Ideas for Wedding Guestbook Alternatives

Photo by Rene

The Guestbook.

One of the questions I ask brides when we meet to discuss the details of the Big Day is, “Will you have a guestbook for your guests to sign?”

The bride usually responds with a frown.  “I guess so.  I’m supposed to have one, right?”

WRONG.

I mean, have one if you want one.  But not just because you’re “supposed” to.

Can I be completely honest for a second?

Most couples have guestbooks.  Boring, old guestbooks.  And guess what their guests do?  They sign them.

So far, so good.  Then, the couple takes the guestbook home after the wedding, stuffs it in the back of the hall closet and never looks at it again.

Come on.  Why would you want to look at a book of NAMES?

Why have a boring old guestbook for your wedding, when there are so many unique guestbook ideas to choose from?

Sign Something That’s NOT A Guestbook - Turn to Do-It-Yourself-Weddings for some easy wedding guestbook alternatives.  Popular alternatives include: have your guests sign a ceramic dish, a silver engraved dish, a photo mat around a photograph of you.  You can even ask guests to sign an apron, t-shirt, tapesty or wedding quilt.

Photo by Ben Ostrowsky

Words of Wisdom or Wedding Wishes - Ask your guests to leave their wedding wishes or words of wisdom on individual cards and place them into a vase, basket, or box of your choice.  Place them into a guest scrapbook later on or pull them out and read them on your anniversary.  (Caution: notes tend to get progressively naughty as the drinks start flowing, so don’t read them aloud in mixed company.)

Sign Your Wedding Puzzle - Have a puzzle made of an image of you and your FI, then have your guests sign the back of a puzzle piece.

Christmas Ornaments - Perfect for a winter wonderland wedding.  Have guests sign ornaments and then hang them on your tree each year.

Run across any cool guestbook alternatives?  Leave me a comment.