Funeral Program Template: Free Examples & What to Include
- Lastly.com
- Aug 1
- 16 min read
Updated: Aug 4
Last Words Matter™
Most funeral programs are folded, tucked into a purse or jacket pocket, and carried home after the service.
Years later, many families still find them tucked inside a Bible, a memory box, or between the pages of a favorite book.
Long after the flowers have faded and the chairs have been put away, a funeral program often becomes one of the last physical reminders of a life well lived.
That's why it's more than an order of service.
It's a keepsake.
It tells the story of a person through photographs, favorite verses, meaningful songs, treasured memories, and the people whose lives they touched.
Whether simple or beautifully designed, a funeral program becomes something family and friends return to—not because they need the schedule of the service, but because it helps them remember the life behind it.
This guide will help you create a funeral program that is both practical and deeply personal, with free templates, examples, and thoughtful guidance to make the process a little easier during an already difficult time.
Because every life deserves to have its story remembered.
Quick Help
A funeral program is a printed keepsake that guides guests through a funeral, memorial service, or celebration of life while honoring the person being remembered. Most funeral programs include a cover photo, the person's name and life dates, an order of service, selected readings or scriptures, songs, an obituary or life summary, and acknowledgments from the family.
Whether you're creating a simple one-page program or a professionally printed booklet, the most meaningful funeral programs do more than outline the service—they tell the story of a life.
In this guide, you'll learn exactly what to include, explore free funeral program templates and examples, discover design tips, and avoid common mistakes so you can create a keepsake your family will treasure for years to come.
Introduction
Creating a funeral program may seem like a small part of planning a service, but for many families, it becomes one of the most meaningful.
Guests use it to follow the service, read the obituary, sing along with favorite hymns, and learn more about the person being honored. Afterward, many tuck it into a Bible, place it in a memory box, or save it alongside photographs and sympathy cards as a lasting reminder of someone they loved.
That's why creating a funeral program can feel overwhelming.
What should you include?
How long should it be?
Should you write a full obituary or just a short biography?
Do you need to list every song and reading?
And where can you find a template that looks both beautiful and appropriate?
The good news is that there isn't one "right" way to create a funeral program.
The best funeral programs reflect the unique life, personality, faith, and relationships of the person being remembered.
In this guide, we'll walk you through everything you need to know—from choosing the right format and wording to exploring examples, templates, and thoughtful design ideas that help create a keepsake your family will cherish.
Because a funeral program doesn't simply document a service.
It preserves a story.
Need Help Gathering the Memories?
Creating a meaningful funeral program begins with remembering the moments that mattered most.
The Lastly LifeReview® gently guides you through meaningful questions that help uncover stories, treasured memories, favorite photographs, and the details that make every life unique. From a single LifeReview, you can create a funeral program, write a heartfelt obituary, prepare a meaningful eulogy, and preserve a lasting LifeStory®.
Powered by the LifeReview® Framework
What is a Funeral Program?
A funeral program is a printed guide that helps family and friends follow a funeral, memorial service, or celebration of life while honoring the person being remembered.
At its most practical, a funeral program outlines the order of service so guests know what to expect. It may include the welcome, prayers, readings, music, eulogy, and other parts of the ceremony.
But for many families, a funeral program becomes much more than an agenda.
It tells the story of a life through photographs, meaningful words, favorite scriptures, cherished songs, and the names of the people who loved them most. Long after the service has ended, it often becomes one of the keepsakes that family members save alongside photographs, sympathy cards, and memorial guest books.
Every funeral program is unique because every life is unique.
Some programs are simple one-page handouts. Others are elegant folded programs or multi-page booklets filled with stories and photographs. Some reflect a person's faith through scripture and hymns, while others celebrate a lifetime of memories through favorite quotes, poems, and music.
There isn't a single format that's right for every family.
The best funeral program is the one that
Funeral Program vs. Memorial Program vs. Order of Service
These terms are often used interchangeably, but they can mean slightly different things depending on the family, funeral home, or place of worship.
