Funeral Program Proofreading Checklist Before You Print

Check the facts first

The most important proofread is factual. Confirm the person's preferred name, life dates, service date, time, venue, and address with the family or organizer. Check every speaker, reader, musician, and pallbearer name against a reliable list. Do not rely on an earlier draft when plans may have changed.

If you include memorial contributions, verify the organization name and destination. If you include a reception, check whether it is open to all guests and whether the printed directions are complete.

Read the four pages in finished order

A folded booklet is not read in the same order as two flat printer spreads. Review cover, first inside page, second inside page, then back. The biography should not unexpectedly follow the closing acknowledgments because a panel was placed on the wrong side.

Ask someone who did not build the design to read it once. They are more likely to catch a missing word, a repeated line, or a date that looks plausible to the person who typed it.

Inspect the printed test

Print one copy and fold it before producing the full quantity.

• Are all four pages upright and in the intended order?
• Are faces clear, and do photos crop as expected?
• Can a guest read the smallest text without zooming?
• Is text safely away from the fold and paper edges?
• Do the chosen paper and print settings preserve contrast?