How to Make a Funeral Order of Service: A UK Guide

In the UK and Ireland, the printed booklet handed to mourners is almost always called the order of service, and it has its own conventions. It is usually A5, often has a single photograph on the front with "In Loving Memory" above the name, includes the words of the hymns, and lists the crematorium committal and the wake on the back. If you have been asked to make one, this guide covers everything from the running order and the wording to the paper, the printing and the number of copies.

It is written for families arranging a funeral in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland, whether the service is in a parish church, a crematorium chapel, a natural burial ground or a village hall. For American-style funeral programs, see our funeral program timeline and our Christian funeral program guide.

Who makes the order of service?

There are three usual routes:

1. The funeral director produces it as part of their service, from your text and photographs. This is convenient, though designs can be limited, and you will usually go through one or two rounds of proofs by email.
2. A specialist printer designs and prints it, typically with a turnaround of a few working days.
3. The family makes it – in a word processor, a design tool or an online maker – and either prints it at home or sends a PDF to a local printer or the funeral director.

There is no right answer. Many families start with the funeral director's offer, then decide to make it themselves when they want a particular photograph, design or layout. If you take that route, tell the funeral director early, so they do not produce a second version, and ask whether they will print a PDF you supply.

How long is the service?

The length of the service shapes the order of service more than anything else.

• Crematorium services run in booked time slots. The length of a slot varies by crematorium – some are relatively short, and most offer the option of booking a double slot for a longer service. Your funeral director will tell you how long you have. The time includes the coffin coming in and mourners leaving, so the service itself is shorter than the slot.
• Church services are not usually time-limited in the same way, but if there is a crematorium committal afterwards, the church service must finish in time for the cortège to arrive for its slot.
• Natural burial grounds, halls and hotels set their own timings, and are generally more flexible.

If the service is in a crematorium with a short slot, an order of service with three hymns, four speakers and two readings will overrun. The celebrant or minister will help trim it, and the order of service should reflect the trimmed version.

Running orders

Church of England funeral

The Church of England's funeral service, set out in *Common Worship*, has a clear outline. The minister will plan it with you, but a typical order of service looks like this:

The Gathering

Entrance – the coffin is received into church

Sentences of Scripture

Introduction

Hymn – "The Lord's My Shepherd" (Crimond)

Prayer

Tribute – John Smith, son

Readings and Sermon

Reading – John 14:1–6

Sermon – The Revd Anne Taylor

Hymn – "Abide with Me"

Prayers

The Lord's Prayer

Commendation and Farewell

Hymn – "The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, Is Ended"

The Committal (if at the graveside or crematorium)

The Dismissal

Music as the coffin leaves

If the committal takes place at a crematorium after the church service, the order of service will usually say "The committal will take place at [name] Crematorium" and may include the words of the committal for those attending.

Catholic Requiem Mass

A Requiem Mass follows the order of the Mass, with readings, Responsorial Psalm, Gospel, homily, Liturgy of the Eucharist, Final Commendation and Farewell. Our Catholic funeral program guide explains each part. In the UK and Ireland, the Mass is often preceded by a reception of the coffin into church the evening before.

Crematorium service (Christian)

Entrance music – "Nimrod," Elgar

Welcome and opening words – The Revd David Owen

Hymn – "The Lord's My Shepherd"

Reading – Psalm 121

Tribute – Sarah Jones, granddaughter

Prayers and the Lord's Prayer

Committal

Blessing

Exit music – "Morning Has Broken"

Humanist or civil ceremony

Entrance music – "The Lark Ascending," Vaughan Williams

Welcome – Helen Price, celebrant

Thoughts on life and death

Tribute – Helen Price, with memories from the family

Reading – "Remember," Christina Rossetti – read by Lucy

Music for reflection – "Fields of Gold," Eva Cassidy, with photographs

Moment of quiet reflection

Committal

Closing words

Exit music – "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life"

See our non-religious funeral program guide for more on humanist and civil ceremonies.

Scotland

Scottish funerals in the Church of Scotland follow a similar structure, often with metrical psalms, and "The Lord's My Shepherd" sung to Crimond is especially traditional. At a burial, the cord-holders – usually eight close family members or friends – are named in the order of service, with each one holding a cord as the coffin is lowered. If you are including cord-holders, list them by number (Cord 1, Cord 2...) or simply by name, as the minister or funeral director advises.

