When you’re planning a funeral, it’s easy to feel like you’re juggling two realities at once: the emotional truth that someone you love is gone, and the practical reality that guests will arrive expecting to understand what’s happening and how to participate. A funeral program—sometimes called an order of service—sits right at that intersection. It can be as simple as a single sheet, or as detailed as a small booklet. Either way, it quietly does a lot of work: it guides people through the ceremony, protects you from having to explain everything out loud, and becomes one of the few tangible keepsakes most guests carry home.
If you’re searching for funeral program examples or funeral order of service examples, you’re usually not looking for something fancy. You’re looking for something steady. You want a layout that feels organized, wording that feels respectful, and a template approach that won’t create more stress. This guide walks you through the most common program formats, the sections families include most often, and practical funeral program template tips that help you create something clear, personal, and easy to follow—whether your service is religious, nonreligious, after cremation, for a beloved pet, or a blend of traditions.
One reason funeral programs have become even more important is that more services now happen in more places, and not always on the same timeline. According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the U.S. cremation rate is projected to reach 63.4% in 2025, more than double the projected burial rate of 31.6%. According to the Cremation Association of North America, the U.S. cremation rate was 61.8% in 2024 and is projected to keep rising. That shift often means memorial services happen days or weeks later, sometimes in a home, park, or community space where guests rely on a program to know what’s next.
What a funeral program really does for the room
A good program is not a performance piece. It’s a kindness. It helps a guest who didn’t know your loved one well feel less lost. It helps close friends follow along with readings and music. It helps family members who are shaky with grief avoid getting pulled into constant questions like “What page are we on?” or “Is there a reception after this?”
It also preserves details you may not want to trust to memory later: a poem that mattered, the names of grandchildren, the order of speakers, the title of a song that made the room breathe together for a moment. Families often say, months later, that the program became a small anchor. If you’d like a deeper walkthrough of what families typically include and how printing timelines work, Funeral.com’s guide to funeral programs breaks it down in a calm, practical way.
Choosing a layout that matches your service
Most funeral program layout decisions start with one simple question: how much do you need to fit? Once you know that, the format often becomes obvious.
Single-page handout
This is the simplest option and works well for a short service, a graveside committal, or a memorial where the ceremony is mostly one speaker with a few musical selections. A single page typically includes the person’s name, dates, a photo, the day and location, and a streamlined order of service funeral wording section like “Opening Words, Reading, Music, Eulogy, Closing.” It’s also the easiest option when time is tight.
Bifold (most common “program”)
A bifold is a single sheet folded in half to create four panels. It’s the classic printable funeral program style you’ll recognize: cover photo and name on the front, order of service inside, obituary or life sketch on another panel, and acknowledgments on the back. It’s popular because it feels complete without being complicated, and it can hold a lot while still looking clean.
Trifold (when you need more structure)
A trifold gives you six panels, which is helpful for a longer service, multiple speakers, a lot of music, or when you want separate space for the obituary and a photo collage. It can also be useful if your gathering includes both a service and a reception and you want to include clear “what happens next” directions without crowding the main order of service.
Booklet (order of service booklet)
If your ceremony is more formal, includes congregational participation, or has many readings and hymns, a booklet is often the most comfortable format for guests. It can include full lyrics, responsive readings, and several pages of photos. Funeral.com’s guide to an order of service booklet is especially helpful if you’re creating something longer than a single sheet.
Core sections most families include (and how to word them)
If you’re staring at a blank funeral program template, it helps to remember that most programs are built from the same handful of elements. You can add or subtract based on what fits your family, but these are the pieces guests tend to look for.
- Cover: “In Loving Memory of,” the full name, dates, and a photo (or a meaningful symbol).
- Service details: date, time, location, officiant, and sometimes pallbearers or honorary pallbearers.
- Order of service: the ceremony sequence in plain language that matches what will actually happen.
- Obituary or life story: a short biography, often 150–300 words, sometimes longer in a booklet.
- Readings and music: titles and credits (and page numbers if guests will participate).
- Acknowledgments: a thank-you note, reception details, and donation or memorial information if relevant.
For the cover, simple wording is usually best: “In Loving Memory of,” “Celebrating the Life of,” or “A Service of Remembrance for.” Inside, your headings can stay straightforward, too: “Order of Service,” “Obituary,” “Reading,” “Eulogy,” “Prayer,” “Song,” “Commendation,” “Closing.” When families want something more personal, they often add a short line that feels like the person: “Forever in our hearts,” “Loved beyond words,” or a brief quote that sounds like them.
If you’re looking for funeral program wording ideas that don’t feel stiff, Funeral.com’s collection of memorial verses and funeral quotes can help you find a line that fits—whether you want faith-based comfort, a simple poem, or something modern and plainspoken.
Funeral order of service examples you can adapt
Below are funeral order of service examples written in a way you can copy into your own program and adjust for your family. Notice that the tone stays gentle and direct. Guests don’t need fancy language—they need clarity.
Traditional religious service (short to medium)
- Processional
- Welcome and Opening Prayer
- Scripture Reading
- Hymn or Musical Selection
- Eulogy
- Message/Homily
- Prayers of the People
- Closing Hymn
- Benediction
- Recessional
Memorial service after cremation (flexible, often nonreligious)
- Welcome
- Moment of Reflection
- Music (Song Title — Artist)
- Reading (Poem/Excerpt — Author)
- Tributes from Family and Friends
- Life Story / Remarks
- Closing Words
- Reception Details
Many families now hold a memorial with the urn present, especially when funeral planning includes cremation. If your family is choosing cremation urns for ashes, it can be comforting to know you have options for what sits at the front of the room: a full-size urn, small cremation urns when you’re sharing, or keepsake urns if multiple people want a portion. Funeral.com’s cremation urns collection is a helpful starting point, and the small urn and keepsake urn collections are especially relevant when your program includes language like “Urn placement” or “Presentation of cremated remains.”
