Arranging a funeral involves many decisions made in a short, painful stretch of time. Funeral cufflinks are one of the simpler ones, and many families find them surprisingly meaningful. On the day, the men carrying the coffin and the closest family members wear the same face at their cuffs, and afterwards each person keeps a pair of their own.
A Shared Detail for the Pallbearers
Pallbearers are usually chosen because they meant something to the person who has died: sons, grandsons, brothers, lifelong friends, sometimes colleagues or teammates. Giving each of them matching funeral cufflinks is a way of thanking them for the role they're taking on and of marking them out, gently, as a group. Many families present the gift boxes on the morning of the service, perhaps with a short handwritten note.
For the pallbearers themselves, the cufflinks can steady nerves on a daunting day. Carrying someone you loved is an honour, but it can feel heavy in more ways than one. Knowing that the others beside you are wearing the same face, and that you're doing this together for him, can make that slow walk down the aisle a little easier.
Women carrying a coffin, or daughters and granddaughters who'd like to be included, can wear them too with double-cuffed shirts or blouses.
Planning a Set for Pallbearers and Family
It helps to work out numbers before you begin. Typically that means:
- Six pallbearers, sometimes eight for a heavier coffin or a larger family.
- Close family who aren't carrying but would like a pair, such as a widow's brothers or the eldest grandson.
- One extra pair, which some families keep to place with a photo at the wake or give to someone who later asks.
Order 5 or more pairs, in any mix of designs, and each is £15, plus £5 shipping per order. Six pallbearers would be £95; eight pairs, £125. Several designs can go into one basket if different branches of the family would like different photographs.
Photos and Wording for the Service
For funeral cufflinks, most families use the same photograph that appears on the order of service, which ties the day together visually. If that picture is a full-length shot, crop in close to the face so it is clear at cufflink size. Other thoughtful options include:
- A photo of him at his happiest, at a family barbecue or on the golf course, rather than a formal portrait.
- Black and white, which looks calm and dignified in a silver-coloured frame and suits the tone of a service.
- Initials and years alongside or instead of a photo, for example "R.D. 1941–2025".
- A regimental badge, club crest or trade emblem for a man whose working life or service defined him.
Add any words to the image before uploading, keeping the text bold and short.
Keeping It Simple at a Hard Time
You shouldn't have to go back and forth with anyone. You upload the photo, see it immediately on both cufflinks and approve it yourself on screen. If one family member is gathering the best photographs, it can be easiest for them to place the whole order. Try to use an original photo file rather than one forwarded between phones, as we print from the full-resolution image you upload. As with anything for the service, give yourself as much time as the arrangements allow.
After the Funeral
Funeral cufflinks rarely stay in a drawer. Pallbearers often wear them again on anniversaries, at family weddings and christenings, or on Remembrance Sunday. For grandsons in particular, the pair may become one of the few personal things they have from a grandfather, something to wear on their own important days in years to come.
How to Order a Matching Set
Upload the photograph and check it on both cufflinks in the live preview, dragging and zooming until the face is centred. Add the number of pairs you need to your basket, along with any alternative designs, and complete the secure checkout. We print each pair in Cornwall from your original image, and every set of funeral cufflinks arrives individually gift boxed.