FREE GROUND SHIPPING

with minimum purchase (within continental U.S.)

Resources

As you’re preparing for a funeral for a loved one, it can be difficult to know what needs to be done, including the funeral guest books. Maybe you’ve been given guidance on their wishes, or maybe you’re trying to give them what you think they would have wanted. You’re trying your best while processing your own emotions, and supporting other family and loved ones through their own journey of grief. To help you with such hard process, we collect the most special informations you may needed.

Table of Contents

How to Plan a Funeral

You must report a death to the proper authorities to begin the death certification process, which is jointly completed by a doctor or coroner and a funeral director. You’ll need multiple copies of the death certificate in order to do most of the tasks involved in disposition of the body, settling the estate, and wrapping up other affairs (like bank accounts and insurance).

If you’re at a hospital, nursing home, or hospice, they will know what to do and can lead you through the proper steps, and will begin to complete the death certificate.

In some cases the local law enforcement may need to be contacted first if the death was not attended or due to unknown circumstances.

If the person who died was an organ donor, inform the appropriate authorities so they can preserve the organs and prep them for donation.

If you’re at a hospital, nursing home, or hospice, they will know what to do and can lead you through the proper steps, and will begin to complete the death certificate.

In some cases the local law enforcement may need to be contacted first if the death was not attended or due to unknown circumstances.

If the person who died was an organ donor, inform the appropriate authorities so they can preserve the organs and prep them for donation.

If the person who died was living in a nursing home, assisted living facility, or hospice facility, there may be rules about how much time you have to remove the deceased’s personal property from his or her room. It’s important to be aware of this in order to avoid the potentially substantial charges that may result from insurance or Medicaid being discontinued.

There are a number of decisions related to planning a funeral.  If the deceased had pre-arranged their funeral they have already chosen a funeral home and funeral director who can walk you through the plans.  Make sure that you are aware of any pre-payments so you don’t get charged twice.

In regard to covering the cost of the funeral, as soon as a bank is notified of the death, any of the deceased’s accounts will be frozen until processed in probate. If you’ve been using their cash to pay their expenses, you may want to withdraw money from their bank account while you still can.

If the deceased had not made any pre-arrangements, a funeral director can guide you through the planning and decisions.  The primary decisions you will need to make is whether the body will be buried or cremated and what type of funeral service will you be having.

Funeral directors will also facilitate the ceremonies including the memorial service and the graveside service.  A funeral director will handle the technical aspects regarding the care, preparation, presentation, and final disposition of the deceased. You can locate a funeral director through a funeral home or other alternative funeral service organizations.

Funeral homes have the staff, facilities, equipment and experience to help the family memorialize the life of the deceased. Alternative funeral service providers offer the services of funeral directors but they may specialize or sell packaged plans and may not provide all of the services that a funeral home can provide.

The deceased can be buried or entombed, if cremated the “cremains” can be buried, entombed, scattered or kept by the family.  Or did the deceased make arrangements to donate their body to science?  In that case the funeral director may be able to guide you through the guidelines of the organization receiving the donated body.

There are many different options when planning services.  You can have a more traditional funeral with the casket present or a memorial service without the presence of the casket.  Or perhaps you’re leaning towards a celebration of life service.  Perhaps you would foresee more than one of the services mentioned.  Or in some cases you may choose to have no ceremony at all.

There are many options as to where the ceremonies can be held.  Most traditional are either at the funeral home, a place of worship or at the graveside.  A celebration of life may be held at an event center (some funeral homes even have their own event centers) or a less traditional venue such as a restaurant or park.

Will you want a visitation?  These can be held the evening prior to the funeral service and just prior to the funeral service, in some cases the family decides to have both.  You will need to decide if the casket will be open or closed or if cremated remains in an urn will be on display.

You will also need to make the decision as to whether the deceased will be embalmed and if any DNA samples should be taken.

