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One of the more common things you’ll find at a funeral is a funeral guestbook. This allows people attending the funeral a chance to sign in and let the grieving family know they attended the memorial.
While it is common, people might be wondering if they need to offer a funeral guestbook at the service for their lost loved one or friend. It’s really a decision left up to the immediate family, but it also depends on where the funeral is held and how many people are expected.
Remember that a guestbook is meant to help friends and family members look back at the funeral or wake to see who attended. This would be an encouraging thing that would help them look back fondly on what is otherwise a painful day.
There are a few different things you should think about for a funeral guestbook, and these tips should help you make plans.
Most families will have dozens of people asking, “Is there anything I can do?” You now have something they can do that will be a great help. Ask a friend to oversee the guestbook, reminding visitors to sign it as they come in to wherever the funeral is being held.
Not everyone will attend everything, and many visitors might not see the guestbook initially when they’re at the funeral home. So bring the funeral guestbook to the wake, to the funeral, to the visitation – wherever else friends and family members will gather in remembrance of their lost loved one.
Families and friends are spread out all over the country these days, but it might be difficult for someone to leave immediately for a weekend funeral a few hundred miles away. That doesn’t mean they don’t care. Since not everyone is going to be able to attend the funeral or wake, they certainly would still like to express their feelings. Therefore, consider setting up an online guestbook for them to sign in at.
Rather than just offering a line in a guestbook for friends and family to sign, think about using remembrance cards that will allow visitors to write a nice note about their memories of the deceased. Ask them to offer up a quick story, or maybe a quote they found inspiring, related to the lost loved one.
Depending on the deceased person and their family, something that’s not just your standard funeral guestbook might make sense. There’s a whole industry out there for things like this, so if you choose not to buy a guestbook from your funeral home, consider some of these creative ideas: signing a picture frame mat board or using a thumbprint tree that the family can hang up in their house.
Many funeral homes offer a nice selection of funeral guestbooks for purchase, so check with whichever one you use, or you can buy them online. If you’re planning a South Florida funeral, talk with the staff at The Gardens of Boca Raton Cemetery & Funeral Services to see what they can offer your family. Call us at (561) 989-9190, or come visit our offices at 4103 N. Military Trail in Boca Raton.
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