A burial invitation card tells people when and where to come, and asks them to be there. Once the burial dates are fixed, most families send the card on WhatsApp, and some also print it. This guide gives you burial invitation card wording to copy, for a printed card, for a WhatsApp message and for a letter to a church or society, with tips on the design.
What a burial invitation card must include
- Who is inviting. The family, the children, or a named person.
- Who has died. Full name with titles, and the age or dates.
- Each event, with its day, date, time and place.
- Directions, or a nearby landmark, if the place is hard to find.
- Dress code or family colour, if there is one.
- A phone number for questions.
Leave out anything not yet confirmed. A wrong time on an invitation is hard to correct.
An announcement and an invitation are not the same
- The announcement tells people that someone has died. It can go out before any dates are known.
- The invitation asks people to attend. It goes out when the dates, times and places are confirmed.
Many families combine the two in one card. If you have already announced the death, the invitation can be shorter. See funeral announcement wording.
Burial invitation card wording: samples for a printed card
Replace the words in brackets with your own details. Printed cards are more formal than messages.
A formal burial invitation card
With gratitude to God for a life well spent,
the family of the late
(TITLE AND FULL NAME)
requests the honour of your presence at the funeral rites of our beloved (father, mother, grandmother), who was called to glory on (date) at the age of (age).Service of songs: (day, date, time), at (place)
Funeral service: (day, date, time), at (church)
Interment: immediately after the service, at (place)
Reception: (place)(Name), for the family
Enquiries: (numbers)
A burial invitation card from the children
We, the children of
(TITLE AND FULL NAME)
(year of birth) to (year of death)
invite you to join us as we lay our dear (mother, father) to rest.(Day, date), at (time)
(Church or venue, with address)
Interment follows at (place).Your presence will comfort us.
(Names of the children, in order of birth)
A final burial invitation card
In some places the body is buried soon after death, and the main ceremony, often called the final burial or final funeral rites, is held later. The card should say so plainly.
The (surname) family of (town)
invites you to the final burial rites of our late (father, mother),
(TITLE AND FULL NAME),
who passed on (date) and was laid to rest on (date).Wake: (day, date, time), at (place)
Thanksgiving service: (day, date, time), at (church)
Reception: (place), from (time)Colour of the day: (colour)
Enquiries: (name and number)
A short burial invitation card
In loving memory of
(TITLE AND FULL NAME)
(age) yearsFuneral service: (day, date), (time), at (place)
Interment follows.The (surname) family
A Muslim burial invitation card
A Muslim burial takes place very soon after death, so the invitation is usually to the prayers held afterwards. Check the name of the prayer and the day with your imam.
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un.
(To God we belong, and to Him we return.)The family of the late (ALHAJI, ALHAJA) (FULL NAME)
invites you to the (Fidau, third day, eighth day, fortieth day) prayer for our beloved (father, mother), who returned to his Lord on (date).(Day, date), at (time)
(Place, with address)May Allah grant (him, her) Aljannah Firdaus.
Enquiries: (name and number)
An invitation to a thanksgiving or memorial service
The family of the late (title and full name) invites you to a service of thanksgiving for (his, her) life.
(Day, date), at (time)
(Church, with address)
Refreshments follow at (place).
For a card one year later, see one year remembrance messages.
Burial invitation messages for WhatsApp or text
A general invitation
The (surname) family invites you to the burial ceremony of our beloved (father, mother), (title and full name), who passed on at the age of (age).
Service of songs: (day, date, time), at (place).
Funeral service: (day, date, time), at (church).
Interment follows at (place).
Reception: (place).Your presence will comfort us. For enquiries, call (name) on (number).
A short invitation
You are warmly invited to the funeral service of (title and full name) on (day, date) at (time), at (place). Interment follows immediately. The (surname) family.
To close friends
Dear (name), we will lay (Mummy, Daddy) to rest on (day, date). The service is at (church) at (time). It would mean a great deal to us to have you there.
