Resource Guide • Templates • Editing • Printing • Digital Sharing

Funeral Program Templates: A Complete Guide for Families

The Funeral Program Site created this guide for families who want a program that looks calm, organized, and respectful, even when planning is happening quickly. In real life, services are often arranged within a few days. You may be coordinating travel, answering relatives, choosing a venue, and handling paperwork, all while trying to stay steady emotionally. A printed or digital program cannot remove grief, but it can reduce confusion. It tells guests what is happening and when, it honors the person with words and photos, and it becomes a keepsake many people hold onto in a Bible, memory box, or scrapbook.

If you have ever opened a blank document and felt stuck on where to start, you are not alone. Templates exist for a reason. They remove the hardest formatting steps and replace them with a clear structure: headings already placed, spacing already balanced, and panels already set up for folding. That way, you can put your energy into what matters most: accuracy, readability, and the personal details that make the tribute feel true. This guide covers formats, content, photo choices, printing, and simple ways to share your finished file with family and friends near and far.

When you are ready to start editing, using funeral program templates can help you move forward without second-guessing every design choice. Instead of building margins and guessing fold lines, you can focus on the service order, the obituary or life tribute, and the photos that best represent the life being remembered. Below, you will also find videos and an audio guide that walk through the process in a steady, practical way.

What a funeral program template is

A funeral program template is a ready-made layout designed specifically for a funeral, memorial, or celebration of life. It usually includes a cover area for the name and dates, inside sections for the order of service and obituary, and optional spaces for poems, scriptures, song lyrics, acknowledgments, and extra photos. Templates are built to print correctly, which means margins are set, alignment is consistent, and panels are arranged so they appear in the right order once folded.

The benefit is not just visual. A template is also a checklist. It reminds you of the pieces most programs include, so you do not accidentally forget something important like the service address, the officiant name, or a final message of thanks. When people are stressed, it is easy to overlook details. Templates reduce that risk by guiding you through the standard structure in a familiar, guest-friendly way.

Why families choose templates during a short timeline

Many families pick templates because they provide a faster path to a finished program that still feels polished. Even if you are good with computers, designing from scratch can take longer than expected. You may spend time trying to align text boxes, resize photos, or fit content onto panels that were never set up for folding. Templates remove those trial-and-error steps. You replace sample text with real information, drop photos into frames, and adjust wording until it reads smoothly.

Templates also help multiple family members collaborate. One person can collect dates and service details, another can draft the obituary or life tribute, and another can choose photos. When everything is ready, the editor can place it into the template and proof it carefully. This shared approach often feels more manageable and helps families avoid last-minute scrambling.

Choosing the right format for your service

The most common format is the bifold program: one sheet of letter-size paper printed front and back, then folded in half. It works well for many services because it provides enough space for a cover, the service order, and a concise tribute without forcing tiny fonts. If your service includes a few speakers and one or two readings, a bifold is often the simplest option and is familiar to guests.

A booklet format is ideal when you have more content: multiple readings, longer lyrics, several photo collages, extended acknowledgments, or multiple tributes. A booklet allows you to keep body text readable and avoid cramming paragraphs into narrow panels. If you feel tempted to reduce font sizes to make everything fit, that is a sign you may need a layout with more space.

A trifold can be attractive for short services, but it requires careful proofing because panel order matters. If you choose a trifold, always print one test copy and fold it before printing your full quantity. That quick test tells you whether the cover panel, inside panels, and back panel land exactly where they should.

A practical checklist before you begin editing

Gather your essentials first: full name and preferred spelling, dates of birth and passing, service date and time, venue name and address, officiant name, speaker names, song titles, and any readings or scriptures. Draft the obituary or life tribute in a separate document, then paste it in. Choose one cover portrait and two to five supporting photos. Put everything in one folder so you are not hunting for files at the last minute.

Video guidance

Format comparison to help you decide

The table below highlights what each format does best. The goal is to match your content to the space available so the final program feels easy to read. Guests should not have to squint, and you should not feel forced to remove meaningful details just to make the layout work.