Funeral Program
A funeral program is the most common term and usually refers to the printed booklet or handout distributed during a funeral service. It combines the order of service with personal elements such as photographs, an obituary, favorite quotes, scriptures, and acknowledgments.
Memorial Program
A memorial program serves the same purpose but is typically used for a memorial service held after burial or cremation, or when the person's remains are not present. The contents are very similar and often include the same personal touches.
Order of Service
An order of service focuses primarily on the schedule of the ceremony. It lists what will happen during the service—such as readings, musical selections, prayers, speakers, and closing remarks—but may contain fewer photographs or biographical details.
In everyday conversation, many families use these terms interchangeably, and that's perfectly okay.
What matters isn't what you call it.
What matters is creating something that honors the life being remembered and helps family and friends participate in the service with confidence.
What to Include in a Funeral Program (And Why Each Part Matters)
A well-designed funeral program helps guests follow the service, but its lasting value comes from something much deeper.
Each section tells part of the person's story.
Some families keep things beautifully simple. Others include photographs, favorite scriptures, poems, or personal memories that capture a lifetime. There isn't a required format.
The goal is to include the details that will help family and friends remember the person—not just the service.
Here are the elements most families choose to include.
Cover Photo
The cover is often the first impression guests receive.
Choose a photograph that reflects how your loved one lived rather than simply how they looked. It might be a formal portrait, a favorite candid moment, or an image that captures their personality, joy, or spirit.
Years from now, this will likely be the photo people remember seeing.
Name, Dates, and Service Information
Include the person's full name, birth and death dates, and the basic details of the service, including:
Date
Time
Location
Officiant (if applicable)
This information helps guests follow the day's events while also creating a lasting record that many families return to in the years ahead.
A Meaningful Quote, Scripture, or Poem
Many families include a favorite Bible verse, poem, lyric, or quotation that reflects the person's faith, values, or outlook on life.
Sometimes a single sentence captures someone's spirit more beautifully than an entire page.
Choose words that sound like them.
The Order of Service
This is the practical heart of the funeral program.
It typically includes:
Prelude or arrival music
Welcome
Opening prayer
Obituary or life reflection
Musical selections
Closing remarks
Benediction
Graveside service (if applicable)
Guests appreciate knowing what comes next, especially when participating in prayers, hymns, or readings.
Obituary or Life Summary
Including an obituary—or a shorter life summary—helps everyone present understand the remarkable life being celebrated.
Some families include a complete obituary.
Others choose a shorter biography highlighting important milestones, relationships, accomplishments, and the qualities that made the person unforgettable.
This section often becomes one of the most frequently reread parts of the program.
Favorite Songs
Music often becomes one of the most memorable parts of any funeral or celebration of life.
Listing the hymns, special music, or favorite songs included in the service allows guests to participate and creates another meaningful reminder of the person's life.
For many families, simply seeing the title of a favorite song years later brings back a flood of memories.
Family Members and Pallbearers
Many programs recognize those participating in the service by listing:
Officiant
Speakers
Musicians
Honorary pallbearers
Pallbearers
This not only helps guests follow the service but also acknowledges those who helped honor a life well lived.
Acknowledgments
Planning a funeral often reminds families just how much love surrounds them.
A brief note thanking friends, relatives, caregivers, clergy, neighbors, and everyone who offered support is a thoughtful way to express gratitude.
It doesn't have to be long.
Just sincere.
Reception or Memorial Information
If you're hosting a reception, meal, visitation, or celebration of life afterward, include the location and time so guests know where to gather.
If memorial donations are preferred in lieu of flowers, include those details here as well.
One Final Thought
Not every funeral program needs every section.
Some families create a simple single-page handout.
Others design an eight-page booklet filled with photographs and memories.
Neither is more meaningful than the other.
The best funeral program isn't the one with the most pages. It's the one that most faithfully reflects the life being remembered.
Funeral Program Templates
After deciding what you'd like to include, the next step is choosing a funeral program template that fits the service you're planning.
The good news is that there isn't one "correct" design.
Some families prefer a simple one-page handout.
Others choose a traditional folded program, while some create a multi-page booklet filled with photographs, stories, and memories.
