How to send a funeral invitation and ask people to a funeral

How to write a funeral invitation or letter

Many people have experience writing invitations for events such as birthday parties, but you may feel unsure on how to appropriately ask friends and family to pay their respects at a funeral or memorial service.

It’s important to know that your invite can be both thoughtful and informative without needing to be complicated or elaborate. Try including details such as:

• A happy photo of the loved one
• The time, date and location of the funeral
• Information about the wake if one is taking place
• A brief homage to the deceased, including where they lived and what they did
• Information regarding flowers or charity contributions in lieu of flowers
• Whether the service is private or public
• RSVP details

Consider using phrases like ‘respectfully invite you’, ‘thoughtfully’, ‘the funeral service in loving memory of’, ‘rest in peace’ and ‘to celebrate the life of’ at the beginning of the invitation. You may also want to include who the person is to you, such as a loving husband or father.

It’s a good idea to also mention any special requests your loved one may have had, such as what they would like people to wear to the funeral.

Do you send invitations to a funeral?

Invitations are traditionally sent in the mail with more personal invites made over the phone. More recently, however, technology has made invitations quicker and easier to share with friends and family online.

Social media can be used to help you notify friends and family anywhere in the country or across the world to both the passing of your loved one and the funeral service without the need for physical invitations.

Consider starting a private Facebook page where people can share memories of the deceased, view the order of service and confirm their attendance to the funeral at the touch of a button.

MuchLoved, the online tribute service, is also a great way to share the funeral details and for friends and family to leave messages of condolence, as well as donate to charities in memory of the deceased. This free service is available at all Funeral Partners funeral homes.

Emails invitations can reach people who may not be connected on social media and remains one of the most popular ways of inviting family and friends.

You may wish to make a public announcement of your loved one’s death by placing an obituary in the local newspaper. This usually describes the life and personality of the person who has died, as well as the details of the upcoming funeral service. The costs will vary by each publication.