Planning a celebration of life may be different from a regular funeral but it’s still having to make decisions whilst heartbroken. Deciding on things like music, photos and who’s going to speak. One of those decisions is the program – the printed booklet you hand out as people arrive.
If you’re having to put a celebration of life program together you might be struggling with where to start. What do you write on the front? It can put a lot of pressure on you when you’re going through a very hard time.
So this guide is to take you through what to put on each part of the program, from the front cover to the back, with wording examples you can use.
What to Include in a Celebration of Life Program
A celebration of life program is just an order of events on a piece of paper. It tells guests what’s happening and when, gives them the words to any songs or readings they might want to join in with and it’s something to they can take home afterwards if they want.
Unlike a traditional funeral program a celebration of life is usually a little more relaxed and personal. You don’t have to follow any rules or traditions. That said most programs include some version of the following:
- Front cover – your loved one’s name, their dates, a photo and something like a short line or quote
- A welcome or opening – a few words that opens the gathering
- The order of events – readings, speakers, songs, tributes and anything else happening
- Readings or poems – the full text of anything being read aloud
- A closing – a final thought, blessing or invitation to the reception
- Back cover – a thank you, a favorite quote, a photo or something that finishes it well
You don’t need to have every one of these. One sheet with a photo on the front and the order of events inside is good enough.
For more help I’ll go through each section with some wording you can use.
Front Cover Wording
The front cover is the first thing people see so it’s best to keep it simple. Most covers include the words “Celebration of Life” along with your loved one’s full name, the years they were alive and then a short line underneath. A photo is the most important part for the cover so you don’t need a lot of words.
Below are a few front cover layouts you can copy:
Celebration of Life
Margaret Anne Wilson
1948 – 2025
“Forever in our hearts”
******************
In Loving Memory of
Robert James Carter
March 12, 1955 – January 4, 2026
A life beautifully lived
******************
Celebrating the Life of
Susan Miller
1961 – 2025
Loved beyond words, missed beyond measure
******************
A Celebration of Life for
Thomas “Tom” Reynolds
1943 – 2026
Gone from our sight, never from our hearts
If you want more short lines for the cover our celebration of life quotes has some more ideas you can choose from. And if you’ve not sent the invites out yet we’ve got a whole guide to celebration of life invitation wording too.
Opening and Welcome Wording
Inside the program it’s nice to open with a short welcome. This is usually read aloud by whoever is leading the gathering but printing it means guests can follow along and it sets the tone for the whole day. Don’t be too formal as it’s not a funeral but is a celebration.
Welcome, and thank you for being here today.
We’ve gathered not to say goodbye, but to remember and celebrate the wonderful life of [Name]. Today is about the laughter, the stories and the love they left behind. So please, get comfortable, and let’s remember them together.
******************
Thank you for joining us as we celebrate the life of [Name].
They would have loved to see all of you in one room. Today we’ll share memories, shed a few tears and hopefully do a lot of smiling. That’s exactly how they’d want it.
******************
On behalf of the family, welcome.
We’re so grateful you’re here to help us honor [Name] and everything they meant to us. There’s no right way to feel today. Come as you are, remember them however feels true to you and know that your being here means the world.
The Order of Events Wording
This is the heart of the program. It shows the running order of what’s going to happen.
You can keep it as simple as a plain list or add a name and a note next to each part. You want it be easy to follow without making it a very inflexible timetable. Don’t print the times of each part minute to the minute.
This a straightforward version:
Order of Events
Welcome
Opening Words – [Name]
Musical Tribute – “[Song Title]”
Eulogy – [Name]
Sharing of Memories
Reading – “[Reading or Poem Title]”
Moment of Reflection
Closing Words
Reception to follow
And here’s a warmer version with a few descriptions added which makes it feel more personal:
Today’s Celebration
Gathering and Welcome
A Few Words from [Name], [relationship]
“[Song Title]” – one of Mom’s absolute favorites
Sharing Our Memories – we invite anyone who’d like to share a story to come forward
A Reading – “[Title]”, read by [Name]
A Quiet Moment to Remember
Closing and Thank You
Please join us afterward for food, drinks and more stories in the [location]
If a eulogy is part of the day you might find our eulogy examples and our collection of eulogy examples for a celebration of life helpful for whoever is speaking. And if someone’s raising a glass our guide on how to make a funeral toast is also going to be helpful.
