When someone you know has died, it's important to honour their memory with a personalised funeral card. Making a funeral card is a simple way to show respect and tell people how much you care. Also known as sympathy cards, funeral cards allow you to express regret and commemorate the life of a special person. There are lots of creative ways to celebrate the life of the deceased by highlighting their unique personality.
Unique Designs
If you're thinking about creating a funeral card, design is everything. From the dimensions of the paper to materials, images, and colours, lots of elements need to be considered. It's important to create something unique with personal appeal while still respecting the earnest and sombre nature of the moment.
From the outset, you need to think about dimensions and materials. Most cards have a standard size and two-page layout, especially when they're being sent in an envelope. If you want to get creative, you can make larger cards or single-page designs. Using graphics and fonts that match the deceased's character can provide a personal touch.
Most funeral card designs show the deceased person at the centre of the page, with an image of their face often surrounded by ornate borders and text. If you want to do something different, you can use larger images or overlay a full-page photo with your text content.
When designing your funeral card, you shouldn't be afraid to get personal. There are lots of ways to honour the life of the deceased, from photos taken at all stages of life to hobbies, favourite colours, and significant symbols. Along with showing love to family members, a funeral card is a great way to celebrate a life well-lived.
Personal Messages
When you're creating a funeral card, the words you use are paramount. While images and colours give personality to your design, the message you write provides the real personal touch. From simple phrases like "rest in peace" and "we miss you" to personal messages that show the unique character of the deceased, there are lots of ways to show how much you care.
Along with simple messages, there are many other ways to create meaning through words. Thoughtful anecdotes can be used to highlight the deceased's personality, with these amusing or interesting stories always appreciated by loved ones. You can also include famous quotes or poems, from Bible passages to well-known pieces like "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" by Dylan Thomas. This can be incredibly powerful, especially when the author is someone the deceased admired.
When you write something on a funeral card, it's important to think about how the words appear on the page. You have two basic options: handwritten text and printed text. While handwritten funeral cards can be more personal, they're also much less formal. Printed cards are more conventional, and they can still be personal when you add the right finishing touches.
If you're creating a printed card, text colour and font have a big impact on the design. Black text is standard for funeral cards, and popular fonts include Book Antiqua, Copperplate Gothic, Helvetica, Italic, Roman, Verdana, and Vivaldi.
Showing respect by celebrating life
You can be creative when making a funeral card. In fact, it's one of the best ways to respect the memory of the deceased. While you need to follow certain design and language conventions, there are many ways to add a personal touch. When you combine a unique design with personalised and heartfelt messaging, you can honour the deceased and celebrate their life in full.
