I've been to many weddings where guests sign a traditional wedding guestbook - sometimes they sign their names, and sometimes they give little messages or advice. While many brides favor the traditional guestbook, others want something with a creative flair. If you're a creative type, you might enjoy some of these ideas! For each idea, I've also included my personal favorite.
Creative Guestbook Ideas:
1. Something relating to hobbies. The guests can sign an item relating to the bride and groom's hobbies, such as an apron, baseball cap, home plate, softballs, chef's hat, a game board, guitar, flying disc, pieces of music, or a surfboard.
My Pick: Though I like the idea of a game board - especially since some couples use Scrabble tiles for engagement and wedding photos, it's hard to find a board game that has enough white space to write on (unless you purchase a blank game board like the Ashley Productions Game Board). So my personal pick would be the apron, since I enjoy baking. I found this all-white Aunt Martha's Cotton Kitchen Apron online, though it might not be fancy enough for most bride's liking.
2. Something made out of wood. Ideas for wooden decorations include an anchor, a ship's wheel, a barrel, alphabet letters or an ampersand symbol, letters that spell out Mr. and Mrs., a tree-shaped plaque, or a corn hole game. You can also sign wooden furniture, such as a chair, bar stool, a bench, an oar, or a coffee table.
Another idea for wood decor: Guests can sign a wooden plaque that looks like your home state!
My Pick: Corn hole game, or as this brand is called, Original Tailgate Toss. What I like about a corn hole board is that it's large enough for guests to write on, but will make a really fun backyard game afterwards!
My Pick: I like the birdcage idea, maybe because I think of love birds, or a white birdcage to match the bride. This White Birdcage Wedding Card Holder Wishing Well looks like a cute way to house your guests' messages.
4. Something artsy-craftsy. Guests can paint a board using paintbrushes, or sign quilt pieces or bandanas. Some artsy ideas are a little messy, but memorable, such as having guests dip their hands into paints to make hand prints, or pressing their thumbs into ink to create a thumbprint tree. If you're going for a different look, use black paper and gel pens for your guestbook. Or for another creative activity, cut out note paper in the shapes of tiny clothes, and after guests sign, they can hang them on the clothespins.
My Pick: Thumbprint tree. This Thumbprint Guest Book Wedding Tree is designed for 75 to 125 guests.
5. Something small. The guestbook doesn't have to be big - sometimes small items are the most special! This includes bookmarks, Jenga game pieces, building blocks, shells, stones, paper hearts, coasters, cork, imitation sand dollars, paper flowers or leaves, origami boats or swans, paper airplanes or balloons, playing cards, postcards, Pogs, puzzle pieces, or paper mustaches or lips. The guests can also sign blank stickers and stick them on a decorative board.
My Pick: The Jenga idea is my favorite, partly because it seems like the blocks would be easy to preserve and store afterwards.
6. Something technological. Have an audio or video guestbook where guests record messages. Or place a laptop on a table and have guests leave a comment. Or set up a photo booth, and after the guest gets doubles of his picture, he can slip on of the copies into a book along with a personal note. If you're looking for technology that's not so modern, you could set up a vintage typewriter where guests can write notes - or just use a vintage typewriter as a cute guestbook table centerpiece!
My Pick: Since modern greetings sometimes lack sentimentality, the typewriter is my favorite. I own a typewriter that is from the 1980s, so if I was using one for messages or as a centerpiece, I would probably go for something a little more vintage. Vintagetypewritershoppe.com seems to have a good collection.
7. Something inexpensive. Sometimes paper hearts, circular pieces of paper, or 3 x 5 index cards (colored or white) do the trick! Slipping the cards into a box that you decorative yourself could also be a nice touch.
My Pick: If you want to save money and time, I'd go for the note cards, since you don't have to cut them. I personally favor the look of white and non-lined, like these Pendaflex Oxford Blank Index Cards.
8. Other alternatives to the traditional guestbook. There are plenty of objects or items that guests can write messages on, including a ceramic plate, a globe, address cards, library cards, a calendar, decorative flags, a novel, necktie, shoes, or a map. Or they could write on a vase, vintage music record, waste basket, teddy bear, t-shirt with the & symbol, platter, pin board, or pillow slip! You can even choose an alternative guestbook that will later become a decoration in your home, such as a framed piece of art with a blank middle or a photo frame with matting on it - or maybe a "God Bless Our Home" sign. And if you want an alternative that is somewhat similar to a traditional guestbook, then a journal, sketchpad, or scrapbook might be the right choice for you.
My Pick: My favorite idea would probably be the framed photograph with matting, such as this Wedding Wishes Signature Guest Book Picture Frame. Or instead of framing a photograph, you could frame a drawing of the couple or their silhouettes, like you see below.
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