The order of service is the small booklet that sits in each guest's hands during a funeral, memorial or celebration of life. It tells them when to stand, what is being sung, who is speaking and what comes next. Afterwards it often goes into a drawer or a frame and is kept for years. Putting one together while grieving is hard, so this page walks through how a booklet is built, page by page, and the choices that make it clear to read on the day.
Questions or a quote? Message us — we reply personally
Choosing a shape and a length
The most familiar format in the UK is an A5 booklet, made from a folded A4 sheet or from several sheets folded together. Pages come in multiples of four, because they are printed on both sides of folded paper, so a booklet is typically 4, 8, 12 or 16 pages. A four-page booklet carries a cover, the running order, a tribute or a thank-you and a back page. An eight-page booklet leaves room for full hymn words and several photographs. Some families prefer a single folded card, which suits a short service with few hymns.
Think about how people will use it. Guests hold it, often with an order of service in one hand and a tissue in the other, so type has to be readable at arm's length and in dim church light. Avoid squeezing in extra pages simply because space is available.
Page by page: a typical structure
Every service differs, and a celebrant or minister may have a preferred order, but this is a common pattern.
- Front cover: a photograph, the full name, dates of birth and death, and the date, time and place of the service.
- Inside left: the opening music, welcome and first hymn, with the words printed if guests are to sing.
- Inside pages: readings, tributes, reflection, prayers or committal, each with the name of the person speaking.
- Final page: details of the gathering afterwards, a donations note, and thanks.
- Back cover: often a second photograph, a short verse, or something very simple.
If you are unsure of the order, ask your funeral director or celebrant for the running order before you start. They usually have it written down.
Writing the wording
Clear labelling does more than decoration. For each item, say what it is and who is delivering it: "Reading, read by Margaret" is easier to follow than a bare title. Use the same style throughout, such as one way of writing dates, and keep titles of hymns exactly as they appear in the book your venue uses. If you are listing music at the entrance and the exit, say which is which.
Short is kind. A tribute that is printed in full can run to a page, but if it is long, consider printing the opening lines and the closing lines only, or leaving it unprinted so it feels spoken rather than read.
Hymns and readings: do you print the words?
This is the question that most affects page count. If guests will sing, the words need to be on the page, or else a hymn book must be supplied, and many venues no longer provide one. If music is only listened to, a title and artist or composer are enough.
Print each verse in order, with a clear gap between verses, and keep each hymn on one spread so nobody has to turn the page mid-line. Where a poem is read, print the whole thing only if it is short. Otherwise, name the reading and its author.
A note on copyright
Words and music are often protected by copyright, and that includes many poems, song lyrics and modern hymns, even ones that feel very familiar. In the UK, copyright generally lasts for a long period after the author's death, so a verse written within living memory may well still be protected. Older hymns and traditional texts are often free to use, but not every modern setting or translation is. We cannot give legal advice, and we do not check clearances for you.
Practical steps that help:
- Check whether your church or venue holds a licence that covers reproducing hymn words.
- If you want a modern poem or lyric, ask the publisher or author's representative about permission.
- Where you are unsure, print the title and author only and leave the full text to be read aloud.
- Consider writing your own short verse. It is often the most personal choice.
Our separate guide on copyright for orders of service goes into this in more depth.
Photographs inside the booklet
A cover photograph does most of the work, so choose it carefully. A clear head-and-shoulders image, taken in good light, is easier to print well than a distant group shot. If you want a few pictures through the booklet, a mix of eras tends to tell a fuller story: a childhood image, one from a happy time in middle life, and a recent one. Send the original files from the camera or phone where you can. We will tell you if a picture looks too small to print sharply, and suggest what to do about it.
Black and white and colour can sit together in the same booklet, but a consistent look across the pages reads as more settled.
The proofing stage
A proof is a preview of how the pages will look before anything is printed. We show proofs before printing, and we recommend giving yours to a second person to read as well. Read it slowly, aloud if you can, and check:
- Names, including spelling of every person mentioned.
- Dates and times, and whether the day of the week matches the date.
- Hymn numbers and the order of items against the celebrant's list.
- Page order, especially for folded booklets.
- Anything you cannot imagine reading without wincing, such as a stray typo in a dedication.
Ask for as many changes as you need. Printing begins only after you have said you are happy.
Quantity and timing
Estimate the number of guests, then add some spare copies for family who want several, for those who cannot attend and for those you have forgotten. There is no minimum order, so a small number is fine. We cannot promise a delivery date in advance. Give us your service date when you ask for a quote, and order as early as the content allows, because most delays come from waiting for photographs and agreed wording rather than from printing.
Tone and design choices
Colour and style should feel like the person. A gardener might suit soft greens and a floral border, while a lifelong football supporter might welcome the club colours. Others would want pure white space with one photograph. Whatever you choose, give the type room. Generous margins, a clear typeface and a modest number of fonts help a booklet feel dignified and easy to follow. Avoid text over busy parts of a photograph, because letters become hard to read when printed.
Can the booklet include the full life story?
It can, though many families find that a short biography on one page works best, with longer memories shared aloud at the service.
Can I change the cover photograph after seeing the proof?
Yes. Send us the alternative and we will update the proof for you to review again.
What if we do not have a hymn list yet?
Start with the cover and the page for the tribute, and add the rest as it is confirmed. You can share the running order later.
How do I start?
Send a photograph, the person's name, the date and venue of the service, and your best estimate of numbers by WhatsApp, phone or email. We will reply personally and take it from there.
Need a quote? We reply personally