Will the ceremonies feature certain music, readings, or tributes?  If so then there are some decisions to make regarding who will participate in the funeral ceremonies.  That could include: Clergy, speakers or readers, pallbearers, musicians or vocalists.  If you are planning military services, a funeral director can assist with arrangements.  Or you could contact a local veterans’ organization for information.

If there will be a procession to the cemetery then you will need to decide if the deceased will be transported in a hearse.  You may also choose to have the family travel in a limousine.

nt

Funeral and memorial merchandise can be purchased from the funeral home, the cemetery or a specialty retailer. You are not required to buy these products from the funeral home or cemetery that is handling the funeral services. These items include:

  • Casket. If the body will be buried, you will need to choose a casket. There are many types of caskets to accommodate varied tastes, sizes and budgets. They can be made of metals, woods, and fiberglass. The casket’s interior fabric can be of varied materials, colors and designs.
  • Outer burial container. Most cemeteries require an outer burial container to place the casket in for burial. Their primary purpose is to support the soil. The minimum requirement is usually a concrete box. Burial vaults are more sophisticated enclosures that may be made of concrete and lined with plastic or metal. When the body will be entombed in a mausoleum, the cemetery does not require any container beyond the casket.
  • Urn. If you have chosen cremation for final arrangements, an urn is needed to hold the ashes. Even if the family plans to scatter the ashes, a container will be needed to hold the ashes until the scattering takes place. Urns are available in marble, wood or metals such as bronze or steel. They can be personalized with engravings, military medallions, and emblems.
  • Grave marker. Grave markers can be made of stone such as granite or marble or metals, such as bronze. Memorials lie flush with the ground. Monuments sit upright and vary in size. Before purchasing a grave marker find out about your cemetery’s rules and regulations governing marker placement and type.
  • Online memorials. Families can remember loved ones with lasting memorials on the internet.  Many funeral homes now offer this service or there are a variety of websites.  These will usually include a bio and photo of the deceased, as well as personal remembrances by family members and friends.

A cemetery is the place where the dead are buried or interred — what is commonly referred to as a “final resting place”. Most cemeteries have various types of spaces for earth burial and mausoleum crypts for entombment. Similar options are available for burial or entombment of cremated remains. The cemetery also provides services to open and close the grave or crypt and to install grave markers. Some cemeteries charge annual fees for the perpetual maintenance of the grounds.

Since you are likely to visit the cemetery periodically to remember your loved one, location is an important consideration in selecting a cemetery. Many people purchase cemetery property in advance of their death to avoid putting the responsibility of that decision on their families.

 
 

Within a few weeks following the funeral is the timeframe to start sending thank you or acknowledgement notes to express your gratitude for flowers, donations and any special assistance.

There are also an assortment of financial, legal and administrative tasks to deal with following the funeral.  Some of the things you may need to do include:

Starting estate proceedings. Whether an extensive Probate proceeding is necessary is determined by the size of the estate and the existence of a will and living trusts. An Executor, named in the will or appointed by the Probate Court will shepherd the estate through this process. Also, it may be necessary to hire an estate planning attorney to provide legal guidance.

Accounting for all assets and debts of the deceased. Make arrangements to pay outstanding bills. It may be necessary to have the Probate Court release short-term funds to cover these bills.

Filing death benefit claims with insurance companies, Social Security, the Veterans Administration, pension/retirement funds, unions, etc. Certified copies of the death certificate are usually required in making these claims.

Changing all jointly held accounts including, bank accounts, credit cards, mortgages, loans, brokerage accounts, stocks, bonds and other investments.

You will need to send notifications of death to:

  • Employers.
  • Fraternal, social, and religious organizations.
  • State and local agencies, such as the Department of Motor Vehicles, to transfer all licenses and titles.
  • Telephone, utility and any other services that are registered in the deceased’s name.

What Funeral Books and Beyond Materials Do I Need?

