Where to Print Funeral Programs, and What It Costs

You have the program designed, and now it needs to exist on paper by a certain day. Here are the places that print funeral programs, how each one works, and what drives the price.

First, decide how many

A reliable rule is the number of people you expect, plus about twenty percent, because people take extras and some are spoiled. Printing a few too many costs far less than going back for more. If the service is open to the public or streamed, lean higher.

Option 1: At home

Fastest, cheapest per copy at small quantities, and you can print more at any hour. Use heavier paper than copier paper and print at 100 percent. The work is folding. Our guide to printing funeral programs at home covers paper, settings and folding.

Option 2: A copy shop or office supply store

Many copy counters will print a PDF on better paper than your home printer, in colour, double-sided, and some will fold. Practical points:

• Bring a PDF, not a Word file, so nothing reflows.
• Say the finished size. A program that folds to 7 by 8.5 inches comes from a 14 by 8.5 sheet.
• Ask for the price per copy at your quantity, in colour, double-sided, and whether folding is included.
• Call ahead if you need it quickly. Whether a shop can print while you wait depends on its machines and how busy it is that day.

Option 3: An online printer

Online printers will print and mail programs. Prices drop as the quantity rises, but it is the slowest route unless you pay for faster shipping, so order well before the service. Check the dimensions, the paper and the file requirements, and whether the price shown includes the fold.

Option 4: The funeral home

Many funeral homes offer printing as part of their package. It is convenient, and you can ask what the program will look like and what the cost is before you agree. You can also ask whether they will accept a file you made elsewhere.

Option 5: Printed and delivered by us

If you made the program with Beautiful Obituary, you can have copies printed and mailed to you in the United States, from 25 to 250 copies. The price covers the copies, delivery and the print-ready file.

Those are for 25 copies with standard delivery, which is mailed and usually arrives in 1 to 5 business days after a couple of business days of printing. Two-day delivery costs a little more, and larger quantities cost less per program. The total and an estimated arrival date are shown before you pay, and they are estimates. Prices are plus applicable sales tax.

What makes the price go up or down

• Quantity. The per-copy price falls sharply as you print more.
• Colour and sides. Full colour, printed on both sides, costs more than black and white on one.
• Paper. Heavier or coated paper costs more.
• Folding and trimming. Some shops include it, some charge for it.
• Speed. Rush printing and fast shipping are priced as extras.

If you need it today

We deliver the print-ready file the same day: it is yours the moment you pay. Take it to a shop that can print while you wait, or print it at home, so the design and the writing are never what holds you up. Mailed copies are the slower route, so choose that only when the service is a few days away. Our printing page shows both.