Funeral invitation template
Make a free 5 x 7 invitation for a funeral, memorial service or celebration of life.
Do you send invitations to a funeral?
Usually not. Most funerals are open to anyone who knew the person, so the family announces them instead: in the obituary, on the funeral home's website, by phone, and on social media. Nobody needs an invitation to attend.
Invitations make sense when the gathering is not open to everyone, or when people need a date to plan around. That covers a celebration of life at a home, park, restaurant or hall where you need a headcount; a private or family-only service; a memorial service held weeks or months later; and a burial of ashes or anniversary gathering.
A funeral announcement card is the close cousin of an invitation: it tells people of the death and gives the service details, without asking anyone to reply. The same 5 x 7 card works for both. Leave off the RSVP line and it reads as an announcement.
What to include on a funeral or celebration of life invitation
Guests should be able to find the place and know what to expect from the card alone.
Put the name and the kind of gathering first, then the practical details in the order people need them: when, where, and what happens after. Everything else is optional. If the page gets crowded, move the extras to the online memorial and add a QR code that links there. The invitation shares its name, photo and design with the other free funeral templates, so a program or thank you card made later will match.
- The person's full name, and a nickname if everyone used it
- Dates of birth and death, or just the years
- The kind of gathering: funeral, memorial service, celebration of life, graveside service
- Day, date and start time
- The name and full street address of the place
- A reception or meal afterward, if there is one
- Dress code, only if it differs from what people would assume
- How to RSVP, and by when, if you need a headcount
- An "in lieu of flowers" line, if the family prefers donations
- A photo, if you like, on the front or beside the name
Celebration of life invitation wording
Copy the wording that fits your gathering and replace the details in brackets. Each works on its own or alongside the name and photo on the card.
Funeral service
Please join us as we remember and honor [Name]. A funeral service will be held on [day, date] at [time] at [place, address].
The family of [Name] invites you to a funeral service celebrating his life on [day, date] at [time], [place]. A reception will follow in the church hall.
With heavy hearts we share that [Name] passed away on [date]. Services will be held on [day, date] at [time] at [place]. All who knew her are welcome.
A funeral Mass for [Name] will be celebrated on [day, date] at [time] at [church, address], followed by burial at [cemetery].
Memorial service
You are warmly invited to a memorial service for [Name] on [day, date] at [time] at [place]. Please come and share your memories with us.
Please join us to remember [Name] at a memorial service on [day, date] at [time], [place]. Light refreshments will follow.
In loving memory of [Name]. Family and friends are invited to gather on [day, date] at [time] at [place] to give thanks for her life.
A memorial service honoring [Name] will be held on [day, date] at [time] at [place]. We would be grateful to have you with us.
Celebration of life, formal
The family of [Name] invites you to a celebration of his life on [day, date] at [time], [place, address]. Reception to follow.
Please join us to celebrate the life of [Name], [year] to [year], on [day, date] at [time] at [place].
In celebration of a life well lived. You are invited to honor [Name] on [day, date] from [time] to [time] at [place].
We invite you to a celebration of life for [Name] on [day, date] at [time]. Kindly reply to [name] at [phone] by [date].
Celebration of life, casual or backyard
Come celebrate [Name] the way she would have wanted: good food, good music and a lot of stories. [Day, date], [time], at [address].
Join us in the backyard for burgers, drinks and memories of [Name]. [Day, date], from [time] until the stories run out. [Address].
Dad never passed up a party, so we are throwing one for him. Please join us on [day, date] at [time] at [place]. Bring a favorite story.
An open house to remember [Name]. Drop in any time between [time] and [time] on [day, date] at [address]. Kids and dogs welcome.
Private or family-only service
A private service for family will be held on [day, date]. You are invited to join us for a celebration of life afterward at [time], [place].
The family will hold a private burial. We would love for you to join us for a gathering in [Name]'s memory on [day, date] at [time] at [place].
We are keeping the funeral small, and we would be honored if you would be with us. [Day, date], [time], [place]. Please keep this invitation to your household.
