The service is set, the date is fixed, and somebody in the family has asked you to put the booklet together. People have sent through a few photos, a list of readings and a half-remembered running order, but nobody is sure what goes where. A funeral order of service template removes that guesswork because it gives you a page by page plan for the cover, the inside pages and the back cover.
This guide walks through an eight page plan that works for a church service, a chapel service or a celebrant led memorial service. You will see what to write on each page, how to choose the number of pages, and how to get the words and photos ready so the PDF proof comes back right.
The short version
- The eight page plan covers the front cover, the order of service, a life story, a centre spread with five photos, a reading, a hymn or song page and the back cover.
- The cover holds the photo, full name, dates and service details.
- The order of service page lists each part of the service and who leads it.
- Page counts go up in fours, so 12, 16 or 20 pages add more photos and readings.
- Gather words and photos early, and have two people check every name and date.
- A PDF proof arrives before anything prints, and nothing goes to production until you approve it.
A page by page funeral order of service template
Each version is an A5 portrait booklet at 148 x 210mm, saddle stitched with two wire staples in the centre fold and printed in full colour on every page.
| Page | What goes on it | Tips |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | front cover with photo, full name, dates, and the service day, time and place | Choose a clear, well lit face photo and send the original file, not a screenshot. |
| 2 | the order of service | List each part, who leads it and their relationship. |
| 3 | a life story with a photo | Cover family, work, interests and the moments that mattered most. |
| 4 and 5 | a photo tribute across the centre spread with five photos | Arrange photos in a sequence that moves through time or gathers people together. |
| 6 | a poem or reading (the designs head it “Words of Remembrance”) | Keep the reading focused on the person and the service. |
| 7 | hymn or song words | If permission is not clear, print the song title only. |
| 8 | back cover with a thank you from the family and the gathering details | Keep the sign off short and add the gathering place and time. |
A fixed plan helps because it removes small decisions at a time when the family is already carrying enough. The same structure works for a church service, a chapel service or a celebrant led memorial service. The six designs for funeral order of service booklets follow the same page-by-page plan, and our team sets your details into the design you choose.
The cover: photo, full name, dates and service details
The cover carries the largest image in the booklet. Use a photo where the face is clear and well lit, and send the original file rather than a screenshot or a photo of a printed photo when the original exists. Beneath or beside that image go the person’s full name, their date of birth and the day they passed, and the day, time and place of the service. An opening line such as In loving memory of, Celebrating the life of or In remembrance of usually sits with the name.
The six designs treat the cover portrait differently. Eucalyptus places a silver dollar eucalyptus spray above a rectangular photo, with leaves in the bottom corners, the name in serif capitals, and the italic line “In loving memory of” above the name. White Garden frames an oval photo with a white rose and green leaves in the top corners, flowing script and spaced capitals. Love and Leaves trails a vine of green leaves and dark berries down the right edge, with stacked sage green capitals, text set to the left. Visco Garden climbs olive engraved botanical flowers up both sides, with olive capitals, a small script “of” and an arch photo. Sarulean places a garland of proteas, gum leaves, yellow blossom and berries above a rectangular photo, with “In loving memory” in spaced capitals. Byron frames an arch photo with a fine black arch line, handwritten script and spaced capitals in black and white.
Order of service examples: the running order page
The second page of the booklet is the running order. Our six designs use a sample sequence of Entrance Music, Welcome, Reading, Eulogy, Poem, Photo Tribute, Reflection, Farewell and Closing Words. Each line names the part, then the person who leads it and their relationship. For music, the line also names the piece and whether it is a recording or sung by all.
A church service may add prayers or a committal before the farewell, while a celebrant led service may add a longer reflection or a candle moment. The page itself does not need anything extra. It simply lists each part in the order it happens, so a guest can follow the service from the opening music to the closing words.
A funeral booklet template for the inside pages
Page three carries the life story. Write a few warm paragraphs that cover family, work, interests and the moments that mattered most, and place one photo alongside the words.
Pages four and five open into a centre spread of five photos arranged as a tribute. Choose images that move through time or gather the person with family and friends, and keep the cover image as the strongest single portrait.
