Making a funeral presentation: four ways compared

There are roughly four ways to make a presentation for a funeral. Which is best depends on three things: how much time you have, whether you do it alone or with family, and what the venue can play. In this article we put the four ways side by side, with what they give you and what you may run into.

The four ways in one overview

This is a general picture. With having it made and with the funeral director it differs per provider; always ask what exactly you will receive.

1. Making it yourself in a presentation program

You build the presentation yourself in PowerPoint, Keynote or Google Slides, or you make a film in a video program.

What works well

• You often already have the program, so it costs nothing extra.
• You decide everything yourself, down to the slide.

What you may run into

• It takes time: allow half a day to a full day for a well-finished result.
• iPhone photos (HEIC) do not open in every program.
• Matching the photos to the music has to be worked out by hand.
• Working together means sending files back and forth.

Suits you if you are comfortable with such a program, have the time and do most of it alone.

2. Having it made

You send photos and music, and an agency or a handy acquaintance makes the presentation.

What works well

• You have to do little yourself.
• The result is usually well finished.

What you may run into

• It often takes one to several days, and around a funeral that time is not always there.
• Last-minute changes are difficult or cost extra.
• You choose the photos, but not how they appear.
• It costs more than making it yourself.

Suits you if you lack the time or the energy and the funeral is not within a few days.

3. Through the funeral director

Many funeral directors offer to take care of the presentation, themselves or with a system in which you place photos.

What works well

• One point of contact for the whole funeral.
• It matches what the venue can play.

What you may run into

• What you receive varies widely: from photos one after another to a complete presentation.
• You cannot always decide the order and the music per part yourself.
• The costs are sometimes part of the total and then less visible.

Suits you if you prefer to leave everything with one party. Ask in advance what you can decide yourself and what you receive afterwards.

4. Making it together online

With an online tool for funeral presentations, such as The Last Farewell, you make the presentation yourself in the browser and the family helps.

What works well

• Family and friends add their photos, videos and music to the collection themselves. They get access with their email address and a code.
• Photos from any phone work straight away, including HEIC from the iPhone.
• The photos spread themselves over the length of the music.
• You build the service in parts: walk-in, speakers, photo presentation, closing. If you wish, an assistant sets up the outline.
• A running order is included, with times for before, during and after the service.
• You download the file the venue needs: PowerPoint, numbered photos, the Farewell Player or a video (MP4).

What you may run into

• You need internet while making it.
• You do it yourself: it takes less time than a presentation program, but it is not outsourcing.
• Making and viewing is free; you pay once for downloading. The current price is on the pricing page.

Suits you if you want to do it together with family, have little time or are not comfortable with presentation programs.

Five questions to make your choice

1. How many days do you have?

If the funeral is in three or four days, having it made often drops out. Yourself or together online is still possible the same day.

2. Alone or with family?

If everyone has photos on their own phone, one shared place saves a lot of sending back and forth.

3. What can the venue play?

Ask this first. Most venues work with PowerPoint, some with separate photos or video.

4. Do you want to be able to change things until the last moment?

Almost always another photo is added, or a speaker drops out. When you make it yourself or together online you change that yourself; when you have it made you depend on someone else.

5. What may it cost?

Prices range from nothing to a few hundred euros. Count your own time as well.

Our advice in short

• Comfortable with presentations and enough time: making it yourself works fine.
• Together with family, or little time: make it together online.
• No time and no energy, and the funeral is not this week: have it made.
• Everything with one party: through the funeral director, after asking what you can decide yourself.

Frequently asked questions

Can I combine two ways?

Yes. You can collect the photos and make the presentation together online, and then still edit the PowerPoint file yourself. Or you let the funeral director play the file you made yourself.

What if I want to switch halfway?

You can always reuse your photos and music. The order and the times have to be set again in the new environment. So switch early rather than late.

Is free less good?

No, but free usually costs more of your own time and knowledge. Paid ways take work off your hands: collecting, converting photos or matching them to the music.

Does the music have to be in the file?

That differs per venue. Some play the music separately, others want everything in one file. Ask in advance.

Can a video be included?

When you make it yourself or together online, yes. With having it made and with the funeral director it depends on the provider.