Bored with the usual book and pen guest book commonly found at weddings? Here’s some great alternative wedding guest book ideas to spark your creativity.
But will they use it?
For some guests, the pressure of trying to pull together a moving message for you and your partner can be enough to stop them from picking up the pen. For others, they are simply having too much fun at your wedding that they totally forget the guest book is waiting for them.
But if you can discover an alternative that is fun, engaging, and also a talking point for guests, they will be eager to get on board and you will end up with a unique keepsake that you can cherish forever.
Jenga
Love a bit of a challenge? Jenga is a great game that people of all ages can enjoy, and when you use it as a guest book with a twist, you’ll be sure to capture the attention of your wedding guests.
Set up a game of Jenga on a table or atop a barrel or other piece of furniture that matches your wedding theme. Ask guests to pull out a block, write their message on it, and stack it back on the top. Of course, they’ll have to try their best not to unbalance the stack!
The virtual guest book
Just about everything is digitised these days, so why not create an e-guest book? You can set up a laptop in a quiet(ish) corner of the reception, and ask guests to wander over there at some stage to leave a video message using the webcam.
Granny and Poppa might need some assistance with this one, but what you will have are priceless snippets from the people you love the most. More than a written message or a photo, this is something that will capture the personalities and little quirks of everyone who leaves you a message.
This will be right up there with your professional videographer’s work in sentimental value.
Thumbprint tree
All it takes is a piece of paper or cardboard with a picture of a tree with spread out branches on it and an ink pad – and magic happens!
Guests stamp their thumb or finger into the ink pad (you can choose leafy colours or some that match your wedding theme) and place their print somewhere on the tree. All that is needed to complete the ‘signature’ is to write your name above, below, or across your print.
It is awesome to watch the tree take shape and will be something you can frame and hang on the wall to fill you with memories for years to come.
Wooden shapes in a frame
You can find kits with mini wooden hearts or other shapes, and a deep-framed picture that allows you to slot the wooden trinkets into it.
Guests write their name or a special message onto one of the wooden shapes and either post it directly into the frame, or leave it on the table to be collected and put together after the reception.
Get snap-happy
Polaroid cameras are a great accessory and tie in with just about any wedding theme. People of all ages enjoy being able to snap an image of themselves and watch it develop before their eyes.
Guests can write a message on the white space underneath the image and hang it on a mini ‘clothes line’ for all guests to admire, or you can have them glue their photo straight into a wedding album and write a message for you there.
Corked
If you are having a vineyard wedding, or simply enjoy a good drop, you can save corks in the lead up to your wedding (and maybe put out a call for others to do the same if you have a large number of guests on the invite list) and ask your guests to write their message on a cork.
Anniversary drinks
While we are on the topic of wine, you can customise a couple bottles of wine with you and your new spouse’s name and allocate each bottle to an anniversary.
This includes the all-important first anniversary, fifth, 10th and 20th, and you can even go further if you like. Make sure the labels are large and aren’t covered in too much text, as you can then place them on a table for guests to write on, leave messages of encouragement or simply their signatures.
When you whip out a bottle at each milestone, you will no doubt have plenty to reminisce about as you read what was written for you on your wedding day.
Around the world
If you and your partner are seasoned globetrotters, or simply have travel aspirations that you want to fulfill once you get married, you could ask guests to leave their well wishes or signatures on a globe.
Message in a bottle
If you have the patience of a saint and can wait to see what your guests have written for you, a message in a bottle is a great way to create a surprise for your first anniversary.
Select a large bottle (or box if you prefer) and ask guests to write a message for you and your partner to read in 12 months’ time. They will need to pop it straight into the container so that you are not tempted to peek.
You can get your MC on board and make a point of calling for ‘last messages’ before the bottle or box is officially sealed.
