Planning Questions
Practical answers while you gather the content.
Who decides the running order for a funeral service?
The celebrant, minister or person leading the service normally confirms the running order with the family and funeral director. Ask for the final version before approving print, because timings, music and readings can change during the planning process.
How many photographs should an order of service contain?
There is no fixed number. A four-page booklet may use one main cover photograph and two or three smaller images, while an eight-page or longer booklet can hold more. Choose images for meaning and clarity rather than trying to include every available photograph.
What is the difference between a four-page and eight-page booklet?
A four-page booklet is one folded sheet with a cover, two inside pages and a back page. An eight-page booklet is normally made from two folded sheets and stapled through the spine, giving twice as much room for wording, readings and photographs.
Can I bring handwritten notes and printed photographs?
Yes. Handwritten notes, printed sheets and original photographs can all be used. We can scan, type and arrange the supplied content. Clear handwriting and labelled photographs help, but you do not need to create the layout yourself.
Should the order of service include full hymn words?
Include full hymn or song words when attendees need them during the service and the family or organiser has confirmed any necessary permission. If space is limited, a title may be enough when words are provided elsewhere or not intended for group use.
Can changes be made after I receive the proof?
Yes, changes can be made before the proof is approved. Once printing has begun, further corrections may require the job to be reprinted. That is why we ask families to check names, dates and the running order particularly carefully.
Tell Us What You Need
Call, email or bring your notes and photographs to Unit 6 Lee Smith Street, Hull, HU9 1SD.
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