Free help
How to print a funeral program
Ten minutes with this page saves a wasted stack of paper. Print one test copy before you print the rest.
Before you print
- A second person has checked every name, date, time and place against something written down.
- The photo is in place. A portrait-shaped photo with the face near the middle works best. Printers darken photos, so brighten it slightly first.
- The program is exactly two pages: the outside and the inside.
Paper
- US Letter, 8.5 x 11 inches.
- A heavier matte paper that doesn't show through: 28 lb or 32 lb, or "80 lb text".
- Memorial cards: card stock, "80 lb cover" or heavier.
- Avoid glossy paper; it cracks at the fold and shows fingerprints.
Printer settings
- Orientation: Landscape
- Print on both sides: Yes, "Flip on short edge". If you choose the long edge, the inside prints upside down.
- Scale: 100 percent ("Actual size"), not "Fit to page"
- Quality: Best or High
If your printer can't print on both sides, print page 1, turn the stack over and put it back in the tray, then print page 2. Test with one sheet first so you know which way to turn it.
Folding
Fold each sheet in half with the cover on the outside. Press along the fold with the back of a spoon or a ruler for a clean crease.
How many to print
Count the people you expect and add about one in five. Programs are kept, mailed to those who couldn't come, and tucked into Bibles and photo albums.
Using a copy shop
Save the file as a PDF first so nothing can shift on their computer, then ask for exactly this:
"Double-sided, landscape, flip on the short edge, on 32 lb or 80 lb text matte paper, folded in half. Please show me one before you run the rest."
Most shops can do it while you wait. Bring the file on a USB stick and email it to yourself as a backup.