How to Create Funeral Programs, Prayer Cards and Other Printed Materials
While is certainly isn’t mandatory, many people choose to create funeral programs, prayer cards, obituary pamphlets, memorial posters, guest books and other custom printed materials for the funeral or memorial service of a loved one. If you’d like to have one or more of these at a funeral you’re planning, you there are several easy ways to get this done.
1. Order prints through your funeral home
Most funeral homes sell packages that include printing programs and/or guest books, and you always have the option to order any item or service from a funeral home a la carte. Ask to see examples of materials the funeral home has printed for other funerals, as printing quality can vary greatly between funeral homes. While design and paper options may be limited when ordering through your funeral home, this is often the easiest way to order printed goods without doing extra work. Keep in mind that most funeral homes charge a higher price for most items you can buy elsewhere, so ask about pricing and compare those prices to what you find online.
2. Order prints online
Ordering prints online is almost as easy as ordering through a funeral home, and it will give you a wider selection of design options. (You’ll often find more competitive prices, as well.) Several website specialize specifically in printing for funerals, and offer short turnaround times. Websites like Funeral Prints, Life Heart & Legacy, and Zazzle all have options for overnight or 2-day shipping. Additionally, if you feel like having a highly customizable funeral program or prayer card, ordering prints online is a good way to go due to the multiple templates that many online printers offer.
3. Design and print yourself
If you want your printed materials to feel personal and unique, consider designing them yourself. If you’re artistic, you may be able to design them on your computer yourself, but even if you’re not naturally artsy, you’re not out of luck. There are lots of places that you can find free, editable templates online that you can print at home or at your local printing store. If you're not sure where to start, it's a good idea to look on YouTube for some designing tutorials to get you started. Some programs you can look into include Illustrator, GIMP, Photoshop, Paint, and Preview.
4. Go digital
Especially in the case of a funeral guestbook, gathering people’s thoughts, stories and comments online can make it easy for everyone who knew your loved one to participate—even those who aren’t able to make it to the funeral themselves. You can create a free memorial website in minutes and share the link to collect memories and photos of the deceased. A memorial website is also a great place to share funeral details, eulogies, prayers and more in a place that will never get lost. You can also add favorites, add a timeline of someone's life, and request different ways for your community to help you in your time of need. Much of this information wouldn't be practical to include in a prayer card or funeral program, so even if you have plans on purchasing funeral cards, making a memorial website is a good idea as well.
