When you lose someone you love, the funeral program is one of the first things the family has to put together, and usually on a tight deadline. It’s also something people keep for years. This guide walks you through every step: choosing a program style, writing the obituary, designing it yourself or with help, filling out our obituary form, and sending photos so they print sharp and clear.

If you’d rather talk it through, call us at (248) 470-9567. Our Detroit team helps families with funeral, memorial and homegoing programs every week.

1. Choose Your Program Style

Start with the size and number of pages. That decides how much room you have for the obituary and photos.

• Size: 5.5″ x 8.5″ is the most popular. 7″ x 8.5″ gives a little more room, and 8.5″ x 11″ works well for long obituaries and photo collages.
• 4 pages (bifold): a cover, two inside pages and a back. Enough for a short obituary and the order of service.
• 6 panel (trifold): three panels on each side. A nice middle option when you need a little more space.
• 8, 12 or 16 pages (booklet): stapled booklets with room for a full life story, tributes and photo pages.
• Paper: 100 lb gloss is our standard. Upgrade to a heavier cover stock for a sturdier keepsake.
• Quantity: count the guests you expect, then add 15–20% extra for family keepsakes and relatives who couldn’t attend.

You can see every option and get an instant price on our Funeral & Memorial Programs page.

2. What to Include in a Funeral Program

Not every program needs everything on this list. Use it as a checklist with your family and funeral home.

• Cover: full name (with a nickname in quotes if they went by one), a favorite photo, birth and passing dates (often written as “Sunrise” and “Sunset”), and the service date, time and location.
• Obituary: the story of their life (tips below).
• Order of service: processional, hymns, scripture readings, prayer, tributes, eulogy, recessional, with names of the people taking part.
• Officiant, pallbearers, honorary pallbearers and flower bearers.
• A favorite poem, scripture or song lyric (one that’s free to reprint).
• Photo page or collage, from childhood to recent years.
• Interment and repast details: where the family will gather after the service.
• Acknowledgement: a thank-you from the family for the prayers, food, flowers and kindness shown.
• Funeral home name, usually on the back cover.

3. How to Write an Obituary

There’s no single right way to write one, but most obituaries follow a simple order that makes them easy to read:

1. The announcement: full name, age, hometown, and the date they passed.
2. Their beginning: where and when they were born, and their parents’ names.
3. Their life: school, work, military service, church, marriage and the milestones they were proud of.
4. Who they were: their personality, hobbies, sayings and the things everyone will remember. This is the heart of the obituary.
5. Family: loved ones who passed before them (“preceded in death by”) and those left to cherish their memory (“survived by”).

Writing tips that help:

• Gather the facts first. Dates, full names and their correct spellings, schools, employers and church names. Ask a few relatives to help.
• Tell stories, not just a list. One short memory (“He never missed a Lions game, win or lose”) says more than a list of achievements.
• Write in past tense, third person. Example: “She loved to cook for her family every Sunday.”
• Mind the length. About 300–500 words fits nicely in a 4-page program. If it’s running past 600 words, consider an 8-page booklet so the type doesn’t have to be tiny.
• Agree on the family list. Decide together who is named individually. Phrases like “and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends” help make sure no one feels left out.
• Write it in Google Docs or Word first. It’s easier to share with family for edits, and you won’t lose your work.
• Read it out loud and have two people proofread every name and date.

4. Three Ways to Design Your Program

Option A: Design It Yourself in Canva

Canva is free and has hundreds of funeral program templates. A few setup steps make the difference between a file that prints beautifully and one that gets cut off:

• Use the finished size. Create a custom design at your program’s finished size (for example 5.5 x 8.5 in), with one Canva page for each page of the program, in reading order starting with the cover.
• Turn on the bleed. Go to File → Settings → Show print bleed, then stretch background colors and photos all the way past the edge.
• Keep text away from the edges. Keep names, dates and words at least 1/8″ inside the trim line (1/4″ is even safer) so nothing gets trimmed off.
• Booklets need pages in multiples of 4 (4, 8, 12 or 16). Add a photo or poem page if you’re one short.
• Use the original photos, not screenshots (more on photos below).
• Download it the right way: Share → Download → PDF Print, and check “Crop marks and bleed.”

Then upload your PDF when you order. Not sure your file is ready? Use our artwork upload page or call us and we’ll take a look.

Option B: Use ChatGPT as a Writing Helper

AI tools like ChatGPT can be a real help when you’re tired and the words won’t come. Treat it as a helper for the first draft, not the final word.