While planning the funeral, you will need to consider what funeral stationery products you will need prior, during, and after the funeral.  We carry a wide variety of design themes, from Traditional to Contemporary, allowing you to find the design that best represents how your loved one lived their life.

The Memorial Book allows the family to record details of the funeral and related services.  It also includes pages to be used as a guest-registry during any services related to the funeral.  It can be filled out either by the family or the funeral director, as long as the book is delivered to the Funeral Director in advance of the service.  Be sure to plan on purchasing the Memorial Book far enough in advance to be delivered at least 2 days ahead of services.

The Memorial Book includes unique information pages where you may enter details on the loved one’s funeral services, location of interment and the date, time and location of all services related to the funeral.  There is also space to include the names of anyone presiding over, or taking part in, the funeral service.  There are several pages near the back of the book called Relatives and Friends pages, that allow guests attending visitations and services to enter their name and mailing address, thereby offering great convenience for the family’s use after the funeral, when written Thank You cards are normally sent to acknowledge the family’s gratitude to those who attended, donated to memorial funds, or assisted in anyway.

Funeral Books and Beyond offers a wide selection of Memorial Books ranging from traditional to contemporary designs. The books in our Celebration of Life series include 10 extra pages that include the following: Photo Page, Family Tree, Personal History, Life Highlights, Interests and Activities, Job/ Career, 2 Family Stories pages and 2 Shared Memories pages. The Celebration of Life pages (printed in charcoal ink on white paper) can also be purchased separately and added to any of our Memorial Books that have the White/Charcoal ink insert.

Are used at services to capture vital details of the service and participants of the service, such as those presiding over the services, musicians and music, pallbearers and often a page is devoted to a biography of the loved one.  Be sure to purchase the Memorial Service Programs far enough in advance to be delivered at least 2 days ahead of services.  A funeral director will prepare the content and print these as part of the services they offer.

Memorial Service Programs are sold in packages of 100, which is the average number used in a typical service.  They are delivered to you flat, with the printed design on one side, and the inside pages and back page are left blank to print information about the service and your loved one. We provide these in an 8.5″ x 11″ format, with two Memorial Service Programs per page, for easier set-up on any printer.  Perforated to separate easily after printing, individual cards are scored for easy folding. Single program measures 4.25″ w x 5.5″ h folded.

Memorial Service Programs designs are intended to complement our Memorial Book designs.

Are appropriate following the service to express your family’s gratitude for the attendance of guests, any memorial donations and services offered by friends and family. Thank You’s are intended to be written sentiments – emails and other electronic versions are not appropriate after a funeral service. Many of our Thank You cards complement our Memorial Book and Memorial Service Program designs.  Most cards already contain an appropriate verse and, in most cases, a signed Thank You card is sufficient to say “Thanks” for flowers, Mass cards, sympathy cards and personal services.  There is additional space for personal notes if you choose to add those.

Thank You cards can be purchased at the same time you purchase your Memorial Book and Memorial Service Programs.  Thank You cards are usually sent between ten days and two weeks following the funeral. 

These products are just our preliminary offering, we will be adding products in the future including urns, jewelry and a line of pet memorial products.

Funeral Guest Books

How to Order Funeral Guest Books and other products

You can check the status of your order by the following methods:

Orders are processed on the business day we receive them. Most products are shipped in 1-2 business days (Monday – Friday). Our Free Shipping service will usually take around 5-7 business days. Second-day and overnight shipping are also available. Read more about our delivery options. 

Once an order has been placed, changes cannot be made online. If you need to change your order please contact a customer care representative immediately for assistance.

We use multiple, dependable carriers including, UPS, FedEx, and USPS. The carrier used in the shipment of your order depends on which products you order and the length of delivery you select. If you need additional assistance with this please feel free to contact our customer care staff.

Funeral Books & Beyond accepts:

  • Discover
  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • American Express
  • Pay Pal

If you are trying to reach us outside of normal business hours, please send a message using our contact form and we will get back to you on the next business day.

