This
day and age the Wedding Guest Book is viewed by some as silly or obsolete. Most
wedding guest books are put away in a closet to collect dust and never be looked
at again. However most brides would like some way to remember all the people who
showed up for her special day. Here are some alternative ways to do this.
One Idea is to buy an unfired platter or bowl from a pottery shop in your town
and have everyone sign it with a pre-glaze pen. Then you can have it glazed and
fired as a keepsake and conversation piece.
Another
idea would be to take quilt squares and have the guests write messages or just
sign names on each square. You will then have a quilt as a guestbook, or a
guestbook as a quilt!
There are many varying ideas on how to have guests sign the quilt squares.
One option is a simple cloth marker. Later, you may want to take the time to go
over the signatures with embroidery or cross stitch so that they stay bold.
There are machines out there that can do this or you can do it by hand.
A
lampshade to be signed is also a novel idea not used often, but something that
could be kept around the house.
Buying or building an un-finished wood table and having the guests
"Sign" with a wood-burning pen is a good idea for a rustic home, or
you can even have it finished afterward for the polished look.
Having a wishing well with blank cards around it for guests to write their
"Wishes for the couple" or advice on the cards is another idea. There
are many variations on this such as having the guest pick a date for you to open
the card (something special like their birthday or whatever they choose). Or you
can choose to open them on your first anniversary and remember your wedding day.
Another option is to open them immediately and incorporate the cards into your
wedding day scrap book.
A
fun and casual way of doing this is to put papers at each setting, or have
someone pass around a large notebook or art pad (or leave them at a specific
"signing table" along with markers, crayons colored pencils and pens.
Ask each of the guests to take a sheet of paper and write a message, such as
advice or best wishes. These can be put in the larger picture albums or can be
bound together in an album of their own. This is also an idea for something that
can be left out as a coffee table book etc.
Buy a table-book of something or somewhere that is special to you as a couple
and have the guests sign around the pictures like a yearbook. Leave the book out
at your new home for anyone to glance through.
Another fun option is to buy one of the gigantic Mavericks of wine and have
silver or gold pens and have all of the guests sign the bottle and label. A very
popular option is the wide matte picture frame, in which you have a double or
triple wide matting surround a photo of the couple, or a picture that has
special meaning to them.
All of these ideas are designed to keep a "book" special to you and an
every day thing for your family. There are many more possibilities. Find one
that’s specific to you and your fiancee’s personalities. Don't forget that
the option of the traditional guest book may also be what you are looking for as
a keepsake for generations to come!