• Give it the facts as a list: names, dates, places, jobs, hobbies and a few favorite memories.
• Tell it the tone and length you want. Here’s a prompt you can copy:

“Using only the facts below, write a warm, faith-filled obituary for a funeral program, about 400 words, in past tense. Don’t add any details I didn’t give you. [paste your notes]”

• Fact-check everything. AI can invent details, mix up relationships or misspell names. Check every name, date and place against your notes.
• Make it sound like your family. Add your own words, sayings and stories. That’s what people remember.
• Use it to shorten. If the obituary is too long for your program, ask it to “trim this to 350 words without removing any family names.”
• Double-check poems and scripture. Compare scripture word for word with your Bible, and make sure any poem is one that’s free to reprint.
• Don’t let AI “fix” your loved one’s photo. AI photo tools can change facial features. Send us the original and we’ll handle the photo.
• Share only what’s going in the program. Leave out private information like Social Security or account numbers.

Option C: Let Our Team Design It

If you don’t have the time or energy right now, let us handle it. Add Professional Design when you order your funeral programs (starting at $75 for a 4-page program), then share the details through our Obituary Information Form. We build the design and send you a proof to review. Nothing prints until you approve it.

You can also schedule a consultation or call us at (248) 470-9567.

5. Tips for Filling Out Our Obituary Form

Our Obituary Information Form collects everything we need in one place. To make it go smoothly:

• Gather everything before you start: the obituary text, service details, order of service, names for the program, the acknowledgement, and your photos.
• Paste the obituary from your document instead of typing it into the form. It’s faster, and there’s less chance of typos.
• Type names exactly as they should print, including middle names, nicknames and “Jr.” or “Sr.”
• Leave blank any fields that don’t apply. You don’t need to fill in every box.
• Tell us about special touches: favorite colors, flowers, a favorite team, their church, or a theme that fits their personality.
• Upload your cover photo and other photos right in the form, or include a shared link (see below).

After you submit, our team reviews everything, contacts you if anything needs clarification, and sends a proof before printing.

6. Sending Photos: Email vs. a Google Drive or Dropbox Link

Photos are the most common reason a program gets delayed. Here’s how to send them so they print clear.

Email: fine for 1 to 3 photos

• Phones and email apps often shrink photos automatically. On an iPhone, if Mail asks what size to send, choose “Actual Size.”
• Most email services cap attachments at about 25 MB, so a lot of photos means several emails, and pictures get lost along the way.
• Put the loved one’s name in the subject line so we can match the photos to your order.

A shared link: best for 4+ photos or photos from several family members

• Full quality: the original files come through untouched.
• One place for everyone: cousins and siblings can all add their photos to the same folder.
• Google Drive: create a folder, upload your photos, click Share, change General access to “Anyone with the link,” then click Copy link.
• Dropbox: create a folder, upload your photos, click Share → Copy link, and make sure anyone with the link can view.
• The #1 mistake: a private link. If the link says “request access,” we can’t open it. Test it by opening the link in a private or incognito browser window.

Photo tips for the best print quality

• Send originals. Avoid screenshots and photos saved from Facebook or text messages, since those are compressed and can print blurry.
• Old printed photos: scan them at 600 dpi if you can. If you use your phone, lay the photo flat in daylight, turn off the flash, and shoot straight down to avoid glare.
• Name your cover photo “COVER” so we know which one goes on the front.
• Number collage photos (01, 02, 03…) if you’d like them in a certain order.
• For the cover, pick a clear, well-lit photo where their face is in focus. Brightness can be adjusted, but a blurry photo can’t be fixed.

7. Plan Your Timeline

• Standard turnaround is 3–7 business days after you approve the proof.
• Service coming up fast? Rush options (3 Day, Next Day and Same Day) are available, depending on when you order. Call us if your service is only a few days away.
• Leave time for the proof. Printing starts once the family approves, so choose one person to give final approval to avoid back-and-forth.

Final Proofreading Checklist

• Every name spelled correctly, including the funeral home and church
• Birth and passing dates double-checked
• Service date, time and full address correct
• Order of service matches what the officiant has
• The cover photo is the one the family chose
• Two different people have read it from start to finish

We’re Here to Help

Doorstep Printing has helped Detroit families honor their loved ones with funeral programs, memorial cards, bookmarks and more. Whether you send us a finished file or just your notes and a few photos, we’ll help you create something your family will treasure.

Submit Obituary Information  ·  Order Funeral Programs  ·  Call (248) 470-9567