You are invited to a private service for [Name] on [day, date] at [time], [place]. Please reply to [name] at [phone] so we can plan.
Graveside service
A graveside service for [Name] will be held on [day, date] at [time] at [cemetery, address]. Please gather at [section or entrance].
Please join us at [cemetery] on [day, date] at [time] as we lay [Name] to rest. A lunch will follow at [place].
Family and friends are invited to a short graveside service for [Name] on [day, date] at [time]. Chairs will be provided; please dress for the weather.
We will gather to place [Name]'s ashes at [place] on [day, date] at [time]. You are welcome to join us.
A gathering months later or on an anniversary
It has been a year since we lost [Name]. Please join us on [day, date] at [time] at [place] to remember him together.
We held a small service in [month], and now we would like to celebrate [Name] with everyone who loved her. [Day, date], [time], [place].
On what would have been [Name]'s [number] birthday, please join us at [place] on [day, date] at [time] to share stories and raise a glass.
Please join us at [place] on [day, date] at [time] as we scatter [Name]'s ashes in a place [he or she] loved.
In lieu of flowers, dress code and RSVP
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to [charity] in [Name]'s memory.
Instead of flowers, please bring a favorite photo or story to share.
Please wear bright colors. She would have wanted it that way.
Casual dress, please. Wear your favorite team jersey if you have one.
Kindly reply to [name] at [phone or email] by [date].
Please let us know if you can come by [date], so we have enough food for everyone.
Celebration of life invitation examples
Four complete invitations, laid out line by line as they print on a 5 x 7 card.
Funeral service
Traditional, with a reception
In Loving Memory
Margaret Ann Sullivan
March 4, 1941 to October 2, 2026
Please join us for a funeral service
Friday, October 9, at 11 a.m.
St. Mark's Lutheran Church
412 Elm Street, Dayton, Ohio
Burial at Woodland Cemetery will follow.
Lunch afterward in the church hall.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made
to the Dayton Humane Society.
Celebration of life
Casual, in a backyard
Come celebrate
Luis "Lucho" Ramirez
1958 to 2026
Good food, good music, and all your best stories
Saturday, November 7
2 p.m. until the stories run out
The Ramirez home
88 Canyon View Road, Tucson, Arizona
Wear your brightest shirt. Lucho would.
Please reply to Ana at 520-555-0147 by October 30.
Memorial service, months later
Private burial first, open gathering later
Remembering
David James Cole
June 12, 1966 to July 20, 2026
The family held a private burial in July.
Please join us as we remember David together.
Sunday, September 27, at 3 p.m.
Lakeside Pavilion, Harbor Park
100 Shore Drive, Traverse City, Michigan
Light refreshments will be served.
Scan the code to see photos and leave a memory.
Graveside service
A short outdoor service, family and friends
In Loving Memory
Harold Ray Jensen
May 2, 1944 to September 30, 2026
Please join us for a graveside service
Tuesday, October 6, at 10 a.m.
Oak Hill Cemetery, Section C
2200 Oak Hill Road, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Please gather at the cemetery gate by 9:45 a.m.
Refreshments afterward at the Jensen home.
How soon to send the invitations
The right timing depends on the kind of gathering. These are common guidelines, not rules.
| Gathering | Usually held | Send the invitation |
|---|---|---|
| Funeral or visitation | Within about 3 to 10 days of the death | As soon as the date, time and place are set |
| Memorial service | Days to weeks after the death | About 1 to 2 weeks ahead |
| Celebration of life | Weeks or months later | About 3 to 4 weeks ahead, earlier if guests will travel |
| Burial of ashes or graveside service held later | Weeks or months later | About 2 to 4 weeks ahead |
| Anniversary gathering | Around the first anniversary | About 4 to 6 weeks ahead |
When time is short, send the invitation by text or email first and mail printed cards to people who do not use a phone or computer.
