10 Alternative Guest Book Ideas You Wish You Thought of Yourself

Guest books are priceless. They allow you to look back on who attended your wedding to help you celebrate the big day. They are a keepsake you can look back on in happy times and sad. They illustrate friendship, love, and happiness. If you are not a traditional bride, you may think guest books are too conventional. But any couple can find an alternative guest book that contains all the desirable aspects of the original variety and suits your relationship perfectly.

For the old-fashioned couple:

Ask guests to write you and your spouse a letter for an upcoming anniversary of their choice. They can indicate the anniversary on which they want you to open their letter on the envelope. Find a cheap mailbox for your guests to place all their letters and for you to store the letters. The letters can be pieces of advice, date ideas, or general notes. It’s up to your guests what they write, but this form of a guest book is guaranteed to be a meaningful gift.

For the spiritual couple:

One of the most comforting aspects of life is that it is not meant to be walked alone. To illustrate and utilize the fellowship that you receive from your friends, purchase a nice Bible, perhaps with your names or the date of your wedding inscribed in it. Set it out with highlighters, pens, or other writing utensils and ask your guests to indicate their favorite verse. If you purchase a journaling Bible, these have extra space in the margins, giving guests an opportunity to explain why they like their chosen verse and sign their names.

For the photogenic couple:

Have guests take a selfie or take pictures of each other to document their attendance. Polaroid cameras or photo booths allow for instant printing. Guests can take these prints and sign the back with a little message. If you are purchasing these Polaroid cameras anyway, sit them around common areas so that guests can also double as photographers, capturing the candid moments of your wedding.

For the musical couple:

Purchase a used or new guitar and set it out at your wedding with a sharpie. Your guests will feel like superstars as they leave their John Hancock’s on the instrument. This guitar will make for a meaningful decoration in the home or another stringed instrument to add to your collection. This idea could likewise be slightly tweaked for other couples who aren’t musical. For instance, you could set out old-fashioned skis, a wooden table, or a cutting board for your guests to sign.

For the outdoorsy couple:

As referenced briefly above, you could set out something else meaningful and reusable for your guests to sign. One such idea could be a wooden picnic table in which your guests carve their names. This idea does not allow for long messages, but it will give you and your spouse a meaningful keepsake for years to come. As you and your family enjoy the table, you can remember who attended your wedding and celebrated the beginning of your marriage.

For the decorative couple:

If you like the idea of seeing your guests’ signatures when you eat your meals but don’t have the space or resources for a whole table, a table cloth will work just as well. Lay out the tablecloth and provide colored sharpies for your guests to sign their names or short messages. To make sure the tablecloth looks classy and not like the back of your high school yearbook, select a soft, muted color. You can even draw a simple design in the middle of the cloth or ask guests to sign in a particular fashion — such as along the edge — in order to ensure its aesthetic appeal.

For the gamer couple:

If you and your spouse love playing games — board games, card games, and more — you can incorporate this passion into your ‘guest book’. Purchase one or multiple Jenga sets and ask guests to sign the wooden blocks. This concept can also be transferred to other similar games. Because you are bound to play the game many times in the future, this form of a guest book actually serves a purpose rather than sitting forgotten in your attic.

For the adventurous couple:

Ask guests to write down suggestions for places to visit and things to do. Set out a rustic bucket for guests to figuratively and literally fill your bucket list. As adventurers, you are always looking for locations and activities that you have not  previously tried. This way, you can compile a solid list of ideas which come by recommendation. Then, as you complete each of these suggestions, you can send the respective wedding guests a postcard from the location or even a text message. They will be touched that you valued their opinion and actually gave it a try.

For the artsy couple:

Before your wedding, draw a simple design on a large, thick piece of paper with your names and wedding date. Then, set out ink pads for your guests to leave their thumbprint. Prompt them to sign their names by their print. You can frame this paper and feel blessed by the many people who love you and are influential in your life.

For the life-of-the-party couple:

If you and your spouse are always ready for a good time, the piñata guest book may be perfect for you. Guests can write messages to fill your piñata. Then, on your first anniversary, the two of you can smash it and enjoy reading all the well-wishes and advice of your guests. It allows you to reminisce not only on your first year of marriage, but the people who helped you celebrate that big day.

In the whirlwind of your wedding day, it is easy to forget who all attended to help you celebrate. For purpose of thank you notes and just of friendship appreciation, you should set out some type of guest book. Even if you are not the traditional couple, you can find some form of a guest book that will be a priceless momento for you and your spouse for years to come.