Farra is a death administration assistant for UK families. Get step-by-step guidance for registering a death, applying for probate, notifying banks, and managing bereavement admin. From essential documents to practical checklists, Farra simplifies estate paperwork and funeral-related tasks so you can focus on what matters.
This guide has not been checked against its sources
We re-checked our most-read guides against GOV.UK and the other official sources in September 2026. This one was not among them, so nobody has confirmed its figures, deadlines or process steps since it was written. Treat it as a starting point and confirm anything that matters on GOV.UK before you act on it.
Order of service booklet guides guests through ceremony. Include: cover (photo, name, dates), running order (music, readings, eulogy, committal), hymn lyrics, poems. DIY costs £20-£100 (use Canva, print at Instantprint), professional costs £150-£400. Standard A5, 4-8 pages, print week before funeral. Funeral directors often include in package.
An order of service booklet guides guests through the funeral and serves as a keepsake. This guide covers what to include, template examples, design tips, printing options, and whether to DIY or use a professional service.
Quick Overview
- ✓ Essential elements every order of service should include
- ✓ Template examples and layout options
- ✓ Design tips for a professional, meaningful booklet
- ✓ Printing options: costs, timelines, quality
- ✓ DIY vs professional: pros, cons, and recommendations
A complete order of service typically includes these elements:
List each part of the service in order:
Example Structure:
- 1. Entrance Music: "My Way" by Frank Sinatra
- 2. Welcome and Introduction by Celebrant
- 3. Opening Words
- 4. Hymn: "Abide With Me"
- 5. Reading: Psalm 23
- 6. Eulogy by [Name]
- 7. Reflection Music: "Angels" by Robbie Williams
- 8. Poem: "Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep"
- 9. Committal
- 10. Closing Words
- 11. Exit Music: "What a Wonderful World"
Include specific titles of hymns, songs, readings, and who's performing/reading them.
If using traditional hymns that guests may sing along to, include the full lyrics. For recorded songs, just list the title and artist.
Tip: Including hymn lyrics ensures everyone can participate, even if they don't know the words.
Print the full text of readings or poems so guests can follow along. This is especially meaningful for non-religious services.
A brief (100-200 word) summary of their life: where they were born, career, family, hobbies, personality. Gives context to guests who didn't know them well.
Example:
"John was born in Liverpool in 1945 and spent his entire career as a teacher, inspiring thousands of students. He was a devoted husband to Mary for 50 years, a proud father to three children, and a passionate Liverpool FC supporter. John loved gardening, jazz music, and traveling with his family. He will be remembered for his kindness, humor, and unwavering optimism."
A message from the family thanking attendees for coming and supporting them. Also include:
Example:
"The family would like to thank everyone for attending today and for your love and support during this difficult time. Please join us for refreshments at [Venue Name, Address] following the service. Donations in John's memory to Cancer Research UK can be made at the exit or online at [charity link]."
Some families include 2-4 additional photos throughout the booklet showing different life stages or memorable moments.
Here are common formats and page counts for order of service booklets.
One A4 or A5 sheet, printed front and back
Front: Photo, name, dates, service details
Back: Order of service, thank you message
Best for: Simple services, tight budgets, minimal content
A4 folded in half to create 4 A5 pages
Page 1: Front cover with photo
Pages 2-3: Order of service, hymns, readings
Page 4: Biography, thank you, wake details
Best for: Standard funerals, balanced content, most popular choice
Multiple sheets stapled or saddle-stitched
Extended content: Full hymn lyrics, multiple readings, longer biography, multiple photos
Professional design: More room for creative layouts
Best for: Elaborate services, large families, photo tributes
Recommended: 4-Page Booklet
The 4-page A5 booklet (A4 folded) is the sweet spot for most funerals. It's professional, affordable, and has enough space for all essential content without being overwhelming.
Good design makes the order of service both functional and meaningful.
1. Choose the Right Photo
- → High resolution: At least 300 DPI for printing (avoid blurry/pixelated photos)
- → Recent but flattering: Show them as people remember them
- → Smiling and happy: Celebrate their life, not just mourn
- → Good lighting and focus: Clear, well-lit face
- → Avoid: Group photos (crop to just them), busy backgrounds, poor quality scans
2. Keep Fonts Simple and Readable
- → Body text: 11-12pt minimum (remember older guests may have poor eyesight)
- → Headings: 16-18pt, bold
- → Font style: Traditional serif (Times New Roman, Garamond) or clean sans-serif (Arial, Calibri)
- → Avoid: Script fonts for body text (hard to read), too many different fonts
3. Use Colour Thoughtfully
- → Traditional: Black text on white/cream background
- → Accent colours: Soft blues, greens, purples for borders or headers
- → Personal touch: Use their favourite colour subtly
- → Avoid: Bright, garish colours; too much colour (distracting)
- → Modern trend: Full-colour covers, black & white interior
4. Layout and Spacing
- → White space: Don't cram too much text. Leave margins and breathing room.