Format	Best For	Typical Inclusions	Helpful Notes
Bifold	Most funerals and memorials	Cover, order of service, obituary or life tribute, photos, acknowledgments	Simple, familiar, and quick to print; great when you want a traditional look with clear structure.
Trifold	Very concise services	Short schedule, brief tribute, a quote or verse, small photo set	Requires careful panel order; always print and fold a proof copy before producing the full run.
Booklet	More content or keepsake focus	Extended tribute, multiple photos, poems, lyrics, tributes, acknowledgments	Allows comfortable font sizes and more storytelling; ideal when multiple people are speaking or sharing.

What to include in a funeral program

Most programs include the same core elements because guests rely on them. The cover usually includes the person’s name, dates, and a short phrase such as “In Loving Memory” or “Celebrating the Life.” Many families add a meaningful quote, scripture, or line of poetry on the cover, but it is optional. The inside typically holds the order of service, which lists each part of the ceremony in sequence so guests can follow along without guessing.

The obituary or life tribute is where the program becomes personal. Some families write a traditional obituary that includes family names and major life events. Others prefer a more conversational tribute that focuses on character, relationships, and what people loved most. Either approach can work. The key is clarity and sincerity. If you are unsure how long to make it, aim for two to four short paragraphs, then expand only if you have space and readability remains strong.

Optional sections can add warmth without making the program feel crowded. Families often include a short acknowledgment thanking guests for their support, a list of pallbearers or honorary pallbearers, and sometimes a brief note about charitable donations. If music is central to the service, you may include song lyrics so guests can participate. If a reading will be spoken, you may include the text, especially if it is meaningful or widely recognized by the family.

Editing tips that keep your program readable

The number one rule is readability. If you are shrinking text to make it fit, consider tightening the wording instead. Use short paragraphs and natural line breaks. Keep headings consistent, and avoid switching fonts repeatedly. A clean structure is more comforting than a busy design, especially in a room where emotions are already heavy.

Photos should feel clear and respectful. Choose a cover portrait with good lighting and a natural expression. If you are cropping, keep the face centered and avoid cutting off the top of the head. Inside photos can show different life stages, family gatherings, hobbies, or quiet everyday moments. If an image is slightly lower quality, it can still work well inside at a smaller size, but a sharp image is best for the cover.

Printing and paper decisions that matter

Before printing a full stack, print one proof copy and fold it exactly as you plan to hand it out. Check that the cover is correct, the inside panels are in the right order, and the back panel contains what you intended. Look closely at names and dates, because those are the details people notice immediately. If you can, ask one more person to proofread. A second set of eyes often catches a typo you have looked past multiple times.

Paper choice depends on time and budget. Standard copy paper is fine for home printing and can still look clean if the design is simple. A heavier stock feels more like a keepsake and tends to hold up better. If you use heavier stock, fold slowly and carefully to avoid cracking along the fold line. If your timeline is tight and you want a more professional finish, many local print shops can print folded programs quickly when you provide a print-ready PDF.

Sharing a digital version with remote guests

It is increasingly common to share a digital program with relatives who cannot attend in person. After the design is final, export it as a PDF and share it by email, text, or a private family group. The advantage of templates is that your digital file matches the printed version exactly, so everyone sees the same service order and the same tribute wording. That consistency can be meaningful for people who are far away but still want to feel present.

Digital versions are also helpful after the service. People misplace paper programs, but a saved PDF can be shared again later, printed for relatives, or kept in a family archive. If you want the program to remain accessible, save it in a clearly labeled folder with the full name and service date.

Audio guide

If the audio does not load, refresh the page or open the file in a new tab. The transcript below covers the same topic so you can still follow along.