How to print and send the invitations
Print at home and cut
Print on card stock at 100% or "Actual size". Each Letter sheet makes two 5 x 7 in invitations, and most home printers handle 65 to 80 lb cover stock. Cut along the marks with a paper trimmer, or a metal ruler and a craft knife.
Mail in A7 envelopes
A 5 x 7 in card fits a standard A7 envelope (5.25 x 7.25 in). A single card under 1 oz mails with one First-Class stamp. Keep the address list: it makes the funeral thank you cards easier to send afterward.
Or share it digitally
Save the invitation as a PDF on a computer and attach it to an email or a Facebook post, or take a clear photo of a printed card and send it by text or WhatsApp. Include the address as text too, so people can tap it for directions.
Use a print shop for large numbers
Choose "Exact size" in the studio and take the file to FedEx Office, Staples or a local printer. It lays each invitation out at its finished size.
More free funeral templates
- All funeral templatesWhat to print for a funeral, how many, and by when.
- Obituary templateFill in the obituary and print it on Letter pages.
- Funeral programFolded 4-page program with the order of service and life story.
- Celebration of life programA relaxed order of events for a personal gathering.
- Prayer cardsWallet-size cards with a photo and a prayer, 6 to a sheet.
- Thank you cardsFolded cards with your message printed inside, 2 to a sheet.
Questions families ask
Do you send invitations to a funeral?
Usually not. Most funerals are open to anyone who knew the person and are announced through the obituary, the funeral home's website, phone calls and social media. Invitations are used for private services, celebrations of life, and memorial services held later, when the family needs a headcount or wants to reach people ahead of time.
Do you need an invitation to a celebration of life?
Not always. Many celebrations of life are open and announced like a funeral. When the gathering is at a home or a venue with limited space, or includes a meal, the family often sends invitations and asks for an RSVP. The same details can fill a celebration of life program for the day itself.
How do you write a celebration of life invitation?
Start with the person's name and the words "celebration of life", then give the day, date, time and full address. Add what happens there (a meal, music, sharing stories), any dress code, and how to RSVP. Keep the tone as formal or relaxed as the person was.
What should a funeral invitation include?
A funeral invitation should include the person's name and dates, the type of service, the day, date and time, and the full address of the place. Add the burial or reception details if there are any, and an "in lieu of flowers" line if the family prefers donations.
How soon should celebration of life invitations go out?
Send celebration of life invitations about 3 to 4 weeks ahead, or earlier if guests will travel. For a funeral held within days, share the details as soon as they are set, by text, email or phone first.
How do I notify people of a celebration of life?
Most families use several ways at once: a printed invitation for older relatives, a text or email for everyone else, and a post on Facebook or in a family WhatsApp group. The obituary and an online memorial page can list the details too, and a printable obituary template makes copies for relatives who are not online. One person keeping the list prevents anyone from being missed.
Is it okay to invite people to a funeral by text or on Facebook?
Yes. Sharing funeral and celebration of life details by text, email and social media is now common, especially when the service is only days away. Send a photo or PDF of the invitation and include the address as plain text.
How do you word an invitation to a private funeral?
Say plainly that the service is private and who it is for, for example: "A private service for family will be held on Saturday." If there is a wider gathering, invite people to that instead. For a small service by invitation, you can add "Please keep this invitation to your household."
How do I ask guests to wear bright colors to a celebration of life?
Add one short line near the bottom, such as "Please wear bright colors. She would have wanted it that way." Giving the reason helps guests feel comfortable skipping black.
What is the difference between a funeral announcement and an invitation?
A funeral announcement card shares the news of the death and the service details with everyone. An invitation asks specific people to a gathering, often with an RSVP. The same 5 x 7 card can be used for either; leaving off the RSVP makes it an announcement.
Can I print celebration of life invitations at home?
Yes. This template prints two 5 x 7 in invitations on each US Letter sheet of card stock, with cut marks. It is free with a Lovekept account, and can also be saved as a PDF on a computer for a print shop.
Make the invitation now
Add the name, the date and the place, pick the wording, and print or share it today. The same details fill the program and prayer cards if you need them.