Alternative Guestbook Ideas

[ruby_soho]

I've seen some neat guest book ideas around here (especially sweets4ever's), but I'd like to gather them - here are the criteria I'm looking for:

1.  Allows/encourages guests to write advice and/or a personal message.
2.  Preferably functional - I like the idea that it is something useful or on display, not something we'll just tuck away... 

Beyond that, anything is game.  I've seen the photo mats and the serving platters... is there anything else??

[woobie]

I really like the autograph mat idea (not sure I'm calling it the right thing..) you know one of those large frames with a wide mat. In the center you put a nicely printed little note, something like "please share a few words or your blessings with us".. then supply a sharpie.  After the wedding replace the note with a picture of the bride and groom and they have a momento to hang in their home.

[sweets4ever]

I like sweets4ever's idea.

Some others we tossed around were...

• A tree like I made for Kittykill http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=130284.0
• Making a tree quilt - having each guest sign a fabric leaf and bringing them all together in one piece later.  I think *MAR* did/is doing this.
• Buying enough blank mugs for our guests and having each person leave words of wisdom on them, then baking them (with the same porcelain markers we used on the tiles).  I guess it would depend if you drink a lot of mug beverages and your total guest count if this was a good idea though.

I wanted something unique and not something where I would get a list of names and addresses.  I think we had more ideas, but I'll have to look through my notes to see.

[LoriHatesOkra]

Completely not functional like you are looking for but asks for advice or personal messages and calls for a little creativity from the guests. I made my own pages for them to fill out and will just put them in a book when they are done.





I don't know how to make the pictures to where you can click on them and get the bigger picture. If one of the managers can do that for me, I'd really appreciate it.

[Alli_Lucy]

Mine might not be quite what you are looking for, but I'll throw it out there anyway.  We glued small envelopes into a guestbook, then asked guests to write us a message or draw us pictures on little cards and slip them into the envelopes.  It's not that far off from the traditional guestbook, but I really loved it.  One of my favorite memories of the wedding weekend is sitting on the balcony of our hotel room the morning after the wedding and reading all of our messages. 

I saw the idea in a Martha Stewart magazine and got all of the supplies from Paper-Source. 

[yum yum in my tum tum]

OKay this isn't really functional but i love this idea. You could place a card at each guest's place and ask them to write a wish for you two on it and get a large fishbowl for them to place it in. Then hide them from yourself...dont read them, and then on your 1st anniversary, you can read all of them!

[jadeye]

you've probably heard this one already and I saw it here on craftster, but this is what my man and I will be doing...the scrapbook guestbook.  There was a craftster (I cant find the link right now but when I do I'll post it) who had a table devoted to scrapbook materials and crazy scisors and pens and had each person or family bring with a picture of them with the bride or groom (or a family pic if they didnt have one with the couple) and place the pic on a page and decorate the rest of the page with funn stuff/words of wisdom/congratulations ect...
hope this helps I'm going to find that link now!

Ok so I think this is the one but the picture idea may have come from another post, I think I was combining 2 ideas, anyway here is the link

http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=21565.0

Oh wait I found the original one!!!

http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=56798.0

[sweets4ever]

Jadeye, your post cracked me up.

[keeperrox]

We got married (and honeymooned) on the Outer Banks.  Instead of a traditional guestbook, we purchased a book of Outer Banks photography. On every other page there was either a large white frame around the picture, or a complete white page with the title of the photograph on the opposing page.  The book now sits on the coffee table in the living room.  It's out all the time, which I think fits the "functionality" requirement  you were looking for. 









Some wrote a little.



Other's wrote a lot.



And some pages are still blank.

I'm sure you could find a similar book, maybe of your honeymoon location, or maybe just a favorite place.

[sweets4ever]

LOVE your book!