How to Write a Funeral Order of Service

A funeral order of service consists of a booklet that lists the procedure of a funeral. It usually contains the hymns and songs that will be used, as well as the process throughout the funeral. It is also a fitting tribute for a loved one, a relative, or family friend, and is a useful memento for those that might miss the event due to unfortunate circumstances. This article will go through the process of how to write a funeral order of service booklet, and how you can design the right one to fit a funeral the way your loved ones will have wanted.

What is an order of service booklet?

An order of service booklet can also serve to be a compilation to contribute to the everlasting memory of a loved one that has passed on. This way, their life can never be forgotten, and you can keep the booklet in a safe place that you can always return to in the future when you need a moment of reflection. Alternatively, they can also be added as a valuable item to be placed alongside their gravestone to give people more of an idea about the person they were, both in celebration and commemoration.

Choose the right design

One of the essential things to consider when creating your order of service booklet is the first thing you see: the design. The design of an order of service booklet reflects the tone of the service as well as a reminder of your loved one. There are numerous designs that can be used for the template for the order of service booklet, varying from traditional, modern, or classic, and you can even add distinct patterns or motifs to them, too.

This can all be considered even when adding simple details including images and texts. Why not add a floral design, or even illustrations? Order of service booklets do not have to be standard and boring, but adding an extra bit of colour and other designs will bring more character to your loved ones, even after death.

 

Designing the Front Page of the Order of Service booklet

The first thing to consider is the cover (or front page) of the order of service booklet. Sometimes it is best to keep this simple and to the point. The front page of the booklet usually includes:

 

• The name of the loved one.
• A photograph of them.
• Date of birth and their passing. This should usually be formatted as 1^st January 1960 – 31^st December 2000.
• Date, time, and location of where the service will take place.
• A short message about the loved one.

 

What kind of photograph to use?

As you are designing your order of service booklet, finding the right photograph to go on the front of the booklet is the perfect opportunity to meet up between your family and friends and decide what is the best photograph to add onto the cover. Should the image of the loved one be of them young or old?

 

Of course, the ideal image is one that has them as the main highlight, since if you chose one where they are in a crowd of people, it can be hard to single them out, and having to zoom in, which can lead to the image becoming pixelated.

 

Do not panic if you cannot decide which photographs to use, because these can be used throughout the booklet as well. We recommend scanning the images using a high-quality setting of at least 300dpi.

 

What to add to the inside pages?

Now you can start adding the main chunk of information within the inside pages of the booklet. This will also display the necessary service information for the funeral, and you can also add in more photographs throughout the booklet too; just make sure that there are enough pages in the booklet to add them in. Most order of service booklets only have about six pages. Whilst there is not an exact formula to follow for designing the inside pages of an order of service booklet, it should at least include the following content throughout:

 

• Entrance music (this will be played as the congregations enter the service hall, and as the casket is bought in. This can either be a favourite song by the loved one or a hymn).
• Introduction to the service.
• Hymn, prayer, or verse. (This is universal and is sung by the congregations)
• A reading (this can be read by a relative or the vicar)
• A funeral address or appreciation of life.
• Hymn, prayer, or verse.
• Commendation followed by final farewell.
• End music.

 

What to add on the back page?

The back page of an order of service booklet will be the least amount of concern but is also a useful place to add a recent photo of the loved one shortly before their passing. Some people like to add a few words of thanks to the people that were able to attend the funeral, as well as a mention of a particular charity in which the donations will be sent to.

 

Here are some examples of what could be added on the back page:

 

We would like to thank everyone for being able to attend today…we would like to thank all those that were able to attend today.

 

Donations in memory [name of the loved one] will be greatly appreciated and received for [add name of charity].

 

We would like to share fond memories of [name of the loved one] with refreshments at [name location of the wake].

Printing Order of Service

Once you are happy with the design and layout of information for the order of service booklet, you can look towards it getting professionally printed. With the time and effort, you have set aside to craft the booklet, it will be a handy keepsake for years to come. A thick card is the most commonly used template since it will be long lasting, and will hold creases and folds in the right place.

Check out our latest printing tips for business cards.

 

Alternative Order of Service Funeral Ideas

Whilst on the topic of an order of service, you may be intrigued about potential alternatives for order of service funeral ideas. These options include:

 

An online memorial website

This is a way more modern form of people being able to pay respects to your loved one without being able to attend the funeral. You can set up a fundraising page on the website for the selected charity that people can send their donations too.

 

Photo album

Another great order of service funeral idea is to set up a photo album as a compilation of images of the loved one. This can be shown as a presentation during the funeral or can be made as part of a private website.

 

Collection of memories

This order of service funeral idea can be a selection of items that were significant about the loved one, and something in which your guests could add to as a reminder of them. This collection could be held inside a cute basket, tin, or even a time capsule that could be buried alongside the gravestone or in a prominent place where the loved one liked to spend a lot of their time (a bit like how their ashes are scattered after the funeral).

 

You can be very creative with this order of service funeral idea, and can add items that were most significant to them; not just photos, but also their favourite books and films, handwritten notes, tickets of events that they attended, small items of clothing, and much more.

 

Struggling to find the right song for the funeral? Here are a few song ideas for a funeral[i].

Organise your Order of Service Today

There are plenty of ideas that you can choose for your order of service, and sometimes it is good to break normal conventions to make the event as special for your loved one as possible. It will not hurt to make it as unique as possible and a final event that the congregations can remember about your loved one, and the hard work will pay off, knowing that you and your family chose to make it as special as you can to honour the memory of their passing.

 

FAQs

How many order of service do I need for a funeral?

• Usually one per couple adds up and will help to save you a bit of money. Once you have calculated who will be attending the funeral, if any of the congregations are as couples, they will count of one order of service booklet to be printed each.

 

What is the order of service at a funeral?

• An order of service is a printed booklet of the procedure for the funeral. It should include details about the deceased individual, as well as photographs, hymns, location and date of the event, to help people to take part in the ceremony.

Sources

[i] Dignity Funerals. (n.d.). Funeral Music. Accessed 17/03/23. Available at: https://www.dignityfunerals.co.uk/arranging-a-funeral/planning-a-funeral/funeral-music/