The right template is simply the one that best reflects the life you're celebrating.
Below are some of the most common funeral program layouts and when each works best.
Bi-Fold Funeral Program
The bi-fold program is the most popular choice for funerals and memorial services.
Created by folding a single sheet of paper in half, it provides four panels with enough space for a cover photo, the order of service, an obituary or life summary, favorite scripture, and acknowledgments.
It's an excellent choice for most traditional funeral services because it balances simplicity with meaningful storytelling.
Best for:
Traditional funerals
Church services
Memorial services
Families wanting a clean, timeless design
Tri-Fold Funeral Program
A tri-fold program creates six narrow panels, making it ideal for families who want to organize information into smaller sections.
This format works well when including multiple readings, poems, photographs, or reception information while maintaining an easy-to-follow layout.
Best for:
Celebration of life services
Larger families
Services with multiple speakers
Programs that include additional information
Funeral Program Booklet
A booklet-style program provides the most room for telling a person's story.
With multiple pages, families can include additional photographs, a complete obituary, favorite memories, poems, scriptures, military service, family history, and personal tributes.
While not every family needs this much space, a booklet often becomes a treasured keepsake that people save for years.
Best for:
Large celebrations of life
Families wanting to preserve memories
Services with many photographs
Multi-generational family tributes
Celebration of Life Program
Celebration of life programs often feel less formal than traditional funeral programs.
Many include colorful photographs, favorite quotes, hobbies, personal stories, and music that reflects the person's personality rather than focusing solely on the order of service.
The goal is to celebrate a remarkable life while helping guests remember the moments that made it unique.
Best for:
Celebrations of life
Informal gatherings
Outdoor memorials
Personalized tributes
Military Funeral Program
Military funeral programs often recognize a lifetime of service alongside the person's roles as a parent, spouse, grandparent, friend, or community member.
Families frequently include photographs in uniform, military honors, awards, branch of service, and patriotic readings while also celebrating the life lived beyond military service.
Best for:
Veterans
Active-duty service members
Military honors ceremonies
Patriotically themed services
Minimalist Funeral Program
Sometimes less truly is more.
A minimalist funeral program focuses on elegant typography, generous white space, one meaningful photograph, and only the essential information.
The result feels calm, timeless, and dignified.
Best for:
Small private services
Contemporary memorials
Families who appreciate simple design
Services emphasizing quiet reflection
Choosing the Right Template
It's easy to wonder which layout is "best."
The truth is, every one of these templates can become a beautiful tribute.
Don't choose the template with the most pages.
Choose the one that gives your family enough room to tell the story that matters.
A thoughtfully designed four-panel program can be every bit as meaningful as a professionally printed booklet.
What people remember isn't the layout.
It's the life it helped them remember.
How to Create a Meaningful Funeral Program
A beautiful funeral program isn't created by choosing the perfect template.
It's created by including the details that remind people of the person they loved.
Years from now, family members probably won't remember whether the program was folded in half or printed as a booklet.
They'll remember the photograph that made everyone smile.
The favorite Bible verse they always quoted.
The song that filled the room with memories.
The short story that perfectly captured their personality.
Those are the things that transform a printed program into a cherished keepsake.
Here are a few simple ways to make your funeral program more personal.
Choose Photos That Tell a Story
Instead of selecting only a formal portrait, consider including photographs from different seasons of life.
A childhood picture.
A wedding day.
Family vacations.
Military service.
Time spent with grandchildren.
Favorite hobbies.
The goal isn't to document every stage of life.
It's to help people remember the moments that defined it.
Include Their Favorite Words
Did they have a saying everyone remembers?
A favorite Bible verse?
A quote they repeated?
A line from a favorite song?
Sometimes a single sentence can instantly bring someone's voice back into the room.
Let Music Continue the Story
If you're listing musical selections, choose songs that genuinely reflect the person's life and personality.
The music doesn't have to be what people expect.
It should be what people recognize.
When guests see the title of a favorite hymn or beloved song, they're often reminded of memories that words alone cannot capture.
Keep the Writing Personal
An obituary or life summary doesn't need to sound formal to be meaningful.
