Who
The full name the family wants people to see, sometimes with a middle name or nickname: Margaret "Peggy" Ellis. The dates of birth and death, or just the years. A photo, if the family wants one. Some families add "beloved wife, mother and grandmother" or a similar line.
When
The weekday, the date and the start time. Write the weekday out, because it is the detail people remember: "Saturday, October 18, 11:00 AM." Check that the weekday really matches the date. If a visitation is held before the service, give it its own time.
Where
The name of the place and the full address with the city. A church, funeral home, chapel, cemetery or hall. For a large cemetery add the section; for a park add the pavilion. The share page adds directions and add to calendar, which helps guests who do not know the area.
What comes after
A reception, lunch or gathering, with its own time and place if it is somewhere else. If the burial follows the service and only family attends, say so: "Burial will be private."
Optional details
A dress code, such as "Casual dress" or "Please wear blue." Flowers or donations: "In lieu of flowers, donations to the Springfield Animal Shelter." Family names, such as "Survived by her children Laura and Mark." A contact for questions or replies. Keep these short; too many lines make the important ones harder to find.
What to leave out
The cause of death, unless the family wants it shared. A home address in anything that may be posted publicly. Promises you cannot keep, such as a livestream that has not been arranged.
Putting it together
For example wording, see funeral invitation wording. To see everything in a finished video, look at the funeral invitation video examples, or build your own with how to make a funeral invitation video. If the service is private, read the private service announcement.
A sample invitation with everything in it
Margaret "Peggy" Ellis, March 4, 1941 to October 12, 2026. "With love we invite you to say goodbye to Mom." Funeral service: Saturday, October 18, 11:00 AM, Grace Community Church, 120 Elm Street, Springfield. Reception to follow in the fellowship hall. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Springfield Animal Shelter. Questions: Laura, laura@example.com. That is everything most guests need, in nine short lines. In a video, the same content fits comfortably on a phone screen.
Order matters
People read from the top, and on a phone they may not read to the end. Put the name and the service first, then the reception, then the optional lines. If you have to cut something, cut from the bottom.
Visitation, wake or viewing
If there is a visitation, wake or viewing before the funeral, it is part of what people need to know. Give it its own line with its own day, time and place. Use the word the family and community use; in some places it is called a wake, in others a viewing or calling hours. If it is for family only, leave it out.
Getting the details confirmed
Before you write the invitation, confirm the details with the funeral home, church or venue. A time that is still tentative should not go out to a hundred people. If something is not confirmed yet, say "Details will follow" and send the full invitation later; how soon to send a funeral invitation explains the timing. When in doubt about any line, ask whether a guest would need it to arrive at the right place at the right time. If yes, it belongs in the invitation.
Checklist
- Full name
- Dates or years
- Weekday, date, start time
- Place and full address
- Reception or gathering
- Flowers or donations, if wanted
- Contact for questions, if wanted
About these guides
Written by Funeral Invitations, in plain language, for funeral directors and families. If anything changes about the videos or the price, we update the guides.