Guestbook Alternatives?

[RosieAngel]

I'm having a really small wedding. There aren't nearly enough guests to fill up a proper guestbook, so I feel kinda silly getting one. Do you have any ideas on some other way to keep a record of who was there?

[Kirby]

You could do a frame mat and later display it in your home with a wedding photo:
http://aycu15.webshots.com/image/46814/2005452899749834519_rs.jpg
http://www.sincerityweddings.com/guest-book-frame-p-531.html

Or you could have everyone sign a keepsake platter. Serendipity Crafts is a member here who makes these:

http://aycu18.webshots.com/image/48577/2005405342428971478_rs.jpg
http://www.serendipity-crafts.com/personalPlates.html

Here's an article with more ideas:
http://www.knotforlife.com/planning/ceremony/creative-wedding-guestbook-ideas.shtml

[BrideInCuffs21]

OOOOOooooohhh... someone somewhere did a table top... they got ceramic tiles and then the pens used on them... then baked the tiles... and made it into a table top.... people wrote their greetings and what not on the tiles.... maybe serendipity might know????

[ME&HIM]

get everyone to write on a nice table cloth then go and get all the messages sewn into it

[sweetvenus]

We're doing the photo guestbook. We'll have someone taking pictures and print them out and then people can decorate their page and sign it, and it will all go into a scrapbook.

[SerendipityCrafts]

Or you could have everyone sign a keepsake platter. Serendipity Crafts is a member here who makes these:

http://aycu18.webshots.com/image/48577/2005405342428971478_rs.jpg
http://www.serendipity-crafts.com/personalPlates.html

Hey, that looks familiar :)

Re: the table. You would need to get special ceramic pens to have people sign ceramic tiles and then bake them according to the directions on the pen. You can then affix the tiles to a table top (or a tray or any other flat surface) and grout in between.

My concern in doing this is when you get to the grout portion of the DIY. In that grout is scratchy, you have to be really careful not to get any on the signed tiles (imho - this would be difficult to do if you want to do a proper grouting job). The ceramic pens are considered permanent however the paint/ink can/will scratch if abrasives are used.

[woohoo2me]

notes to the bride and groom in a huricane vase. put some coloured gems on the bottom of your wedding colour, maybe a ribbon around the vase, or leave it plain :D and get index/note cards for people to leave a msg and sign and put into the vase, then you can use it into your decorating at home and be able to look at them when ever you feel like :D

[Blusher]

this wasn't a wedding, but an anniversary party..they had about 50 guests so they got a polaroid camera, took pics of everyone there /couples/families/ and then everybody signed their picture...then they got put in a scrapbook and it was really cute.

[woohoo2me]

keely (KMS) did a quilt for hers, i think she did anyway....

[Whitewater]

We're doing a Very Small guestbook. Actually, it's a personal journal/diary sort of thing that's cream/ivory silk. What gets me, though, is that the entire cover, front, back and sides, is completely *hand-beaded* over the silk. It looks awesome and I have never dared use it because dang, I was afraid to ruin the cover!!!! Mom bought it as a birthday present for me years and years ago and like I said, I have never dared use it, or even take it out of its plastic slipcover!

So since it's gorgeous and in pristine condition, and since we have it, and since it's a lot smaller than your traditional guest book, which (if I remember correctly) are HUGE, it should be the perfect guestbook for us, because it's smaller than normal but really pretty.

That could be an option for you -- if you live in a larger town/city you might be able to find highly decorated journals in a boutique or maybe even a Barnes and Noble -- I know the ones here have all kinds of fancy journals. Heck, even if you couldn't find one pre-made you could always buy a plain leather one that's smaller and dress it up yourself!

Come to think of it, the BN's here have really beautiful leather journals, dyed all different colors and the leatherwork on them is also beautiful -- if I didn't already have a beautiful journal as a guestbook, I'd consider one of those just as they are, 'cause really, they're beautiful -- and they'd definitely be different!


