The front cover
The cover carries the person's full name, their dates, and usually a photograph — the one that looks most like them, rather than the most formal one. Underneath, the date, time and place of the service. Some families add a line such as "A celebration of the life of" or "In loving memory of"; some prefer just the name. Either is right.
The order of the service itself
This is the running order, in the sequence it will happen, and it is what the booklet is named for. The officiant — the celebrant, minister or priest — will give you this, and it is worth waiting for their version rather than guessing, because they will have thought about the timing. A typical order runs something like:
- Entrance music
- Words of welcome
- A hymn or song
- A reading or poem
- The eulogy or tribute
- A second hymn, or a piece of music with a tribute video
- Prayers or a moment of reflection
- The committal or farewell
- Closing words and exit music
Hymns, songs and readings in full
Where the congregation will be singing, the words go in the booklet in full so that everyone can join in — this is the single most useful thing an Order of Service does on the day. Readings and poems are usually printed in full as well, so that people can follow, and so that the family has them afterwards.
If a song is being played rather than sung, its title and the artist are enough. The words to a recorded song are protected by copyright, and printing them in full is not something a printer will generally do.
Photographs
Beyond the cover, photographs can go almost anywhere: a childhood picture beside the eulogy, a wedding photograph beside a reading, a run of family pictures across the middle pages. A longer booklet is often built around a photo tribute of a page or two, and it is the part people linger over at the wake. Choose photographs where the face is clear, and send the originals rather than screenshots if you can — print shows every pixel.
The back cover
The back is for the practical things and the thanks. Details of the wake or reception and how to get there. Where donations can be made in lieu of flowers, if that is the family's wish, with the charity named. A short thank-you from the family to everyone who came, and to anyone who helped. And very often a final photograph, or a line of a poem, or a few words that were theirs.
How many pages, and how many copies
Booklets are usually 8, 12 or 16 pages. 8 pages covers the order of the service, a hymn or two and a handful of photographs, and is right for most services. 12 leaves room for readings, poems and a fuller run of photographs. 16 makes a keepsake, with room for extended tributes and a longer photo section.
For copies, count the people you expect and add a quarter: some will take two, and spares are kept by the family and posted to those who could not come. A quiet service might need 25; a well-attended one 100 or 150. Running out on the day is the one thing you cannot fix afterwards, and the extra copies cost far less than the first ones.
Before it goes to print
Check the names, the dates and the spellings, then ask someone else to check them again. Confirm the running order with the officiant one last time — they do change. And make sure the printer's timings work back from the service date with a day to spare, because printed booklets that arrive the morning after are no use to anyone.