The order of service is the running order of the funeral itself: who speaks, what's read, what's sung, in what order. It's also the printed booklet handed out at the door so guests can follow along — that's the artefact most people mean when they say "the order of service".

This guide walks through the typical structure of a UK funeral service, what's commonly included for different kinds of service (Christian, humanist, civil, multi-faith), and what choices you actually have to make.

The standard arc

Almost every funeral service in the UK — religious or not — follows the same basic shape:

  1. Entry (music as people arrive, then the coffin enters)
  2. Welcome from the celebrant or clergy
  3. Opening words / prayer / reading
  4. Hymn or song
  5. Tribute / eulogy
  6. Reading or reflection
  7. Hymn or song
  8. Committal (the formal farewell)
  9. Closing words / blessing
  10. Exit music

Total length: usually 30-45 minutes. A crematorium service is often slightly tighter (~30 mins). A church or chapel service can run 45-60. Wakes happen separately, usually straight afterwards at a venue you've booked.

Christian service (Church of England)

A typical CofE order, in detail:

Catholic Funeral Mass

A Requiem Mass is longer (~60 minutes) and follows the structure of a normal Mass, with prayers and readings specifically for the dead:

Humanist service

Humanist funerals don't include religious content — no hymns, no prayers, no scripture. Instead, the focus is entirely on the person's life, their values, the relationships they had, and what they leave behind.

Common humanist readings: Henry Scott Holland's Death is Nothing at All, Mary Elizabeth Frye's Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep, Christina Rossetti's Remember, Dylan Thomas's Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night.

Civil (non-religious or semi-religious) service

A civil celebrant will work with you to design a service that includes whatever spiritual elements you want, without being tied to one denomination. Could include a hymn or two for traditional comfort, a Bible reading because the deceased grew up Methodist even if the family isn't religious, alongside personal music and secular readings. Very flexible — you choose.

Multi-faith service

For families spanning more than one faith tradition (very common in north-west London, for example, where Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Jewish and non-religious families often share neighbourhoods), a celebrant who knows multiple traditions can weave them respectfully into a single service. The funeral director is the best person to ask for a recommendation.

Choosing the music

Three pieces of music are typical:

  1. Entry music — as people arrive and the coffin comes in. Often slower, contemplative.
  2. Reflection music — a quiet moment in the middle of the service.
  3. Exit music — as people leave. Often more uplifting — many families now choose something the deceased loved, regardless of "appropriateness".

Modern crematoriums have a digital music library and will play almost anything. Some celebrants have heard My Way so often they want to scream — but it's still the right song if it's what was wanted.

The printed booklet

The order of service handed to guests at the door is typically a 4-page A5 booklet (one A4 sheet folded in half). The standard layout:

For services with multiple full-text hymns and readings (more than one A5 page can hold), you may need a separate hymn sheet in addition to the booklet — a single A4 portrait sheet with all the lyrics and reading text, handed out alongside. This is the standard approach in most CofE and Catholic services.

You can produce both yourself with a home printer for a small service, or send to a professional print-shop for larger gatherings (50+ copies). mymemorial.day generates both the booklet and the hymn sheet automatically from a single editor — including a print-shop-ready PDF with proper bleed and crop marks if you're using a professional printer.

What you actually have to decide

If this all feels like a lot, here's the short version of what you'll be asked:

  1. Religious, civil, or humanist? (And if religious, which faith?)
  2. Burial or cremation?
  3. Open or closed coffin during the service?
  4. Two hymns? Or one hymn and one piece of recorded music? Or no hymns at all?
  5. Who delivers the eulogy? (Family member, friend, or the celebrant?)
  6. One reading or two? Religious or secular?
  7. Entry music, reflection music, exit music — three songs total
  8. Donations in lieu of flowers? To which charity?
  9. Wake — yes, no, where?

Your funeral director and celebrant will walk you through every one of these. There are no wrong answers, and there's no "correct" funeral. The right service is the one that feels true to the person you're saying goodbye to.