Wedding Style: The Guest Book

Wedding guests books are a keepsake of your wedding, something that you traditionally would take out and look at on your anniversary and then tuck it back inside it's storage box until next year.  It's always nice to look back at the words of advise and well wishes of those who where there to witness your special day.  But, just because a guest book is a lovely tradition does not mean that yours needs to be traditional!  Nowadays people are turning their guests books into decorative, meaningful items that can be enjoyed year round.  Put that boring old book aside and take a look at some of our favorite fun and fresh guest book ideas:

A wish tree is a unique alternative to a guest book.  Have your guests sign little paper pieces and hang them on manzanita branches for a decorative look. Color coordinate it to your wedding colors for a totally put together look, add crystals for extra sparkle, and be sure to leave out instructions so your guests know what to do! 

This is a similar idea to a wish tree, but instead, guests sign small cards that get placed into an envelope and into a decorative glass jar.  During the wedding it will serve as a modern, decorative piece and afterward you and the hubby can have fun opening all of your little notes to see what people wrote you!

 

Signing a vase is another great alterntative.  Place your bouquet in the vase after the ceremony and have guests sign the vase instead of a book.  We love how practical this is!  Also, think about how nice it will be when your hubs gets your flowers for your anniversary and you can put them in this vase that was used for your wedding day! So romantic!

The Platter is probably one of the most popular guest book alternatives.  One issue with platters is that they are nice for decorative purposes, but would you ever want to actually use it and risk ruining such a beautiful memento?  With this platter, there is no need to worry!!  They come with special pens so the guests sign it, you bake it in the over for some amount of time, and the ink actually bakes into the platter itself so you can enjoy it, permanently.

This typewriter idea is just simply adorable.  Typewriters are mostly a thing of the past, but we have to say they bring a very charming, retro, and fun feel to the usual boring guest book table.  Here were see a cute old fashion type writer with pieces of paper for guests to type onto. This is a very unique alternative that guests will find interesting...or at the very least, they'll be entertained trying to figure out how in the world to use a typewriter.

The Coffee Table Book is for the couple that wants easy access to their memories and is not looking to have a guest book that sits in a box it's whole life.  Take your favorite coffee table book, something that is important to you or that you both enjoy and have your guests sign that.  Here they have chosen Calvin and Hobbes, which we think was a brilliant choice! You can keep it on your table all year, every year, to remind you of your loved ones and your special day!

This is by far our favorite idea for a wedding keepsake as it has serious family heirloom potential.  Have your guests sign small pieces of fabric (coordinating with your wedding colors, of course!!!) in lieu of a book.  Then, hire a professional or friend who is good with a sewing machine to stitch the pieces together for you and create a cozy quilt that you can cherish for a lifetime! 

XOXO,
Jen and Saira