Creating a Downloadable Funeral Order of Service PDF: a practical guide

1) What you receive with a downloadable PDF

A downloadable funeral order of service from Utterly Printable is a high-resolution, print-ready PDF of your chosen design. It’s suitable for sending by email, sharing in messaging apps, displaying on phones or tablets, and printing at home or in any local print shop.

Key points at a glance

• Formats available: A5 portrait (148 × 210 mm) in 4, 8, 12 or 16 pages (booklets are always in multiples of 4).
• Flexible design: Add unlimited photographs, hymns, readings, a thank-you note, donation details and even QR codes. Reorder sections directly in the editor and proof changes instantly.
• Consistency with print: The same artwork we print in the UK is what you download—ideal for hybrid services where some guests attend and others follow along digitally.
• Peace of mind: Free downloadable proof; optional printed sample from £3.49 if you’d like to check paper feel and colour in hand.
• After ordering printed copies: A high-resolution PDF is supplied automatically as well, so you can still share digitally or arrange local reprints if needed.

If you later decide to order professionally printed booklets, we produce them on FSC-certified stocks using Canon iX presses, with standard or express turnaround. Full details and designs are on our funeral order of service templates page.

2) Sharing the PDF with remote guests (and running a hybrid service)

A downloadable PDF makes it simple for friends and family to participate respectfully, wherever they are.

• Email ahead of the day: Attach the PDF to your funeral announcement or reminder message. It helps guests prepare for hymns, readings and the running order.
• Messaging apps & devices: Share via WhatsApp, iMessage or similar. The file opens clearly on phones and tablets—ideal for those attending remotely or in church without a printed copy.
• Livestreams and tributes: If you’re streaming the service, you can include a QR code in the programme that points to the livestream or to an online donation page.
• Manage attendance online: To keep numbers clear and reduce phone calls, you can collect attendance replies online and share the PDF link with confirmed guests.
• After the service: Many families send a note of thanks along with the programme PDF. When you’re ready, our co-ordinated funeral thank you card templates make this easy.

Some families also like to prepare a small keepsake for the wake. Consider a favourite photo in one of our framed photo prints, or a gentle everyday reminder such as personalised mugs for close relatives.

3) Printing well at home or at a local shop

Whether you’re printing yourself or using a neighbourhood print shop, a few simple checks will give you a calm, professional result.

A. Home printing: step-by-step

• Paper size & orientation
  Your PDF is set up for A5 pages. To print at home, most people print two A5 pages onto A4 paper (double-sided), then fold to A5.
• Printer settings
• Choose Two-sided (duplex) and Flip on short edge (this keeps the inside pages the right way up).
• Set Scale to 100% or Actual size. Avoid “Fit to page”.
• Use High quality/BEST print mode for clear text and photographs.
• If your printer supports it, try borderless. Otherwise leave a comfortable margin so no text sits too close to the edge.
• Paper choice for home printers
• For a 4-page folded card, try a heavier card if your machine accepts it (commonly up to 200–250gsm; check your manual).
• For multi-page PDFs printed as a booklet, standard 120–160gsm paper gives a neat fold without bulk.
• Folding a 4-page card
• Lightly score the centre line with a blunt knife and ruler before folding; this prevents cracking on thicker stocks.
• Fold carefully to A5 and run a finger or bone folder along the crease.
• Do a test print
  Print one set first, check alignment, colours and page order, then proceed with the full run.

B. Local print shop: what to ask for

If you’re taking the PDF to a printer, these requests mirror our own production options and will help you achieve a similar finish:

• Folded 4-page card: Ask for 350gsm smooth white card or a 324gsm lightly textured off-white card for a more tactile feel.
• Stapled booklets (8, 12 or 16 pages): Request saddle-stitched A5 with a thicker cover and slightly lighter inner pages, such as 300gsm cover with 200gsm inners, or a textured upgrade like 324gsm cover with 216 gsm inners.
• Quantities & timing: Local printers can often turn booklets around quickly; however, if time is tight, we offer an express 1–2 working-day service on all formats (UK mainland).
• Sustainability: If this matters to you, specify FSC-certified stocks and fully recyclable materials—our printed booklets use these by default, and many local printers can match.

C. Pre-print checklist (save or screenshot)

• Names, life dates and venue details are correct
• Hymns, readings and page order are as intended
• No text sits too close to the edge; comfortable margins throughout
• Photos look sharp and well-lit (avoid very dark or low-resolution images)
• Duplex setting is Flip on short edge (for home printing booklets)
• For 4-page cards, score before folding to avoid cracking
• Print and check one copy before running the full batch

D. A note on what we do—and don’t—offer

• What we offer: Easy online personalisation (including unlimited photo uploads), page reordering, free downloadable proof, optional printed sample, and UK-based professional printing on FSC-certified stocks—with the option to micro-carbon-offset your order at checkout. You can keep editing after ordering until printing begins.
• What we don’t offer: We don’t deliver printed items outside the UK and Northern Ireland; and we don’t offer metallic foiling, embossing, spot UV, lamination or ribbon binding. Typos or layout mistakes can’t be refunded, so please proof carefully—our downloadable proof and printed sample exist for exactly this reason.

If you prefer to stay digital-only, that’s absolutely fine. The downloadable funeral order of service PDF stands on its own: simple to share, quick to update, and easy for overseas relatives to print locally.