The Importance of a Memorial Guest Book

In all the preparations for my daughter's March 28, 2008 memorial service, I was most grateful for the guest book that provided lines for each attendee to include their home address.

There were several hundred at Megan's service – how could I remember all of them, especially in such a state of grief? The guest book was not just for names – It was a bridge to those who shared in my sorrow and still serves as a reminder that I was not alone.

After the funeral, my family took the small book and entered all the names and addresses into an Excel sheet, enabling me to easily send out thank-you notes. Those who took precious moments from their lives (and jobs) to honor Megan deserved a note of my heartfelt gratitude. The well-organized guest book made expressing that gratitude a touch more seamless, saving me the task of hunting down hundreds of addresses.

In midst of sorrow, small steps can lighten the burden. When purchasing a guest book for a funeral, consider one that includes lines for their address and possibly even email.

I personally give a guest book to my friends when they lose a loved one, trusting it takes one more thing off their checklist of things to find and buy. Instead of asking the age-old question, "Tell me if there is anything I can do for you?" delivering a guest book in the days before the funeral is my way of saying, "I'm here for you." Beautiful in appearance, these are two of my favorite guest books on Amazon. Both are available in several colors and are currently priced around $20.

Key Notes:

• The Legend Planner guest book that I recommended has room for 600 names. If you anticipate a large crowd, I recommend purchasing two books so that sign-in can move rapidly.

• The Skyline Funeral Guest Book is also beautiful. Just be sure to choose one that has space for the attendees' addresses.

• Not everyone is comfortable leaving email. You can make a small sign to place by the guest book that says, "We are grateful that you came. Thank you for taking the time to leave your email or home address so that the family can easily express their gratitude in the future."

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Legends Video of Guest Book

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