Graveside service (brief and focused)
- Welcome
- Opening Words/Prayer
- Reading
- Committal
- Closing Blessing
Pet memorial service (simple, tender, very personal)
- Welcome
- Story and Memories
- Reading or Poem
- Music (optional)
- Quiet Moment / Candle Lighting
- Closing Words
For families honoring an animal companion, pet urns for ashes often become part of the ceremony in a way that feels quietly healing—placed near a photo, a collar, or a favorite toy. If you’re considering pet cremation urns, Funeral.com’s pet urns collection includes traditional styles as well as more personalized options like pet figurine cremation urns and pet keepsake cremation urns for sharing a small portion among family members.
How to write the obituary or life story without getting stuck
The obituary section is where many families freeze, not because they don’t have anything to say, but because it feels impossible to summarize a life when you’re still raw. One helpful approach is to write it like you’re introducing your loved one to someone kind who never met them. Start with the facts—name, age, place of birth, date of death—then move gently into what mattered: work, family, hobbies, values, and the small things people will smile about later.
If you want the program to include a longer tribute or a spoken eulogy, it can help to separate the two: keep the printed life story relatively concise, and let the eulogy carry the longer stories. Funeral.com’s guide on how to write a meaningful eulogy can take some pressure off if you’re not sure how to structure what you want to say.
Template tips that make printing and sharing easier
Design matters less than clarity, but a few practical choices can keep your program from feeling crowded or hard to read. Choose a legible font, keep your headings consistent, and give the page room to breathe. If you’re including multiple photos, a booklet format usually handles it more gracefully than squeezing images into a bifold.
When families search for a sample funeral program, they often want a sense of how many to print. There’s no perfect number, but it’s rarely regretted to print extras. Couples may share one, but close family often wants several—one for themselves, one for someone who couldn’t attend, one for a memory box. If you’re using a local printer, ask about turnaround time before you finalize your file. If time is short, a clean black-and-white version on heavier paper can still look dignified.
You can also make sharing easier by creating a simple digital copy. Some families include a QR code that links to an online obituary, livestream, or photo page, especially when guests are traveling or older relatives can’t attend. If you go this route, test the link on more than one phone before printing. It’s a small step that prevents a big headache.
Including cremation and memorial choices in a respectful way
Families sometimes wonder whether the program should mention cremation. There isn’t a rule. Some families include nothing beyond the service itself. Others add a gentle line such as “Interment of cremated remains will be private” or “A scattering ceremony will be held at a later date.” If your plans include keeping ashes at home for a while, you may not need to say anything at all—especially if you’re still deciding what feels right.
If you’re navigating those next steps, it can help to read something written for the exact moment after the service, when the room is quiet again and decisions remain. Funeral.com’s guide on what to do with ashes offers practical options, and its guide on keeping ashes at home explains what families typically do and what to consider for safe, respectful storage.
For some families, memorialization includes a wearable piece that keeps a loved one close during the hardest months. If you’re considering cremation jewelry—especially cremation necklaces—it can be meaningful to include a brief note in the program that acknowledges “A portion of cremated remains will be kept by immediate family” without naming specific items. For options, Funeral.com’s cremation jewelry and cremation necklaces collections are curated specifically for pieces designed to hold a small, symbolic amount, and the Journal’s cremation jewelry guide answers the practical questions families usually have about materials, closures, and filling.
If your plans include water burial or burial at sea, the program can simply say “Water ceremony to follow” or “Ashes will be committed to the sea at a later date.” When you’re ready for details, Funeral.com’s guide to what happens during a water burial ceremony can help you plan the steps and choose an appropriate container, including biodegradable options designed for the setting.
Where costs fit into program planning
It can feel uncomfortable to talk about money in the middle of grief, but cost questions are part of real-world funeral planning. Programs are one of the places where families sometimes overspend out of panic—choosing the fastest, most expensive print option because everything feels urgent. If you’re wondering how much does cremation cost or how cremation and printing expenses fit together, the most helpful approach is to separate decisions: first decide the kind of service you want, then choose a program format that fits it, then print in a way that matches your timeline and budget.
For a clear breakdown of what families typically pay and what affects the total, Funeral.com’s cremation cost guide walks through common fee structures and ways to save without cutting corners on care. The program doesn’t need to be expensive to be meaningful; it needs to be accurate, readable, and shaped with intention.
A gentle way to finalize your program when you’re tired
When you’re close to the finish line, the most important step is a simple one: proofread like you’re protecting future you. Check spelling of names, confirm dates, confirm the order of speakers, and verify song titles. If your loved one belonged to a community group, served in the military, or had a faith tradition with specific titles, ask someone who knows those details well to review it. A second set of eyes catches what grief makes easy to miss.
Then give yourself permission to stop perfecting. A funeral program is a guide and a keepsake, not a test. If it is clear, kind, and true, it has done its job. And if you want your program to connect guests to ongoing remembrance—an at-home memorial, an urn placement later, a scattering date to be announced—you can always add those details in a follow-up message or a small printed insert. The ceremony is one day. Love keeps unfolding after it.