Readings and Poems in the Program
If a poem or reading is being read it’s good to print the full words inside the program so guests can read along or keep it afterwards. Just list the title and who’s reading it in your order of events then print out the reading.
Something worth keeping in mind – a lot of well known modern funeral poems are still under copyright, so you shouldn’t reproduce them in full in a printed program without permission. Older, public domain works are safe to print in full.
If you need some ideas our roundup of funeral poems is a good place to find some and there are funeral prayers and catholic funeral readings too if something religious feels right for your family.
In the program a reading might be laid out like this:
A Reading
“[Poem or Reading Title]”
Read by [Name]
[Full text of the poem or reading goes here]
If you’d rather use a short quote than a full poem you can include one in wherever there’s enough space – under the order of events, on the back cover, beside a photo etc.
Closing Wording
The closing is usually just a sentence or two – a final thought, a thank you or an invitation to whatever comes next which could be a reception, maybe go scatter the ashes or just time to talk.
As we close today, hold onto the memories we’ve shared. [Name] lives on in every story, every photograph and every one of us who loved them. Thank you for celebrating a life so very well lived.
******************
Though today comes to an end, our love for [Name] never will. Please stay a while, share a story and keep their memory close. That’s the greatest tribute we can give.
******************
Thank you for being part of this celebration. Let’s carry [Name] forward in the way we live, love and remember. You’re all warmly invited to join us in the [location] for food and more memories.
Back Cover Wording
The back cover is usually the place for a thank you from the family and also a favorite quote or a photo. A short note of thanks goes a long way as guests took the time to be there.
The family of [Name] would like to thank you for your presence today and for the love and support you’ve shown. It has meant more than words can say.
******************
With heartfelt thanks from all of us. Your kindness, your memories and your being here have carried us through. Thank you for helping us celebrate [Name].
******************
“A life is not measured by the years we live, but by the love we leave behind.”
Thank you for sharing in the celebration of [Name]’s beautiful life.
If your family is going to send notes afterwards then our funeral thank you notes guide has wording you can use for that too.
A Full Celebration of Life Program Example
Sometimes it helps to see the whole thing laid out the way it should be. So below is a complete sample program you can use as a starting point for your own or add in your own names, songs, details etc.
This is written for a single folded booklet so the four sections roughly match the front, two inside pages and the back.
Front Cover
Celebration of Life
Eleanor Grace Bennett
1950 – 2025
“She turned every ordinary day into something worth remembering”
Inside – Welcome and Order of Events
Welcome
Thank you for joining us today to celebrate the life of our beloved Eleanor. She would have been thrilled to see so many familiar faces. Today is for remembering her the way she’d want – with warmth, laughter and a few good stories.
Order of Events
Gathering and Welcome
Opening Words – David Bennett
“What a Wonderful World”
Eulogy – Sarah Bennett
Sharing of Memories
A Reading – read by James Bennett
A Quiet Moment
Closing Words
Reception to follow in the garden room
Inside – Reading
A Reading
“[Title]”
Read by James Bennett
[Full text of your chosen reading or poem goes here]
Back Cover
With love and thanks
The family of Eleanor would like to thank you for being here and for every kindness you’ve shown. Please keep her memory close and, when you think of her, do so with a smile.
“Forever loved, forever remembered”
A Few Tips for Writing Your Program
Before you send anything to the printer there are a handful of things that can help you to get it just right:
- Read it out loud. It’s the best way to catch anything that sounds stiff or off.
- Double check names, dates and song titles. These are the details people notice and you’ll wish you’d caught them when it becomes obvious on the day.
- Leave a little white space. A cramped program doesn’t look good. A photo or a short quote in a gap does more than filling every inch with text.
- Print a couple of extra. People love to keep them and you’ll want one for yourself.
- Don’t chase perfect. A heartfelt program with a typo is better than a hundred flawless ones that feel cold. The formatting matters less than having it be right for your loved one.
Putting a celebration of life program together is one of the last things you get to do for someone you love. It won’t feel like enough, because nothing does. But the care you put into it will show and people will notice it.
