The funeral program template is a document given in a funeral that outlines the schedule of funeral services. Also, it includes a summary of the achievement of the deceased person.
The funeral program is prepared by the family members. So, it includes all the information about the memorial program services and the personality points of the loved one that has passed away.
There are several online services available that allow choosing a template for creating a funeral program. Usually, these services are free. However, the logo of the free service provides is also present in the funeral program. Therefore, some people don’t like to use these free services.
In this regard, many families compile the information need to involve in the funeral program. A professional graphic designer is hired to get design a unique and customized funeral program. Although, this option is usually pretty expensive and everyone can’t afford it.
Here comes the need for a free funeral program template. A good funeral program can be designed and customized using a template in MS Word.
You should also check the Wedding Program Template.
Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is a funeral program?
A funeral program is a document that generally contains a tribute to the deceased and explains what will take place during the funeral and memorial service. It briefly describes the life milestone and achievements of the deceased. A funeral program is also known as a funeral brochure, pamphlet, or funeral order of service.
The funeral program is also distributed electronically via email or posted to social media and memorial websites. For the funeral program family generally gathers and prepares the information.
Why do you need a funeral program?
You need a funeral program because it comes with various benefits such as;
- With the help of the funeral program the memorial services flowing according to the plan. This is because it divides every aspect of the funeral service and everyone knows what happens next in this way service flowing as planned.
- It provides important information about the deceased and his/her family.
- Anyone creates it easily within a few hours. Hence, it will save your time.
- When the funeral is over it can be used as memorabilia by friends. Like this funeral programs also have whole family photos when it was still intact.
- Funeral programs consider as a final nod of love to the deceased because it contains the deceased person’s favorite poems, thank you notes from friends and family, and much more.
What do things include in a funeral program?
Funeral programs include the following things;
1. Cover page:
The cover page contains the items such as the title of the funeral program, photo of the deceased, date of the ceremony, biodata of deceased, name of the officiant, location, and time.
2. The order of service:
The order of service includes bible readings, sermons, acknowledgments, eulogy, cards, condolences, final viewing, etc.
3. Obituary:
This section commonly contains a heartfelt composition about the deceased. It also contains a little bit of information such as the date of death, the circumstances of the death, etc.
4. The back page:
The back page usually has the items such as pictures of the deceased’s family and deceased, date of birth and death of deceased, from family thank you notes, poems, etc.
How to draft your custom funeral program?
Either you choose a funeral program template or create your own, there are many ways to create it, you just have to follow the below process;
- At first, you have to choose appropriate software for the draft. Some common software such as MS Publisher, MS Word, and MAC pages are used for this purpose.
- For guidelines search for a good memorial service program template from the internet. These templates help you in creating your own program.
- Then, add the designs to the text. Adding designs is the final touch to any funeral program. Here from design platforms, you can add illustrations, shapes, borders, etc. Don’t go overboard and use inappropriate illustrations.
- The last process is printing. For this purpose, use the appropriate printer. You should use an ideal printer because not every printer can produce your program as you like it. Moreover, you can print your program in the form of two-folds, three-folds, or booklets.
Components of Funeral Program Template
There can be different formats of a funeral program template. It depends on the personality, age, and profession of the deceased person. However, whatever the visual look of a funeral program. The whole content of the funeral program revolves around the following elements:
- Funeral Program Cover Page and Background Graphics
- Order of Service
- Obituary
- Back of the Funeral Program
The funeral program also sometimes referred to as a funeral pamphlet, funeral brochure, or funeral order of service.
The cover page of the funeral program usually involves the picture of the deceased person. Also, the name, date of birth, and date of death.
Moreover, the details of the program such as date & time, address, and title of the funeral program.
The order of service is like a schedule of the ceremony. It outlines the names of the events with the allotted time slot. There are different events involve in the funeral programs of people belongs to different religions.
Therefore, it is recommended to contact the religious officiates to plan the order of services. Such as in Muslims, the funeral order of services usually involves condolences, full-body ritual purification, funeral walk to the graveyard, funeral prayers, final viewing, burial, adhan, etc.
Additional Reading: What is a Funeral Program | Memorial Programs | Funeral Templates (link)
The obituary section of the funeral program includes the highlighted of the achievement and personality points of a deceased person. Moreover, it includes the biography in terms:
- Where the person was born.
- Where life was spent by the person.
- Information about the remaining’s, Spouses, and Children
- Other information about Hobbies and Personal Stories
The backside of the funeral brochure must include lyrics of a memorial poem, prayer, or advice. Although, it may also include the personal quote and comments of the surviving family.
The use of the funeral program template must be according to the above guidelines. However, one can easily customize the template accordingly to the age, personality, and profession of the deceased person.
