A memorial card is a small printed card given to guests at a funeral — something to take home, to keep in a wallet or a pocket book, to come across months later and remember. At their best, they are not just a memento of the day. They are a small, lasting portrait of the person.
A brief history — and where Fitting Farewell fits
Memorial cards have a long tradition, particularly in Irish Catholic communities where they have been a standard part of funerals for generations. There are well-established providers who serve that market well, producing cards with sacred images, prayers and traditional religious verse. If that is what your family is looking for, those providers are easy to find.
Fitting Farewell works in a different space. Our memorial cards are non-religious by default — personal, design-led, and created around the individual rather than selected from a fixed range. They are chosen by families who want something that feels specifically like the person: a photograph taken somewhere they loved, a quote that captures who they were, a design that reflects their character rather than a standard format.
They are also frequently ordered alongside an order of service, designed in the same visual language — the same colours, the same imagery, the same design sensibility — so that the two pieces belong together. A family that achieves that has created something genuinely coherent: a set of keepsakes that tells a consistent story about the person and the day.
What is a memorial card?
A memorial card is a small, high-quality printed card — typically A6 or A7 in size — given to guests at a funeral service or sent to those who were unable to attend. Most carry a photograph on one side and a poem, verse or personal message on the other. Folded memorial cards offer more space: a design or photograph on the front, personal content inside, and a closing thought or dedication on the back.
All Fitting Farewell memorial cards are printed on 350gsm card — substantial enough to feel considered in the hand, and durable enough to last. We offer three formats:
- A7 folded — a small folded card with four sides of content. The most popular format, and the one that gives the most space for personalisation.
- A6 single sided — a flat card with the design on one side. Clean and simple.
- A6 double sided — content on both sides, giving more room for a photograph, a poem or a message without folding.
What to include on a memorial card
There is no fixed format. These are the elements families most commonly include:
- A photograph — ideally one that captures the person as they were at their best: a candid shot, a favourite place, a moment of happiness. We can retouch older or lower-quality photographs.
- Their name and dates — simply stated. Some families add a short description: beloved father and grandfather, or a nickname the family used.
- A poem or verse — one of the most common additions. It does not have to be a well-known funeral poem; many families choose something the person loved, or a few lines that say what the family wants to say. We have a guide to poems for memorial cards if you are looking for ideas.
- A short message from the family — sometimes just a sentence, sometimes a small tribute.
- Dates and location of any memorial or grave — a thoughtful addition that means people can visit in the future.
Matching your memorial card to your order of service
One of the decisions families sometimes overlook is whether to order memorial cards and an order of service together. When both are designed by the same person at the same time, they can share the same design language — the same palette, the same imagery, the same overall feel. The result is a pair of keepsakes that belong together, rather than two separate items that happen to reference the same person.
This matters more than it might seem. The order of service is handed to guests as they arrive; the memorial card is what they take home. When the two feel connected, the day has a sense of intention and care that people notice. It signals that someone thought carefully about every part of it.
At Fitting Farewell, when a family orders both, their designer works across both pieces from the start — ensuring the design is coherent without being repetitive. Each piece works on its own; together, they work better.
When and how memorial cards are distributed
Most memorial cards are laid out alongside the order of service as guests arrive, or handed to each person as they leave. Some families prefer to send them by post in the weeks after the service — particularly to reach friends and relatives who were unable to be there in person. Paired with a thank-you card, a posted memorial card is a thoughtful way to include those who attended from a distance.
Families often keep a number of copies themselves — for children, for more distant relatives, for a memory box. It is worth ordering slightly more than you think you will need.
How we work
You speak directly with your designer. You tell us about the person — their photographs, what they were like, anything that felt like them. We design the memorial card around that, show you a proof, make any changes, and print once you are happy. Delivery is next-day across the UK. Every price includes VAT, design, print and delivery — there is nothing extra to pay.
If you are also ordering an order of service, we will work on both together so the design is consistent throughout.
