Printing funeral programs yourself is a great way to add a personal and meaningful touch to honor a loved one at the memorial service. Funeral programs are an important piece to have for any funeral or memorial service as they let people know critical information about the event and help attendees prepare for the different parts. While the process may vary depending on the specific requirements and resources, we put a guide together to help you when it comes to printing funeral programs.
What kind of information is on a funeral program
Funeral programs typically contain key pieces of information related to the service and the deceased. That being said, there is a lot of room for customization and you do not need to include everything that someone else might include in one. Typical information included in a funeral program includes:
- A photo of the deceased
- Their full name
- Their date of birth and date of death
- An obituary or short biography
- Information about the service, including date, time, location, etc.
- Music selections or hymns with the lyrics if needed
- Favorite poems, text, scriptures, passages of the deceased etc.
- Reception details such as time and location if applicable
Again, this is not an exhaustive list and many funeral programs will not include all of these details, while others may include all of this and more. Depending on what the services involve, you may not even need a full blown funeral program. In some cases, a funeral announcement is more than enough to cover everything.
Creating an online funeral program
An online funeral program can be a great way to save money and share information quickly, however the major drawback here is that the attendees won’t have a physical memento to take home with them. Many funeral attendees keep handouts as a memento of the loved one being celebrated.
That being said, if you are on a budget you can opt to create your funeral program entirely online. There are many free resources that allow you to create a webpage with space to add in multiple events with the locations, times, and types of services. They also allow you to collect RSVPs and messages from attendees, which is a nice little bonus. If there are any changes that come up, you are able to make edits at any time and notify those planning to attend of any updates.
Creating a printed funeral program
If you want to create physical printed funeral programs, it’s important to find a reliable printing company to bring your programs to life. Many companies offer templates to help you create your program without having to start from scratch. This is especially useful if you are not a professional designer, as there are many things to keep track of when it comes to successfully printing.
Make sure that all of the necessary information needed is included in your funeral program design before submitting your order to avoid any errors in your final product. Having your funeral programs professionally printed will ensure that images are clear, consistent and high-quality.
Tips for printing your funeral programs
Proofread your funeral program
As with any published material, you will want to proofread it before you send it off to the printer. While you can do this step yourself, you should also consider having a fresh set of eyes look it over as well to make sure you did not miss anything.
Save your file as a PDF
Make sure you save your funeral program design file as a PDF. A PDF (short for Portable Document Format) is the universally accepted and preferred file format for the majority of print providers. A PDF can be set up to provide your professional printer with all of the information they need to print your project, including the color profile and embedded fonts. By providing your file in this format, you will alleviate any back and forth and help create a smooth printing process.
Print on high-quality paper
If you are going to print funeral programs, you should print them on high-quality paper. Don’t skimp out on this step, if you are putting in all of this work you might as well produce a high-quality product that people can hold onto. Many funeral attendees like to hold onto the programs and handouts as mementos.
Printing your funeral programs with Printivity
Printivity offers a variety of printing options to fit your needs. Whether you are printing a booklet style funeral program, or just need a brochure, you can work with our experts to craft the perfect program for your service. Printivity offers a variety of paper and finishing options along with top-tier customer service. If you don’t love your final printed product, we will reprint it at no cost or offer a refund. Get your print project started today and contact us as 1-877-649-5463.