Write the way you would describe your loved one to someone meeting them for the first time.
What made them laugh?
What mattered most to them?
How did they make other people feel?
Those answers often become the most memorable parts of a funeral program.
Don't Feel Like You Have to Include Everything
Many families worry they'll leave something out.
The truth is, no funeral program can capture an entire lifetime.
That's okay.
Its purpose isn't to tell every story.
It's to remind people of the life they were fortunate enough to know.
Sometimes the simplest programs become the ones families treasure most.
Remember Who You're Creating It For
It's easy to become consumed by formatting, spacing, fonts, and design.
Those details matter.
But they're not the reason people save funeral programs.
People save them because they represent someone they never want to forget.
When you're deciding what to include, ask yourself one simple question:
If someone picked up this program twenty years from now, what would I hope they learn about this person?
The answer to that question will guide every decision that follows.
Funeral Program Examples
After choosing a template, it helps to see how different funeral programs come together in real life.
Every family tells a story differently.
Some programs are traditional and formal. Others are filled with photographs, personal memories, or favorite scriptures. There isn't one style that's right for everyone.
These examples can help you imagine what feels most appropriate for the person you're honoring.
Traditional Funeral Program Example
A classic bi-fold program with:
Formal portrait on the cover
Order of service
Scripture reading
Complete obituary
Acknowledgments
Back cover with a favorite Bible verse
Best for:
Traditional church funerals and religious services.
Celebration of Life Program Example
A bright, photo-focused design featuring:
Candid family photographs
Favorite quotes
Timeline of important life moments
Playlist of meaningful songs
Reception information
Best for:
Celebrations of life and informal memorial gatherings.
Christian Funeral Program Example
A faith-centered program including:
Favorite Bible verse on the cover
Hymns and worship songs
Scripture readings
Message of hope and resurrection
Closing prayer
Best for:
Church services and families wishing to emphasize faith.
Military Funeral Program Example
A respectful design honoring both military service and personal life.
May include:
Military portrait
Branch of service
Awards and honors
Flag presentation
Taps
Veteran obituary
Patriotic readings
Best for:
Veterans and military honors ceremonies.
Minimalist Funeral Program Example
A clean, elegant layout using:
One meaningful photograph
Simple typography
Limited colors
Essential service information
Short life summary
Best for:
Private services and families who appreciate understated design.
Photo Memory Booklet Example
A multi-page keepsake featuring:
Childhood photographs
Family milestones
Favorite vacations
Stories from loved ones
Full obituary
Personal reflections
Rather than simply guiding guests through the service, this style becomes a family heirloom that people often save for generations.
Best for:
Large celebrations of life and families wanting to preserve memories in greater detail.
Which Example Is Right for You?
The best example isn't necessarily the most elaborate.
It's the one that feels authentic.
Some of the most meaningful funeral programs are beautifully simple.
Others become treasured memory books shared across generations.
Choose the style that reflects the person—not what you think a funeral program is supposed to look like.
Common Funeral Program Mistakes to Avoid
Creating a meaningful funeral program doesn't require professional design experience.
In fact, the mistakes families regret most have very little to do with layout or typography.
Here are a few common pitfalls—and how to avoid them.
Waiting Until the Last Minute
Funeral arrangements often come together quickly, leaving little time for proofreading or printing.
If possible, begin gathering photographs, service details, and obituary information as early as you can. Even a few extra hours can reduce unnecessary stress.
Trying to Include Everything
A single funeral program can't capture an entire lifetime.
Rather than trying to include every accomplishment or every photograph, focus on the moments, relationships, and memories that best reflect the person's life.
Sometimes less truly says more.
Forgetting to Proofread
Double-check:
Names
Dates
Service times
Scripture references
Song titles
Family relationships
Ask another family member or trusted friend to review everything before printing. Fresh eyes often catch small mistakes that are easy to miss.
Choosing Style Over Readability
Elegant design is important, but readability matters more.
Use fonts that are easy to read, leave enough white space, and choose text sizes that older guests can comfortably see.
A beautiful funeral program should also be easy to follow.