Audio transcript: Funeral Program Templates (updated)

Welcome, and thank you for listening. This is The Funeral Program Site, and this audio is here to help you create a funeral program in a way that feels clear and manageable, even if you are working on a short timeline. If you are the person putting the program together, you are probably carrying a lot right now. You might be coordinating family input, confirming service details, and trying to make decisions while your emotions are still catching up. So the first thing I want to say is this: you do not need to be a designer to create something beautiful and respectful. You need a good structure, accurate information, and a calm, readable layout. A funeral program template is a pre-designed layout that already includes the basic framework: the cover space, the order of service area, the obituary or life tribute section, and photo placeholders. The template handles the parts that are easy to get wrong when you start from scratch, like margins, spacing, alignment, and fold-friendly panel order. Your job is to replace the sample text with your loved one’s details and choose the photos and wording that feel right. Before you start typing, gather your essentials. You will want the exact spelling of the full name, important dates, the service location, the time, and the names of the people participating in the service. You will also want any readings, poems, or lyrics you plan to include. If several relatives are helping, ask them to send their text in one message each, so you can copy and paste instead of retyping. That one habit saves time and reduces errors. Next, choose a format that matches your content. A bifold program is the most common choice because it is simple and familiar: one sheet printed front and back, folded in half. It works well when you have a clear order of service, a short life tribute, and a few photos. If you have more content, like multiple poems, long lyrics, several photos, or an extended tribute, a booklet layout is often the better option because it gives you more space and keeps the text readable. Try not to shrink fonts just to make everything fit. If guests cannot read it comfortably, the program stops doing its job. Now let’s talk about photos. A cover photo sets the tone immediately. Choose an image that feels like them, looks clear, and shows a natural expression. For inside photos, you can include a few that represent different seasons of life: family moments, milestones, hobbies, or everyday memories. When you crop photos, keep the face centered and avoid cutting off important features. If an image is lower quality, it can still work inside at a smaller size, but a sharper photo is best for the cover. When you fill in the text, keep it clear and honest. The strongest programs are not the ones that use fancy language. They are the ones that feel true. For the life tribute, you can focus on relationships, character, and the details that made them unique. If you are writing an obituary-style section, keep it organized and consistent. If you are listing family members, double-check names carefully. Names and dates are the most common places for accidental mistakes, and those details matter. Here is a practical proofreading step: read the full program out loud, slowly. Then ask someone else to read it too. A second set of eyes catches small errors that you may miss after staring at the page for a long time. After that, save a print-ready PDF. A PDF helps lock the layout in place so it prints the way you see it on screen. Before you print the full quantity, print one proof copy. Fold it exactly how it will be handed out. Confirm that the cover is correct, the inside panels are in the right order, and the back panel contains what you intended. Look at it under normal indoor lighting, because that is how guests will see it. If something feels crowded, shorten the wording or choose a format with more space rather than shrinking the text. Finally, remember that the program can live beyond the service. Save the final file in a safe folder. You may want to print additional copies later for relatives who could not attend, or keep a clean copy in a memory box. A well-made program becomes part of the family record, and it can be comforting to revisit when you are ready. If you need more help, The Funeral Program Site offers program designs, practical guidance, and resources to support families through planning. You are doing something meaningful by creating this tribute, and it does not need to be perfect. It just needs to be clear, respectful, and true to the person you are honoring.

Helpful links

These links take you to key resources, including the main website, the funeral programs collection page, and a Google Maps link for directions and location planning.

DIY funeral program templates and design options

The Funeral Program Site offers a wide range of styles so families can choose a look that matches the tone of the service and the personality of the person being honored. Some families prefer a traditional, church-ready layout with subtle accents and classic typography. Others want floral designs, scenic backgrounds, modern minimal themes, or soft color palettes that feel gentle and comforting. What matters most is that the design stays readable and the layout keeps the service information clear for guests.

If you are unsure which style to choose, start with the cover. Pick a design that frames your photo nicely and provides enough contrast for the name and dates to be easy to read. Then look at the inside layout. Make sure the order of service area is clear and that the obituary or life tribute section provides enough space for the story you want to share. When the layout supports your content instead of fighting it, the process becomes simpler and the final result feels more peaceful.