Funeral Books & Beyond observes the following holidays:

  • Memorial Day
  • Fourth of July
  • Labor Day
  • Thanksgiving Day (and the Friday after Thanksgiving Day)
  • Christmas Day and
  • New Year’s Day

We will be closed for their observance. If we are closed, a message will be posted on the home page of our site with further details. During these times emails can be sent for us to respond to on the next business day.

Shipping and Delivery

We use multiple, dependable carriers including UPS, FedEx, and USPS. The carrier used in the shipment of your order depends on which products you order and the length of delivery you select. If you need additional assistance with this please feel free to contact our customer care staff.

Funeral Books and Beyond reserves the right to alter shipping terms and charges based on quantity of products per order and product availability.

Delivery Options Within The United States

Frequently Asked Questions

You can check the status of your order by the following methods:

Depending on the availability of products in your order, items may ship separately. If you need additional assistance please contact a customer care representative.

If your order was damaged in shipping please save all packing materials and containers. It is very important you keep these materials for shipping claims to be made. Please contact a customer care representative and we will arrange to have a replacement sent out as soon as possible.

We do not have guaranteed Saturday delivery available.

Orders placed before 11:00 am Mountain Time generally will ship the same or next business day.

If the free ground delivery service is used you will receive your order within 5-7 business days from the date of shipment. A tracking number will be sent to your e-mail where your order can be tracked directly with the delivery carrier. If you would like a better estimate of how quickly you can receive an item with ground shipping please contact us so we can provide a more accurate estimate.

Two-day delivery service will arrive within two business days from date of shipment (Monday-Friday). Usually delivered by 5:00 p.m. to commercial addresses and by 8:00 p.m. to residential addresses.

Overnight delivery service will arrive next business day from date of shipment (Monday-Friday).

We do not have a guaranteed Saturday delivery.

Funeral Books and Beyond provides ground shipping at no cost with a qualifying minimum purchase. Orders are typically shipped the same or next business day. Delivery time normally takes between 5-7 business days from the date of shipment. We also offer a two-day or overnight delivery service. Read more about expedited shipping options.

We use UPS, Fed Ex and the USPS. The carrier chosen to provide delivery of your order will be based upon your preferred delivery option.

  • Ground (5-7 days)
  • Two Day
  • One Day (overnight)

If you need additional assistance with this please feel free to contact our customer care staff.

Funeral Books & Beyond Return Policy

If you need to return products to Funeral Books & Beyond, the process is easy. Simply contact our friendly customer service staff and we will assist you with the process.

Once we have received the returned product, you will receive an email notifying you that the return has been received and that any refund has been processed. There is no charge for return shipping if the return is a result of an error on our part.

Items that cannot be returned/refunded

  • Items that have been customized, altered, or damaged by the customer.
  • Expedited shipping charges are not refundable unless a shipping error occurs on our behalf.
  • Orders over 90 days old are non-returnable or refundable.

If you would like to return your order, please email us.

The returned product should be wrapped in its original packaging materials to prevent damage in the return shipment. No credit can be issued if damages occur as a result of improper packaging.  We strongly the return package is sent with a tracking number and insured. This will help protect you in the case of loss or damage during transit.

Please inspect all packages immediately upon receiving them. Damaged, defective, incorrect or missing merchandise must be reported to Funeral Books & Beyond within 24 hours upon receipt of package(s). Please retain all boxes and packing materials for a damage inspection by the delivery carrier, if needed.

Credit for damaged merchandise may be forfeited if a report is not made within the specified time. No return of damaged merchandise will be accepted without prior authorization.

If you’ve received an incorrect product or are missing a portion of your order we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. Please contact us and a support representative will assist in getting you the correct product. If Funeral Books & Beyond made an error on the order we will expedite getting the correct product to you as quickly as possible.

Please contact a support representative for additional assistance by email.