Ireland and Northern Ireland

Irish funerals often include a wake, a removal (the coffin being brought from the home or funeral home to the church, sometimes the evening before) and a funeral Mass the following morning. The order of service may list the removal and the Mass, and frequently includes the words of hymns and the Prayer of the Faithful. Notices of the arrangements are commonly placed online, so the order of service can be more focused on the service itself.

The cover

The front of a UK order of service is usually simple and photographic:

• A heading, most commonly "In Loving Memory" or "A Celebration of the Life of"
• The full name – often with a familiar name in brackets or quotation marks, such as Margaret (Peggy) Evans
• The dates, usually in the form 12th March 1942 – 3rd November 2026 (or without ordinals: 12 March 1942 – 3 November 2026)
• The venue, date and time: St Mary's Church, Hampton – Friday 13th November 2026 at 11.00am
• A photograph

Other headings used in the UK:

• "Celebrating the Life of"
• "A Service of Thanksgiving for the Life of"
• "Funeral Service for"
• "Forever in Our Hearts"
• "Remembering"

Use the 24-hour clock or "11.00am" consistently, and check that the day of the week matches the date. Mismatched days and dates are a surprisingly common error.

Inside pages

For a four-page A5 order of service (an A4 sheet folded in half):

• Page 2: the start of the order of service, or a tribute/life summary
• Page 3: the rest of the order of service, with hymn words if they fit
• Page 4 (back): a poem, the committal and wake details, donations, thanks, and often a second photograph

Most UK orders of service print the words of the hymns in full, because many people no longer know them by heart and hymn books are not always available at crematoria. That means a four-page booklet quickly runs out of space. If you have two or three hymns with several verses each, step up to an eight-page booklet (two A4 sheets folded and stapled). Eight pages is extremely common for church funerals.

Hymns and music

Hymns chosen very often at UK funerals include:

• "The Lord's My Shepherd" (Crimond)
• "Abide with Me"
• "The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, Is Ended"
• "Dear Lord and Father of Mankind"
• "All Things Bright and Beautiful"
• "Morning Has Broken"
• "Amazing Grace"
• "How Great Thou Art"
• "Jerusalem"
• "Lord of All Hopefulness"
• "Make Me a Channel of Your Peace"
• "Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer" (Cwm Rhondda)
• "Be Still, My Soul"
• "Love Divine, All Loves Excelling"

Some of these – "Abide with Me," "The Day Thou Gavest," "Dear Lord and Father," "All Things Bright and Beautiful," "Amazing Grace," "Love Divine" and "Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer" – are old enough to be free of copyright in their traditional words. Others, including "Morning Has Broken," "How Great Thou Art" and "Make Me a Channel of Your Peace," are still under copyright, and copyright terms differ between countries. Churches typically hold a licence for reproducing hymn words in service sheets; if you are printing the words of a copyrighted hymn, ask the church, crematorium or funeral director how to include the licence acknowledgement.

Many crematoria have systems that play recorded music on request, and some families choose popular songs for the entrance and exit. Popular choices across the UK include "My Way," "Time to Say Goodbye," "Wind Beneath My Wings," "Over the Rainbow," "Angels," "You'll Never Walk Alone" and "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life." List the title and artist in the order of service.

The back page

The back page carries the practical information mourners need:

• The committal: "The committal will take place at Westerleigh Crematorium" or "Interment will follow at St Mary's churchyard" or "The family will attend the committal privately"
• The wake: "Please join the family afterwards at The Red Lion, High Street, for refreshments"
• Flowers and donations: "Family flowers only, please. Donations in memory of Margaret may be made to St Luke's Hospice, and a retiring collection will be taken at the door" or "Donations may be made online via [funeral director's donation page]"
• Dress code, if relevant: "Peggy loved colour – please feel free to wear something bright"
• Thanks: "The family would like to thank the staff of Ward 7 at the Royal Infirmary for their kindness and care"
• A poem or verse

Wording examples

Name and date lines

• "In Loving Memory of Margaret (Peggy) Evans, 12th March 1942 – 3rd November 2026"
• "Celebrating the Life of John Arthur Williams, 1938 – 2026"
• "A Service of Thanksgiving for the Life of Dr Elizabeth Anne Morgan"

Thanks

• "The family would like to thank everyone for their kind messages, cards and support over the past weeks."
• "Thank you for joining us today to celebrate Dad's life. He would have been delighted – and slightly embarrassed – to see you all here."

