How to Make a Funeral Program — And Lead Guests to Something More Meaningful

In the middle of grief, someone has to make the funeral program. It usually falls to whoever is already handling everything else — the eldest sibling, the spouse who's barely sleeping, the organized friend who steps up because someone has to.

And the task, which sounds small, turns out not to be. A program is the physical thing people hold during the service. They read it in the pew. They tuck it into a pocket or a purse. Some families find them years later in coat pockets and desk drawers. It matters more than it seems.

This guide walks you through exactly what to include in a funeral program, how to design one even if you have no design experience, and — crucially — how to use it as a bridge to something that outlasts the service itself.

What Is a Funeral Program?

A funeral program (also called a memorial service program or order of service) is a printed document distributed to guests at the service. It serves two purposes: it guides attendees through the order of the service, and it serves as a keepsake that commemorates the person's life.

Programs range from a single folded sheet to a multi-page booklet. There's no requirement to make it elaborate — a thoughtful, simple program with a good photo and accurate information is far better than an over-designed one that causes stress to produce.

What to Include in a Funeral Program

Every funeral program is different, and you should feel free to include or omit anything based on the service and the person being honored. That said, here are the elements most families include:

How to Design a Funeral Program

You don't need a graphic designer or expensive software. Most families create programs using tools they already have access to — or free tools that are straightforward to use.

Format options

The most common format is a single 8.5" x 11" sheet folded in half to create a four-panel booklet. This gives you a front cover (photo and name), two inside panels (biography, order of service, readings), and a back panel (family list, acknowledgments, or an additional photo). For longer services or more content, a tri-fold or multi-page booklet works well.

Design tools

Microsoft Word and Google Docs both have sufficient layout capability for a simple program — use columns and text boxes to organize content. Canva offers free funeral program templates that are easy to customize with your own photos and text. Adobe Express is another free option with more design flexibility.

Fonts and colors

Stick to one or two fonts — a serif font like Georgia or Garamond for headings, and a clean sans-serif for body text. Muted, warm tones (cream, soft gray, sage, dusty blue) tend to feel more appropriate than bright colors, though you should reflect the personality of the person being honored. Some families choose colors that were meaningful to the deceased.

Photos

Use the highest-resolution photos available. A blurry cover photo printed at 8.5" x 5.5" will be visibly pixelated. For interior photos, scan physical prints at 300 DPI or use digital originals. A collage of 3–4 photos on the back panel is a beautiful touch — one from childhood, one from their prime years, one recent.

The Part Most Programs Miss: What Comes After

Here's something worth thinking about. A funeral program is a document for one day. People hold it during a two-hour service. Some keep it. Many don't. The photos people took at the reception go to their phone camera roll. The story the college roommate told in the parking lot never gets written down. The video someone's cousin recorded on their phone sits unwatched in a folder.

The service ends. And with it, in many ways, the organized gathering of memory ends too.

It doesn't have to work that way.

Adding a Tribute Wall to Your Funeral Program

A TributeWell tribute wall is an online memorial page where family and friends upload photos, videos, and messages — without creating accounts, without downloading apps, without any friction at all. They scan a QR code or tap a link and immediately contribute.

When you include that QR code and link in the funeral program, something changes. Every person who attends the service leaves with a way to contribute. The college roommate who flew in from Portland can upload photos from thirty years ago. The neighbor who couldn't make it can still leave a message. The grandchildren can share the video from last Thanksgiving.

And it keeps going. On the one-month anniversary. On what would have been their birthday. Whenever someone finds an old photo and wants to share it somewhere it will be seen and kept.

What to include in the program

Add a small section on the back panel of the program — or inside if space allows — with the following:

That's all it takes. One small addition to the program, and every person who leaves the service has a direct path to contribute their own piece of the memory.

When to Set Everything Up

The ideal sequence, working backward from the service date:

• 3–5 days before: Create the TributeWell tribute wall and add the first few photos yourself. A tribute wall with some content already on it is far more inviting to guests than an empty page.
• 2–3 days before: Finalize the program design. Add the QR code and link. Print a proof.
• 1–2 days before: Print the full run. Text the tribute wall link to close family so they know it exists before the service.
• Day of service: If possible, have someone display a printed sign with the QR code at the entrance — not everyone takes a program or looks at the back panel.
• After the service: Share the tribute wall link again in a family group chat or email. Some of the most meaningful contributions arrive in the days and weeks that follow.

Common Questions

Does the program have to follow a specific format?

No. There's no universal standard for funeral programs. Religious services often follow an established liturgical order, which the officiant or funeral home can provide. For non-religious or celebration of life services, you have complete flexibility to structure it however feels right — even something as simple as a timeline of the person's life works beautifully.

How many programs should I print?

A general rule is to estimate your expected attendance and add 15–20%. Families often want extra copies as keepsakes, and people sometimes take two — one for themselves and one for a family member who couldn't attend. It's always better to have extras than to run short.

What if I don't have a good recent photo?

Use the best photo available — a beloved older photo is far better than a poor-quality recent one. An image that captures who they really were matters more than recency. If you're struggling to find photos, setting up the TributeWell tribute wall early and asking family to upload what they have is a great way to quickly gather options.

Can I create a program if I'm not tech-savvy?

Yes. Google Docs is free, works in any browser, and has simple enough formatting tools to create a clean program. Many funeral homes also offer program design services or can recommend local vendors who specialize in this. Focus on the content first — photos, names, dates, the order of service — and the design will follow.

How do I add the TributeWell QR code to the program file?

Once you create your TributeWell memorial, download the QR code as a PNG image file. Insert it into your program document the same way you'd insert any photo — in Word, use Insert → Picture; in Google Docs, Insert → Image. Resize it to at least 1.5 inches square for reliable scanning when printed.