A signature line in a bound book is the classic format, but it isn't the only way to gather something meaningful from the people who show up. Over the last several years, a handful of alternatives — and additions — have become common at funerals and memorial services, each capturing something slightly different than a written signature does. Here's an honest look at the most popular ones, including where they genuinely shine and where a traditional guest book still has the edge.
Memory Jars
Guests write a short memory or message on a small card and drop it into a decorative jar, to be read by the family afterward, sometimes over the following weeks rather than all at once. The format encourages brevity — a single sentence or memory rather than a full paragraph — which some guests find easier than facing a blank page in a book.
Where it works well: gatherings that want something visual and interactive on the table itself. Worth knowing: loose cards can get disorganized or damaged without a dedicated storage box, and there's no single bound object to keep the way a guest book provides.
Fingerprint Trees
Guests press an inked thumbprint onto a printed tree design, sometimes adding their initials beside it, creating a single collective piece of art by the end of the service. It's a popular choice for services with children in attendance, since it doesn't require writing at all.
Where it works well: family-oriented gatherings, especially when many children will attend. Worth knowing: the finished print needs to be framed or stored flat to avoid creasing, and it captures presence rather than individual messages or memories.
Photo Guest Books
A hybrid format: guests attach a small printed photo of themselves (sometimes taken on-site with an instant camera) alongside their written message, so the book combines faces with words. This has grown more popular for celebrations of life in particular, where the tone tends to be a little less formal.
Where it works well: celebrations of life and gatherings that lean more personal than formal. Worth knowing: it requires more setup — an instant camera or a designated photo station — than a book alone, and works best when someone is on hand to keep the process moving.
Video Message Stations
A simple setup — a phone or tablet on a stand, sometimes with a printed prompt — invites guests to record a short video message rather than write one. This has become more common alongside livestreamed services, giving remote and in-person guests a similar way to participate.
Where it works well: services already set up for livestreaming, or families who know they'll want to hear voices, not just read words. Worth knowing: it requires more technical setup than any other option here, and not every guest will feel comfortable being recorded, especially at an emotional moment. For a closer look at digital formats generally, including QR-code guest books, see our comparison of digital vs. handwritten guest books.
Comparing the Options
| Format | Setup needed | Best for | Long-term storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guest book | None | Any service | Simple — one bound object |
| Memory jar | Minimal | Visual, interactive gatherings | Needs a dedicated box |
| Fingerprint tree | Minimal | Family services with children | Needs framing |
| Photo guest book | Moderate | Celebrations of life | Simple — one bound object |
| Video messages | Highest | Livestreamed services | Digital files, needs backup |
None of these are mutually exclusive. A guest book for signatures, alongside a memory jar or fingerprint tree as a second, more visual keepsake, is a common and easy combination for a single service.
Why a Guest Book Still Anchors Most Services
Of every option here, a bound guest book remains the simplest to preserve without any extra effort — no loose cards to organize, no print to frame, no files to back up. It's also the one format that comfortably fits every guest, from the person who wants to write a full paragraph to the person who simply wants to sign their name. Many families choose it as the primary keepsake and add one of these alternatives alongside it, rather than instead of it.
If you're deciding what guests should actually write once they're at the table, our guide on what to write in a funeral guest book covers real examples by relationship. And if gift-giving is also on your mind — for the family, or from the family to those who helped — our piece on memorial gift ideas beyond flowers covers thoughtful options in the same spirit.
Choosing the keepsake that will anchor your service?
The Ceremoria guest book gives every guest — however they'd choose to be remembered — one simple, lasting place to leave something behind, no setup or technology required.
Shop the Ceremoria Guest Book →Frequently Asked Questions
What can I use instead of a traditional guest book? +
Popular alternatives include memory jars (guests write a memory on a card and drop it in), fingerprint trees (guests press a thumbprint onto a printed tree design), photo guest books (guests attach a printed photo alongside their message), and video message stations. Each captures something a written signature line doesn't.
Can I combine a guest book with an alternative like a memory jar? +
Yes, and many families do exactly this — a guest book for signatures and longer messages, alongside a memory jar or fingerprint tree as a second, more visual keepsake from the same day.
Are memory jars and fingerprint trees harder to preserve than a book? +
Somewhat. Loose cards in a jar can get disorganized or damaged without a dedicated box, and fingerprint tree prints need to be framed or stored flat to avoid creasing. A bound guest book is generally the simplest format to preserve without extra effort.
What's the most popular guest book alternative? +
Photo guest books and memory jars are currently the two most common alternatives to a traditional signature book, largely because both are simple for guests to use quickly and don't require any technology.