To people far away
The burial of our (father, mother), (name), holds on (date) at (place). We know the distance is great. If you cannot travel, you can join the service online here: (link). Thank you for your prayers.
To a group chat
Good day, all. This is to invite the members of (group) to the burial of (title and full name), (mother, father) of our member (name). Funeral service: (day, date, time), at (place). Kindly come in (uniform, colour). Thank you.
A burial invitation letter to a church, society or employer
Groups often need a letter before they can send people or take part.
Dear (title and name, or "The Chairman"),
Invitation to the burial ceremony of the late (title and full name)
I write on behalf of the (surname) family to inform you of the passing of our (father, mother), (title and full name), a (member, staff) of (group), on (date).
The funeral service will hold on (day, date) at (time), at (place). Interment follows at (place).
We respectfully invite the (group) to be present, and to (give a tribute, take part in the service) as custom allows.
Thank you for your support at this time.
Yours faithfully,
(name and phone number), for the family
Send letters early. Many groups meet only once a month.
Burial invitation card design
A clear card is better than a crowded one. These choices work on paper and on a phone.
- Size. A5 (half of an A4 sheet) is the usual printed size. For WhatsApp, a tall card that fills a phone screen is easiest to read.
- Photograph. One clear, recent photo, with the face well lit. Avoid group photos that have been cropped.
- The name comes first. Make the name the largest thing on the card. Dates and age sit just below it.
- Events in a list. One event to a line: what, day, date, time, place. Do not write them as a paragraph.
- Colours. Dark text on a light background is easiest to read. Many families use the family colour for the border or heading.
- No more than two typefaces. One for the name and headings, one for the details.
- Phone numbers at the bottom, large enough to read without zooming.
Some cards add "Colour of the day: (colour)". If there is family cloth for guests, say plainly whom to contact about it.
When to send it, and whom to tell in person
Send the invitation as soon as the dates are confirmed with the church and the venue. Two to four weeks before is usual when guests must travel.
In some communities, close relatives, in-laws and elders expect to be told in person or by a phone call, not by a forwarded card. Ask an older family member who should be visited. A call before the card arrives is never wrong.
If you need numbers for seating or food, add "Please let (name) know if you will attend, on (number)".
Before you send it
- Read the name and titles aloud to an elder.
- Check each date against a calendar, so that the day of the week matches.
- Confirm the times with the church and the venue.
- Ring the phone number on the card.
- Send it to one person first and ask them to read it back to you.
If something changes after it has gone out, send a new card clearly marked "Updated", and ask people to delete the old one.
Questions people ask
What do you write on a burial invitation card?
Who is inviting, the full name and titles of the person who died, their age or dates, and each event with its day, date, time and place. Add a phone number for enquiries, and the dress code if there is one.
How do you invite someone to a burial ceremony?
Send a card or message with the details, and follow it with a call to those closest to the family. A simple line is enough: "The (surname) family invites you to the burial ceremony of our beloved (father, mother), (name), on (date) at (place)."
When should burial invitations be sent out?
As soon as the dates are confirmed. Two to four weeks before the burial gives guests time to travel. Letters to churches and societies should go earlier, because many meet only once a month.
What is a final burial invitation?
It is an invitation to the main funeral ceremony when this is held some time after the body was buried. The card names both dates: when the person was laid to rest, and when the final rites will hold.
What size is a burial invitation card?
Printed cards are usually A5, which is half of an A4 sheet. Some families print A6, a quarter of a sheet, to save cost. A card made for WhatsApp should be tall, to fill a phone screen.
Can I send a burial invitation on WhatsApp only?
Yes. Most invitations now go out this way. Print a small number for elders, in-laws and groups that expect a card or letter in the hand.
From invitation to programme
The invitation uses the same details as the cover and arrangements page of the funeral programme. Keep them the same in both. See what goes in a funeral programme, and the burial checklist for what else to arrange.
Make the card free with Homegoing
Homegoing's free poster maker sets out the name, photo, dates and each event as a card you can send on WhatsApp or print. Open the free poster maker