Finding the right words for a funeral tribute can feel like an enormous task when you are grieving. You want to honour their life, support the people in the room and still sound like yourself. The Essential Guide to Writing Funeral Tributes is created to sit quietly beside you and turn that pressure into a gentle, step by step process.
What this guide helps you do
This guide starts by explaining what a tribute is and how it fits alongside eulogies, order of service messages and online memorials. Instead of trying to cover every year and every achievement, you are helped to focus on a simple, human picture of the person: what they were like to be around and how they will be remembered.
You are never left staring at a blank page. Clear, practical tools walk you from first memories to finished tribute:
- Understand the different kinds of tribute and choose the format that suits the service and your role.
- Decide on a main theme, such as kindness, humour or resilience, so your words feel focused rather than rushed.
- Gather stories and small details using gentle prompts and questions you can share with family and friends.
- Turn those notes into a short, flowing piece of writing that feels natural to say out loud.
Support with memories and writing
Grief can make even the happiest memories feel out of reach. The guide offers simple ways to bring them back into focus. You are invited to look at photos, favourite places, everyday objects and messages to spark specific moments. You then learn how to shape those moments into small scenes so the person feels present on the page.
You are given adaptable outlines for very short tributes, longer pieces and printed messages, along with example tributes for different relationships and levels of faith. These examples offer structure and language to borrow, while still leaving space for your own voice.
Support for sharing the tribute
The guide also prepares you for sharing your words, whether you are speaking at the funeral, contributing to the printed order of service or posting the tribute online. There is calm, practical advice on reading aloud and pacing, plus reassurance that it is alright to become emotional. Short checklists help you know what to print, who to share copies with and what to do if you become too overwhelmed to continue.
Who this guide is for
The Essential Guide to Writing Funeral Tributes is suitable for family members, friends, colleagues and community leaders who want to offer a thoughtful, sincere tribute without feeling alone in the process. It also includes gentle guidance for helping children and teenagers contribute a few words if they wish to. If you are unsure where to start, this guide offers a steady voice and clear structure so you can honour their life in a way that feels true to you.