Overlooking the Personal Details
The most memorable funeral programs aren't necessarily the most elaborate.
They're the ones that include the little things only family and close friends would recognize—a favorite saying, a beloved photograph, a meaningful scripture, or a story that instantly brings a smile.
Those details are often remembered long after the service itself.
One Final Reminder
There is no perfect funeral program.
There is only the one your family creates with love.
If it helps people remember the person, reflect on their life, and feel connected to the memories you shared, then you've created exactly what it was meant to be.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should be included in a funeral program?
Most funeral programs include a cover photo, the person's name and life dates, the order of service, an obituary or life summary, selected readings or scriptures, musical selections, acknowledgments, and reception or memorial information.
Every family is different, so include the elements that best reflect the life you're honoring.
How many pages should a funeral program be?
There isn't a standard length.
Many families choose a four-panel bi-fold program because it provides enough room for the essentials while remaining easy to print and distribute.
If you'd like to include additional photographs, stories, or tributes, an eight-page booklet may be a better choice.
The right length is simply the one that gives your family enough space to tell the story that matters.
Can I create a funeral program myself?
Absolutely.
Many families use Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Canva, or other design software to create their own funeral programs.
Others work with a funeral home or professional printing service.
The most meaningful funeral programs aren't determined by who designed them—they're shaped by the memories, photographs, and stories they contain.
Where can I find free funeral program templates?
Free funeral program templates are available through many online design platforms and printable template websites.
The most important thing isn't finding the fanciest design.
It's choosing a layout that helps you clearly present the information while honoring your loved one's life.
Should I include the full obituary?
That depends on the amount of space available and the purpose of the program.
Some families include the complete obituary, while others choose a shorter life summary and provide the full obituary separately online or as a memorial handout.
Either approach is appropriate.
What size is a funeral program?
The most common funeral program is created by folding an 8.5" × 11" sheet of paper in half to create a four-panel booklet.
Larger booklets and custom sizes are also common, especially for celebration of life services or programs containing numerous photographs.
Who usually creates the funeral program?
The responsibility often falls to a close family member, though funeral homes frequently assist by providing templates, printing services, or design guidance.
Some families also ask a friend with design experience to help prepare the final program.
How many funeral programs should I print?
A good rule of thumb is to print one program for each expected guest, plus an additional 10–20 copies for family members and anyone unable to attend.
Many families are grateful to have extra copies in the months and years after the service.
Can a funeral program become a keepsake?
Yes.
In fact, that's exactly what often happens.
Long after the service has ended, funeral programs are tucked into Bibles, memory boxes, photo albums, and family scrapbooks.
They become lasting reminders of a life well lived and the people who gathered to celebrate it.
Final Thoughts
Long after the flowers have faded and the chairs have been folded away, families often discover that the smallest keepsakes become the most meaningful.
A funeral program is one of them.
It may find its way into a Bible, a photo album, a memory box, or the pages of a favorite book. Years later, someone will come across it, pause for a moment, and remember not only the service but the person whose life brought everyone together.
That's why creating a funeral program is about more than choosing a template or arranging words on a page.
It's about preserving a story.
Whether your program is simple or elaborate, professionally printed or thoughtfully created at home, what matters most is that it reflects the person you loved.
Because that's what people will remember.
Not the paper.
Not the layout.
The life.
The best funeral program isn't remembered because it was beautifully designed.It's remembered because it beautifully remembered someone.
And in the end, that's what every meaningful funeral program is meant to do.
Continue Your Journey
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Knowing who to contact first | |
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Handling the Practical Details
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Honoring a Life
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Writing a meaningful obituary | |
Preparing a heartfelt eulogy | |
Understanding the difference between a funeral and a celebration of life | |
Preserving the stories behind a life |
Continue the Story
Settling an estate takes care of the legal and financial responsibilities that follow a loss.
Preserving a life is something entirely different.
Before cherished memories begin to fade, take time to capture the stories, milestones, lessons, and moments that made your loved one unique.
Lastly helps families discover and preserve those stories through guided LifeReviews® that transform memories into meaningful obituaries, heartfelt eulogies, and lasting LifeStories®.
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