Notes for mourners

• "Mobile phones off, please – or on silent, as Mum would have insisted."
• "The service will be webcast for those unable to attend. Details from the family."

For many more ideas, see our funeral program wording ideas guide.

Size, paper and printing

Size

• A5 booklet (A4 folded): the UK standard
• A5 eight-page booklet: two A4 sheets, stapled in the fold – common for church services
• DL (99×210 mm) or square formats: occasionally used for more contemporary designs

Our maker produces the A4-to-A5 booklet as a standard option. For a full comparison of sizes, see funeral program sizes, paper and folding.

Paper

Paper in the UK is measured in grams per square metre (gsm). Everyday copier paper is usually 80 gsm. For an order of service, a heavier paper looks and feels better and stops photographs showing through: ask the printer for their recommendation for a folded A5 booklet. Silk finishes reproduce photographs well; uncoated papers feel softer and do not glare.

Bleed

If the design has colour or a photograph running to the edge, a printer will need 3 mm bleed on each side and crop marks. Our article on bleed, crop marks and fold marks explains this in full.

How many to print

Think about the number of people likely to attend – family, friends, neighbours, colleagues, clubs, the church congregation – and add some spares for people who could not come and would like a copy. Your funeral director, who has seen many funerals in the area, can usually give you a sensible estimate. It is better to have a few left over; many families post spares to relatives abroad or keep them in a memory box.

Timing

• Give yourself at least a day for proofs and corrections
• If using a printer, check turnaround times – some can produce orders of service within a day or two, others need longer
• If printing at home, print a test copy first and fold it

Photographs and tributes inside the booklet

Many families like to include more than one photograph. A few approaches that work well in an A5 booklet:

• A second portrait on the back page, often from an earlier stage of life – a wedding photograph, a young man in uniform, a mother holding her first baby.
• A small collage on the inside back cover of an eight-page booklet, with four to six photographs of the person with family, friends and pets.
• A single landscape photograph – a favourite view, a garden, a boat – behind the poem on the back page, lightened so the text remains readable.

Keep captions short or leave them out; a collage needs no explanation for the people in the room. Make sure every photograph is reasonably sharp at the size you print it, and that people in group photographs would be comfortable being included. Our article on choosing and preparing photos for a funeral program has detailed advice on scanning old prints.

Orders of service for people who cannot attend

Many crematoria and churches now offer a webcast or recording, and families often share the link with relatives abroad or friends who are unwell. Sending those mourners the order of service too helps them follow along: they can sing the hymns at home, know who is speaking, and feel part of the day. A PDF or an image of each page sent by email or message is enough. Afterwards, a printed copy posted with a short note is often treasured, particularly by older relatives who could not travel.

A proofreading checklist for UK orders of service

• Name spelled correctly, including the familiar name in brackets
• Dates correct, with the correct day of the week for the service
• Correct form of address for the minister (the Revd, Father, Canon, Rabbi, celebrant)
• Hymn titles and tune names correct (Crimond, Cwm Rhondda)
• Hymn words match the version the church or organist will use – some hymns have alternative verses
• Crematorium, cemetery and wake addresses correct
• Charity name exactly as the charity writes it
• Photo credit, if required

Our article on common funeral program mistakes and proofreading has a fuller list.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between an order of service and a funeral program?

They are the same thing. "Order of service" is the usual British and Irish term; "funeral program" is more common in North America.

Do I have to have an order of service?

No, but most families find it helpful, and mourners often keep them. For a very small or informal service, a simple card may be enough.

Should hymn words be printed in full?

At a crematorium, usually yes. In a church with hymn books, it is optional but common.

Can I include a photograph of the person?

Yes, almost all UK orders of service include a photograph on the front, and many include more inside or on the back.

How long before the funeral should orders of service be printed?

Ideally a day or two before, once the minister or celebrant has confirmed the running order. Allow extra time if a printer is producing them.

Making your order of service

You can choose the A4 booklet format in our funeral order of service template and fill in the running order, hymns, tribute and back-page details in one form, with the pages laying themselves out as you type. The watermarked preview is free; send it to the minister, celebrant or funeral director for checking. The print-ready files – a printer's PDF with 3 mm-equivalent bleed and crop marks, a home-printer PDF and high-resolution images – are $4.99 (see pricing).