JournalAugust 7, 2026
What to Include in a Funeral Program
A simple, unhurried guide to what usually goes inside a funeral program, and how to make it feel true to the person it honors.
A funeral program is a small thing to hold, but it carries a great deal. Guests keep it in a coat pocket, tuck it into a Bible, or set it on a shelf where it stays for years. It tells people where to be and when, and it quietly says: this life mattered, and here is a little of who they were. If you are putting one together in the middle of grief, it can help to have a simple list of what usually goes inside. Nothing here is required. Take what fits your family and leave the rest.
The essential details
Start with the information every guest needs. The full name of the person who died, often with a middle name or a maiden name, and sometimes a nickname they were known by. The dates of their birth and death, or simply the years. And the details of the service itself: the date, the time, the place, and the name of the officiant, celebrant, or clergy member leading it. If there is a graveside service or a reception to follow, note where and when so people know they are welcome to stay.
A photograph
Most programs feature a single photo on the cover. Choose one that looks like them on an ordinary good day rather than a formal portrait, if you have it. A picture where they are laughing, or caught mid-story, often means more than a posed headshot. Some families include a few additional photos inside, spanning different seasons of a life, though even one well-chosen image is enough.
The order of service
This is the part that helps guests follow along. It lists what will happen and in what order, so no one feels lost or unsure when to sit, stand, or sing. A typical order might include a welcome, an opening prayer or reading, a hymn or song, the eulogy, a time of reflection, further readings, a closing prayer, and the recessional. You do not need to list every detail down to the minute. A clear outline is plenty, and it gives structure to a day that can otherwise feel like a blur.
Readings, poems, and scripture
Many families print the full text of a favorite poem, psalm, or passage so guests can read along or take it home. This might be scripture, a well-loved verse, or lines the person themselves cherished. Printing the words in full is a kindness to anyone who wants to sit with them again later, long after the room has emptied.
Music and songs
If there will be congregational singing, printing the lyrics or hymn numbers lets everyone take part rather than standing silent. It is also worth listing the pieces being played during the service, including any recorded music, so guests recognize the songs and understand their meaning to your family. If you are still deciding, our guide on how to choose music for a funeral or memorial service may help.
A short tribute or life story
Some programs include a paragraph or two about the person's life: where they grew up, the work they did, the people they loved, the things that lit them up. This is different from a full obituary, though it can be drawn from one. Even a few sentences give guests who did not know every chapter a sense of the whole person, and give the family something to keep.
Acknowledgments and thanks
It is common to include a brief note of thanks from the family, recognizing the support of friends, caregivers, or the community during a hard time. Some families also list pallbearers, honorary pallbearers, or those taking part in the service, along with the names of surviving loved ones. There is no strict formula here; write it the way your family would speak it.
A personal touch
Small, particular details are often what people remember most. A favorite saying of theirs printed along the bottom. A recipe they were known for. A line from a song that was theirs. Some families now add a QR code that links to a memorial page, a slideshow, or a recording, so guests can revisit it whenever they like; you can read more in our guide to QR codes at a funeral. These touches turn a program from a schedule into a keepsake.
Keeping it feeling like them
However you fill the pages, let the program sound like the person it honors. A quiet, formal service and a lively celebration of life call for different words, different colors, different photos. There is no wrong way to do this as long as it feels true to them. If part of how you want to remember them is through music made from their own story, a custom memorial song from Their Life Song can become part of the day and a keepsake families return to long after; some include a link or QR code to it right in the program. Whatever you choose to include, the care you put into these small pages is itself a kind of tribute.