The order of service is one of the most treasured items from a funeral. Long after the day itself, families often keep these booklets as lasting mementoes of the person they loved. Yet many people arranging a funeral have never created one before and aren’t sure where to begin. At T. Allen Funeral Service, we guide families through this process regularly, and this guide explains everything you need to know.
What Is an Order of Service?
An order of service is a printed booklet given to mourners as they arrive at the funeral. It sets out the running order of the ceremony so everyone can follow along, and it typically includes the words to hymns or readings so the congregation can join in. Beyond its practical purpose, it serves as a keepsake, often featuring a favourite photograph and details of the person’s life.
Orders of service are used for religious and non-religious ceremonies alike, and there are no fixed rules about what they must contain. The content should reflect the person and the type of service you’re holding.
What to Include
Most orders of service follow a familiar structure. The front cover usually features the person’s full name, their dates of birth and passing, and a photograph. Many families include the venue, date, and time of the service here too.
Inside, the main content sets out the ceremony in order: the entrance music, welcome and opening words, hymns or songs, readings and poems, the eulogy or tribute, prayers or reflections, the committal, and the closing music. Where hymns are sung, the full words should be printed so everyone can participate.
The back cover often carries a thank-you message from the family, details of where the wake or reception is being held, and information about charitable donations if these have been requested in lieu of flowers.
Design and Personal Touches
The design should reflect the person being remembered. Traditional orders of service use simple, elegant layouts with muted colours, whilst more contemporary designs might use bright colours, several photographs, or imagery relating to a passion or hobby.
Photographs make an enormous difference. Some families use a single formal portrait, whilst others include a collage spanning different decades of the person’s life. A short poem, a favourite quotation, or a few lines about what mattered to them can add real warmth.
Practical Considerations
Think about quantity carefully. It’s better to have too many than too few, as families often want spare copies for those who couldn’t attend. Most families order between 50 and 100, though this depends entirely on expected numbers.
Printing takes time, so aim to finalise the content several days before the service. Check spellings of names very carefully, particularly for family members listed in the acknowledgements, as errors are distressing and cannot be corrected once printed.
Consider the size and format too. A4 folded to A5 is the most common choice, though smaller card formats work well for simpler ceremonies.
How We Can Help
At T. Allen Funeral Service, we can provide you with contact details for local printers who produce orders of service, so you can arrange the design and printing directly with them. We’re also happy to talk through what to include and how to structure the running order, so you feel confident about the content before it goes to print.
Whether you’d like something traditional or entirely personal, we’re here to help you create a keepsake that genuinely reflects the person you’re remembering.