- → Margins: At least 0.5 inch (1.3 cm) on all sides
- → Line spacing: 1.2-1.5 for readability
- → Alignment: Centre-align cover, left-align body text
- → Page numbers: Not necessary for 4-page booklets
5. Add Meaningful Touches
- → Decorative elements: Subtle borders, floral designs, religious symbols
- → Quotes: Favourite sayings or meaningful quotes on the cover or back
- → Themed graphics: If they loved gardening (flowers), music (notes), sports (subtle logo)
- → Professional look: Keep decorations subtle—less is more
You have several options for printing your order of service, each with different costs, timelines, and quality.
Cost: £10-£20 for 50 copies (paper + ink)
Timeline: 1-2 hours
Best for: Small funerals, tight budgets, simple designs
Cost: £30-£80 for 50-100 copies
Timeline: 24-48 hours
Best for: Most funerals, good balance of quality and cost
Cost: £40-£100 for 50-100 copies (inc. shipping)
Timeline: 3-7 days
Best for: Planning ahead, wanting premium quality
Popular services: Vistaprint, Instantprint, Printed.com
Cost: £100-£200 for 50-100 copies (design + printing)
Timeline: Handled as part of funeral planning
Best for: Those wanting convenience, professional results, no stress
How Many to Print?
Formula: Expected guests + 20% extra
- → Small funeral (20-30 guests): Print 40-50
- → Medium funeral (50-75 guests): Print 75-100
- → Large funeral (100+ guests): Print 125-150
Extras are for: keepsakes for family, people who take multiples, and anyone you forgot to count.
Should you create the order of service yourself or hire a professional? Here's how to decide.
Moderate. Requires basic design skills and attention to detail.
£10-£80 depending on printing method
Easy. Someone else does the work, you just approve.
£100-£200 (design + printing included)
Hybrid Approach
Many families use a middle ground:
- → DIY design using free templates (Canva, Word) + professional printing at local shop
- → Online template service (e.g., Funeral Guide, Everplans) where you fill in content, they handle design/printing
Cost: £30-£100 | Quality: High | Effort: Moderate
Here are the best tools for creating your own order of service:
Canva (Recommended for Beginners)
Free online design tool with funeral order of service templates. Drag-and-drop interface, no design skills needed.
Cost: Free (Pro version £10.99/month for premium templates)
Best for: Easy, professional-looking designs
Microsoft Word/PowerPoint
Traditional option. Many free templates available online. Good if you're already familiar with these tools.
Cost: Free if you have Office
Best for: Those comfortable with Word/PowerPoint
Adobe InDesign (Advanced)
Professional design software. Steeper learning curve but ultimate control and quality.
Cost: £19.97/month
Best for: Those with design experience or wanting highly customized layouts
Funeral-Specific Services
Websites specifically for funeral orders of service. Templates, design assistance, and printing in one place.
Examples: Funeral Guide, Loving Tributes, Funeral Printing
Cost: £50-£150 (design + printing)
Best for: Convenience and funeral-specific templates
✗
Low-resolution photos
Photos look fine on screen but pixelated when printed. Use high-res images (300 DPI minimum).
✗
Spelling errors
Typos in names, dates, or readings are embarrassing. Proofread multiple times. Have 2-3 people check.
✗
Wrong dates or times
Double-check funeral service date, time, and venue match the actual booking.
✗
Too much text crammed in
Overwhelming and hard to read. Use white space. If content doesn't fit, use 8 pages instead of 4.
✗
Printing too few copies
Running out mid-service is awkward. Always print 20% more than expected guests.
✗
Last-minute printing
Rushing leads to errors and stress. Aim to have orders of service printed 2-3 days before the funeral.
✗
Ignoring print bleed and margins
Important text too close to edges gets cut off. Leave at least 0.5 inch margins.
Do we need an order of service?
Not legally required, but highly recommended. It helps guests follow along, participate in hymns, and serves as a keepsake. Most funerals (80%+) have them.
What paper should I use?
Recommended: 170-250gsm (grams per square meter) matte or silk finish. This is thicker than standard copy paper (80gsm) but not too thick to fold. Matte looks more traditional; silk is slightly glossy and modern.
Can we have digital orders of service?
Yes, some families email PDFs to guests beforehand or display on screens at the venue. However, most people still prefer physical copies to hold and keep. Hybrid approach: physical at service, digital emailed later.
When should we finalize the content?
At least 3-5 days before the funeral. This gives time for printing, dealing with errors, and making changes if needed. Content can't be finalized until you confirm the service order with the celebrant.
What if we make a mistake after printing?
Small errors (typo in a song lyric): Generally okay, most guests won't notice. Major errors (wrong date, name spelling): Reprint if time allows. If impossible, have someone announce the correction at the start of the service.