Something that you may see if you go to a funeral or memorial service is a guestbook. A guestbook is something that many families choose to have at the service to know who attended and to have a record for posterity. Whether you are getting ready to plan a service or getting ready to attend one, it can be a good idea to know a bit about guestbooks. Here are the things that providers of cremation services in Beaver, PA want you to know.
The first thing you want to know is what a guestbook is for. A guestbook allows the family of the deceased to have a record of who attended the service, which can be essential if they want to write thank you cards. It also allows the guests to share a few words of comfort with the family. Depending on the service and how many people are present, the family may not be able to personally speak with everyone, so being able to share some comfort or even a favorite memory in a guestbook is important.
Another thing you want to know is the kind of guestbooks out there. The traditional ones are like scrapbooks, with lined pages where people can write their names. Most of the time, these do not have a lot of space to add personal comments or remarks, so keep that in mind. A personalized guestbook is another option that people choose. This kind usually has spaces for photos and other media, as well as space for people to write messages. There are also virtual guestbooks. These tend to be placed on the funeral home’s webpage, together with the obituary so that people can easily find it. You can sign it from wherever you are.
You want to take some time to think about what you want to write. Keep in mind that if you were not very close to the family of the deceased, you will want to add how you knew their loved one so that they have some sense of who you are. You want to add your condolences and, if there is enough room, perhaps share a favorite memory you have of the person.
Signing the guestbook at a funeral or memorial service is important both for you and for the family. It can allow you to leave a record of your presence and to even be able to share some lovely memory you may have with the deceased. It can help to know that there are different kinds of guestbooks so that you know how much you can write in each one. If you still have questions about this or if you want to ask about other funerary arrangements, you can reach out to a Beaver, PA cremation services provider like us at Gabauer Funeral Homes. We are ready to help you through this very tough time. You can give us a call right now or you can stop by one of our locations today.