If you’re looking for creative wedding guest book ideas, it turns out that the internet does… not really have you covered. A few months ago, I decided to round up the best wedding guest book alternatives the internet had to offer. So I hit Etsy, which is normally the purveyor of good things. But as you might know, if you’ve started looking for wedding guest book ideas, when you get past the more traditional options (which we’ve already rounded up for you here), the going gets… grim… and very, very rustic.
Full disclosure, we did not have a guest book at our wedding. It wasn’t really a conscious decision, but in the wild shuffle of putting together a DIY wedding, it was never something that crossed my mind. And nine years later, I would love to have guest book on our shelf. (I mean, #noregrets, but still.) In the years since, we’ve lost my father-in-law, my Grandmother, and more than a few other wedding guests. I wish we had a place where we’d gathered all the love notes and signatures from that one, bright, beautiful day when we were all together. But if I had to do it all over again, I’m not sure I’d do the traditional guest book route. Instead, I’d want to find a way to gather all those love notes and memories in something that was a beautiful keepsake that we could leaf through for years to come. But also, at the end of wedding planning, money was tight, and we were not about to invest in any kind of $250 guest book.
So because we consider our job to be the wedding laboratory of the internet, we set to work coming up with cute, affordable, and really low-effort options for those of you looking for creative wedding guest book ideas. I love what we came up with, from metal prints to cheater (and cheap) art books. I hope this provides some inspiration for collecting all those signatures of your beloveds, while they’re still here with you.
(And pro-tip: If one of these wedding guest book ideas doesn’t speak to your soul, consider finding a meaningful and useful item for loved ones to sign, whether it’s a guitar that you use to play songs to your kids one day, or a vintage quilt that you keep at the foot of your bed for the next forty years.)
Wedding Guest Book Ideas
A Signed Photo Frame: Remember those old (sort of awful) signed photo frames from the ’90s and early aughts? Take a traditional idea and give it an upgrade with a precut, off-center mat in your frame. We further upgraded with this lucite easel, which we bought on a whim but is now possibly the sexiest thing we have in our studio. Totally worth the investment if you feel like getting fancy (also there is a much cheaper baby version). Have your guests sign away and print out a wedding photo to add later for this update on a classic framed guestbook.
Sign Beautiful Wall Prints: Every time I go to my local gift shop or bookstore they have these amazing prints that I envy every time I stop in. They’re technically wrapping paper (so super affordable), but they’re as lovely as prints that you would spend a ton of money on. They come in a variety of designs that happen to go with many personal interests or potential wedding themes, so why not use them as a guestbook? Have your guests sign your favorite poster and display it on the wall for all to see. (Pro-tip: Use half circle metal bars like these and glue them to the top and bottom of the poster, then hang it with fishing wire if you want a floating effect or with your favorite color string for an extra pop.) We used the botany, bird, color wheel, and gemstone prints. Other particularly great prints include: bicycles, the stars, the periodic table, palmistry, pasta, New York… we could go on and on, but check them all out here.
A Book Of Poetry: Feeling romantic? It is your wedding after all. Get a couple of your favorite books filled with love poems and have guests sign their well wishes next to their favorite quote. These are perfect for tucking on your bookshelf and looking over years later.
Sign an Art book (Or an “Art” Book): If you can find a perfect art book or vintage book to have your guests sign, more power to you. But if you can’t we found you this stunning botanical book in the children’s section. They also have books in the series on animals, evolution, history, and dinosaurs, that are all equally beautiful (and cheap). Have your guests hide their sweet notes in them, to find for years to come.
The instant film guest book: For the most #extra of crowds, break out that instant camera and provide some snazzy props to create a mini photo shoot for your guests. Our favorite thing about this guest book is that the options for customization are endless. Guests can go to town with printed washi tape or keep it classic with solid colors. All you have to do is assemble the photo album at the end of your event. We took our photos with props from Target, #LazyGirl style, and a photo album from Amazon.
A Signed Record: For those that prefer analog to digital, we see you! Take your favorite record (maybe the one containing your first dance song?), and add even more sentimental value by using it as your guestbook. Buy some metallic or white sharpies and have guests sign away! Record frames can be found on Amazon for cheap, but we found these brass frames at CB2 that are worth every penny. You can top the look off by using your favorite paper, fabric, or even the record sleeve as a background when you’re ready to frame it.
Metal Prints: If you dig industrial-chic but don’t own the modern loft of your dreams, it’s easy to achieve that vibe with these metal prints from Parabo Press. Get your engagement photos printed on some of the squares and get the other metal squares printed with your favorite pattern of choice or with a simple solid color for your guests to sign. BONUS: Each of these metal prints comes with an acrylic stand to display your guest book on your favorite table!
Sign A Comic Book: When you and your partner are huge comic junkies, why not add to the obsession by getting your favorite comic book for everyone to sign? Bring your favorite characters and the people you love together and have quite literally the best of both worlds.
Sign A Kids Book: Who said the kids have to miss out on all the fun? Find your favorite children’s book with some ample blank space or really colorful pages and have the kids sign away (the adults can get in on this too)! You never know what funny doodles or notes you’ll find later. We used the great book Press Here, which has tons of color and white space, but pick a favorite book from your childhood and get in on the fun.
For those of you who had creative wedding guest book ideas, what did you use? What half-baked wedding guest book alternatives are you thinking of that we can help you figure out? Hive mind, let’s do this.
