Bridge to Book was born with a simple but heartfelt purpose: to help families turn their CaringBridge websites into beautiful keepsake books—books that can be reread in quiet moments, shared with loved ones, and passed down for generations. These are stories of courage, grief, triumph, miracles, and everything in between.
When we first dreamed of starting this company, we thought the hardest part would be creating the design process. But do you know what turned out to be our biggest obstacle? Finding a printer who believed in us. Photo book companies were plentiful, and text printers existed too, but most required us to order 25–50 copies at a time. That simply wasn’t realistic for families who just wanted a single treasured book. After reaching out to nearly 25 printers across the Southeast and beyond, we finally found one who shared our vision. With their support, Bridge to Book came to life.
Our very first project was printing our own two CaringBridge books. We tested different covers—hardcover, softcover, various photos and designs—until we found the look and feel that honored these sacred stories. With the help of a talented designer, we learned how to polish the files, edit the PDFs, and create a format that would bring CaringBridge journeys to life on the page. From there, we worked hard to set a price that kept the books affordable, while still covering the basics of running our small business.
Our goal has never been to become a massive company. Yes, we’d love to grow and reach more families, but at the heart of it all is this: we just want to make it possible for people to print their CaringBridge books. That’s why our markup is as minimal as possible. Nearly all of the cost goes straight into high-quality printing, with just a little design time included.
Here’s what’s always included in the design for every CaringBridge book:
- A custom cover with your choice of text and/or photo
- Removal of large boxes like “Comment” or “Donate”
- Clean page formatting with URLs removed from headers and footers, and page numbers added
For some books, we can also remove the small URLs that appear by post titles. In some cases, this can disrupt the formatting, but we always try—and if it doesn’t work, you’ll have the choice to either make those edits yourself (we can convert your file into a Word document for easier editing) or add a little extra design time (usually $25–$50) to have us perfect it for you.
Some of our customers prefer to handle the edits themselves, while others like the peace of mind that comes from letting us do the extra design work. Either way, our promise is the same: we’ll always be transparent about costs, and we’ll do everything we can to make your CaringBridge book both beautiful and affordable.
Because at the end of the day, this isn’t just a book. It’s your story. And it deserves to be preserved with love.
Here’s a full breakdown of what’s included in the price of your CaringBridge book:
📖 A Professionally Designed Book
Every CaringBridge book is carefully formatted with thoughtful layouts, clean typography, and a professional finish. We can include your journal entries, photos, and guest comments if you would like, or delete what you don’t want included. We cannot enlarge photos unfortunately, because those tend to print blurry.
🖼️ Full-Color Printing and High-Quality Materials
Your CaringBridge journey deserves to be preserved in the best way possible. We use durable, high-quality 60# paper and vibrant full-color printing to make sure every photo, entry, and memory looks its best. The sturdy hardcover ensures your book stands the test of time—whether you keep it on your coffee table or pass it down as a family heirloom.
✍️ Personalized Touches
We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all. You’ll have options to include additional information at the back of the book if you’d like. Some people choose to include obituaries or funeral programs. The result is a book that feels uniquely yours.
💻 Easy-to-Use Process
We know that reliving these moments can be emotional, so we’ve made the process as simple and stress-free as we can. Our system pulls your CaringBridge entries directly, saving you hours of copying and formatting. With just a few clicks, your book begins to take shape.
📦 Printing and Delivery
Once your design is complete, we handle everything else. From professional printing to careful packaging and shipping, your book arrives ready to be opened, shared, and treasured.
💝 A Lasting Legacy
The greatest value of a CaringBridge book is something you can’t put a price on: the ability to hold your journey in your hands, reflect on it, and share it with those who supported you. It’s more than a book—it’s a testament to strength, community, and love.
Choose a journal cover, and get started creating your book today!