Guest book ideas

The guest book.  My favorite part of the guest book is the person assigned to do this job.  They are usually wondering, along with everyone else, what exactly their role is supposed to be.  Smile and hand over the pen.  Actually, if the messages from guests are important to your memories of the day, guest book attendants are important simply because people need to be reminded to sign the darn thing.  Most of us will walk right by it unless someone shoves a pen in our face.  So grab that college roommate and put her to work!

Have you seen the price on formal guest books?  A little too much for me, and you if you're looking to spend around $500 on a wedding.  So let's take a look at some different ideas compared to the traditional guest book.

A friend of mine had people sign a chalk board.  Actually it was a large piece of plywood painted with chalkboard paint.  The "guest book" attendant had everyone sign their name and a message then carefully put the board somewhere safe.  After the party, the bride and groom sprayed the board with an adhesive, then painted over the messages with a clear gloss.  A simple homemade frame and it was a unique piece of art for their home.  Simple and cheap too!

I've seen this same idea with a piece of poster board, which is about 50 cents at any store that sells school or office supplies.  Have everyone sign the poster board, then purchase a frame and hang it in your house when you come back from your honeymoon!  A poster frame will cost somewhere around $15 and you can purchase it at a later date rather than add it to your wedding budget.

Another idea I've seen is Message-In-A-Jar.  Scraps of paper are placed in a basket with pens.  Guests write their message and names on the papers, then place them in a glass jar.  After the party, the jar is sealed and given to the couple.  They can open it later that day at home, or save it for their anniversary.  Cheap and easy?  Definitely, I mean, how much does scratch paper and a glass jar cost? 

Finally, an actual guest book is great too if you can find a deal!  Keep your eye open for blank journals that could work as a guest book for half the price.  Especially look for these deals during back-to-school sales.


Have an idea? Share it here! Let's all help each other out.