Guide
How to read a eulogy without breaking down
Practice reading the eulogy out loud several times, print it in a large font with space between paragraphs, and mark where you'll pause and breathe. Have water nearby and a backup reader who has a copy. If you cry, stop, breathe and carry on; no one expects a perfect delivery. Getting emotional is normal and understood.
By the Lovingly Written team · Updated
Practice out loud, more than once
Reading silently and reading aloud are very different. Read it aloud three or four times in the days before. The lines that catch in your throat in practice usually become easier with repetition, and you'll find the places where you need to slow down. If one sentence gets you every time, consider rewording or cutting it.
Format the pages for the day
- Use a large font, around 16 to 18 point, with wide line spacing.
- Keep paragraphs short. Leave a blank line between them.
- Number the pages and print single-sided.
- Mark pauses with a slash ( / ) or the word breathe.
- Bold the first word of each paragraph so you can find your place quickly when you look up.
Breathing and pace
Before you begin, take one slow breath in and out. Speak more slowly than feels natural; nerves speed everyone up. Pausing at the end of each paragraph gives you, and the room, time to take in what you've said.
Have a plan B
Ask someone you trust to sit near the front with a copy of your eulogy. Agree that if you nod to them, they'll come up and finish it, or read it for you entirely. Knowing they're there often means you don't need them.
If you cry
It's fine. Stop, look down at the page, take a breath, sip water, and continue when you're ready. The room will wait. Many people say these pauses were the most meaningful moments of the service.
On the day
- Bring two printed copies; give one to your backup reader.
- Keep a tissue and water within reach.
- Find a friendly face in the room and look at them when you look up.
- Don't worry about eye contact; reading is completely acceptable.
If you're still writing, our guides on how to start and how to end a eulogy can help you shape lines that are easier to say.