Order of Service: What to Include and How to Get It Printed in Time
A plain guide to what goes in an order of service for a funeral or a wedding, including layouts, page counts and timing.
From the team at The Printing Shop.
An order of service tells guests what is happening and when, and gives them the words to any hymns or readings. There is no fixed format, so use this guide as a starting point and check the running order with whoever is leading the service.
Funeral order of service
For a funeral, this is often also a keepsake. A typical layout looks like this:
Front cover
- A photograph
- The person's full name, and perhaps the name by which they were known
- Dates of birth and death, or simply the year
- The date, time and place of the service
Inside pages
- Entrance music
- Welcome and opening words, with the name of the person leading the service
- Hymn or song, with the words if people will sing along
- Reading or poem, with the name of the reader
- Tribute or eulogy
- Prayers or a moment of reflection
- Committal
- Closing words and exit music
Back cover
- A thank-you from the family
- Where to go afterwards
- Donation details, if the family has chosen a charity
- A final photo or a short verse
Wedding order of service
A wedding order of service usually includes:
- Cover: the couple's names, the date and the venue
- Wedding party: parents, best man, bridesmaids and ushers
- Processional: the entrance music
- Welcome, and the introduction by the officiant
- Readings, hymns or songs
- Vows and rings
- Signing of the register, and the music played during it
- Recessional: the exit music
- Back cover: a thank-you, details of the reception and any photography requests
Civil and religious ceremonies differ. Civil ceremonies have limits on religious content, so check any readings and music with your registrar. For a church wedding, ask your minister.
How many pages?
| Service | Usual format |
|---|---|
| Short service | 4 pages (A4 folded to A5) |
| Several hymns or readings | 8 pages |
| Long service with full words | 12 pages or more |
Pages in a stapled booklet must add up to a multiple of four, including the cover. If your service comes to 10 pages, you might add a page of photos and a page of thanks, or cut some text to reduce it to 8.
Wording tips
- Check names and dates carefully, then ask someone else to read them again.
- Use the version of each hymn that your venue uses. Different books have slightly different words.
- Say who is speaking, and how they relate to the person, if you wish.
- Keep any poem or song words accurate, and ask your venue about copyright licences for modern songs.
- Do not worry about making it perfect. Short and sincere is always enough.
Photographs
Use the best image you can find, and send the original rather than a screenshot. Old printed photos can be scanned. A mix of photographs on the back or in the centre pages can be a lovely touch for a funeral. Black and white can give a unified look if your pictures come from different decades.
How many to print
Think about how many people you expect, then add 10 to 20% for funerals. Attendance is often higher than people expect, and those who could not attend may like a copy. For weddings, one per guest is usual, or one per couple if you want to save a little.
Timing
Funerals often happen within a couple of weeks and can come with little notice. Phone us with your date on 020 8133 4499, and we will tell you what we can do. Same-day printing may be possible once the proof is approved.
Weddings can be planned in advance. Aim to have the final wording about four weeks before the day, so that the details can be checked with your officiant.
If you do not have a design, we will lay out your order of service free of charge when we print it. Just send your wording and photo, and we will show you a proof before anything goes to print.