Page six is headed Words of Remembrance and holds a poem or reading. Page seven holds the hymn or song words. If your service includes a poem and a reading, a 12 page booklet gives you room for both.
Printing song lyrics is not covered by the Copyright Agency’s Copyright Licence for Celebrants, and under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) permission is usually required. Many families keep the process simple by printing the song title only.
From words and photos to the PDF proof
Gather everything before you begin. That means the full name spelling and any preferred name, the day they were born and the day they passed, the date, time and location of the service, the running order with each name and relationship, the life story, the photos, and the reading and hymn choices.
Ask two people in the family to check every name and date once more before the proof is approved.
The Paperlust team sets your content into the design and emails a PDF proof, usually within 1 to 2 business days of the order. Nothing prints until you approve that proof. After approval, production takes 3 to 7 working days. That working time is not delivery time. You can choose delivery or pick up from the Oakleigh South studio.
Write the date the booklets are needed in the Special Request box at checkout, and the team will reply whether that date can be met. If you are supplying your own artwork, send a print ready PDF of every page at A5 with 3mm bleed. You can set up a booklet file with those specs before you order, and the team checks the file at the proof stage.
If the family wants something built around their own idea, ask for a custom design. A dedicated designer prepares two design options on the first proof and includes three rounds of revision.
Choosing the page count in your funeral program template
| Pages | What the extra pages hold |
|---|---|
| 8 | The base plan: cover, running order, life story, centre photo spread, poem or reading, hymn or song words, back cover. |
| 12 | A reading page, a second poem and a second photo spread with larger photos. |
| 16 | One more spread of larger photos and one more five photo spread. |
| 20 | A reading spread and another photo spread. |
Start from what the family actually has. Count the photos, the readings and the hymns, and decide whether the full eulogy will be printed. The base eight page booklet holds a life story page, one poem or reading and one hymn or song. If the family wants the eulogy printed in full, allow extra pages and choose a longer count. Choose 12 pages when you want another reading, a second poem and a second photo spread with room for bigger images. Choose 16 or 20 pages when the family has a larger photo collection and wants extra spreads.
Booklets can be ordered in quantities of 10, 25, 50, 75, 100, 250 or 500. Use the ordering guide to compare papers, quantities and timing before you choose.
Frequently asked questions
What is a funeral order of service?
A funeral order of service is a printed A5 portrait booklet that guides people through the service and keeps the family’s chosen words and photographs together. The base eight page layout includes the front cover, the order of service, a life story with a photo, a five photo tribute across the centre spread, a poem or reading, hymn or song words and a back cover with a thank you and gathering details.
How many pages should a funeral order of service have?
The booklet starts at 8 pages and can be ordered in 8, 12, 16 or 20 pages including the cover. Page counts go up in fours. A 12 page option adds a reading page, a second poem and another photo spread built around larger photos. A 16 page option adds a further spread with larger images and one more five photo spread, while a 20 page option adds a reading spread and a further photo spread.
What goes on the cover of a funeral order of service?
The cover holds the person’s photo, full name, their date of birth and the date they passed, and the day, time and location of the service. An opening line such as In loving memory of, Celebrating the life of or In remembrance of usually sits with the name. The cover photo should show a clear, well lit face, and the original file should be used rather than a screenshot.
How many photos can we include in a funeral order of service?
The base eight page booklet fits five photos across the centre spread, one photo on the cover and one photo with the life story. Longer booklets add more space. A 12 page booklet adds another photo spread sized for larger prints. A 16 page booklet adds one more spread of larger photographs and one more five photo spread, and a 20 page booklet adds another photo spread.
Can we use our own design or a template we made for a funeral order of service?
Yes. You can upload a print ready PDF of every page at A5 with 3mm bleed and the team will check it at the proof stage. You can also ask for a custom design, where a dedicated designer prepares two design options on the first proof with three rounds of revision. Alternatively, choose one of the six designs and have the Paperlust team set your words and photos into it.
Will we see a proof before the booklet prints?
Yes. The Paperlust team sets the content into the design and emails a PDF proof, usually within 1 to 2 business days of the order. Nothing prints until you approve it. After approval, production takes 3 to 7 working days, which is not delivery time. You can choose delivery or pick up from the Oakleigh South studio.