Whitewater

[FFC]

I LOVE this idea, using a glass bowl and having your guests sign it with the diamond tipped pen. I almost ordered it awhile back, it was like $20 plus $30 for the pen or something like that. This site is beyond pricey, but I can't find it where I found it months ago :(

http://steuben.com/acb/product2.cfm?section=5&group=33&product=880

http://steuben.com/source_images/sm-sig-bowl-sm-scribe_med.jpg

[Kfancii]

I LOVE this idea, using a glass bowl and having your guests sign it with the diamond tipped pen. I almost ordered it awhile back, it was like $20 plus $30 for the pen or something like that. This site is beyond pricey, but I can't find it where I found it months ago :(

http://steuben.com/acb/product2.cfm?section=5&group=33&product=880

http://steuben.com/source_images/sm-sig-bowl-sm-scribe_med.jpg

Those are really cool but did you see the price?? That one is $2000! My budget for my whole wedding including the travel expenses to TN is $2500!!

ETA - hahaha I just re-read your post- no kidding this site is beyond pricy! The big bowl on this site was $6100!

[FFC]

Those are really cool but did you see the price?? That one is $2000! My budget for my whole wedding including the travel expenses to TN is $2500!!

ETA - hahaha I just re-read your post- no kidding this site is beyond pricy! The big bowl on this site was $6100!

Yes, I did say it was beyond overpriced. I am trying to find them for cheaper. I almost ordered the same thing before.. it was just a glass bowl with a diamond point pen - like $60 total. I just gotta find it :upsidown:

[FFC]

Here's an idea: This comes with a pen, and you can have "up to 100" signatures, but can probably fit more... you can do pretty much anything.

http://www.idoengravables.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=I&Offset=&Product_Code=P_LHP&Category_Code=Trays-Platters

http://www.idoengravables.com/mm5/graphics/00000001/large_heart_290w.jpg

[Kfancii]

Yes, I did say it was beyond overpriced. I am trying to find them for cheaper. I almost ordered the same thing before.. it was just a glass bowl with a diamond point pen - like $60 total. I just gotta find it :upsidown:

Well they are super cool! Kinda like Elizabeth's platters! I'm always on the hunt for really neat gifts we can use as retirement gifts for staff leaving the Dean's Office, so if you do find the site, please let me know so I can bookmark it too! I have 3 retirement parties I'm planning before August so I am on the hunt for good gifts! I did order a personalized signature platter from Elizabeth for one of them that I can't wait to get!

[sweetvenus]

A wedding I went to a few years ago had something similar, except it was a picture frame. People signed it and it was etched into the metal or whatever it was. It was pretty cool. I have no idea where they got it though.

[saltyveruca]

A lot of people do the large mat photograph.

We're going to do the photograph, but also create our own guestbook. I feel exactly the same way about there being entirely too many pages, and really, they are so boring. So we're going to make a photo album guest book, with small photos of us and plenty of room for people to sign.

[Fireman'sgirl]

I'm all about my gardening so I'm having everyone sign a small wooden bench that I bought at Michael's. I'm going to paint it before the wedding whatever color(s) and then after the wedding I'm going to seal it and put it in my garden. I can't wait to see how it turns out!

[FFC]

I'm all about my gardening so I'm having everyone sign a small wooden bench that I bought at Michael's. I'm going to paint it before the wedding whatever color(s) and then after the wedding I'm going to seal it and put it in my garden. I can't wait to see how it turns out!

Oh my gosh I love this idea!!!

[ger]

We're doing a quilt. We got material, had everyone sign them...and now I'm working on putting it together. I also put some of our wedding pictures on transfers and am going to add those, too. (Of course, I got permission from our photographer first!)

If you decide to do this, I have some hints for you...just let me know.

Here is a pic of the squares for our quilt.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r107/gerrc21/fall%202007/100_0448.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r107/gerrc21/fall%202007/100_0449.jpg

[HisMuse]

I really wanted to do a Polaroid guestbook but I think it's going to be WAY too much work and organizing than I really want to deal with. I think I might have a nice book but have cards on the table for everyone to fill out and then later on glue them in along with a picture of them from the wedding if there is one. I'll have a box to put all the cards in.

[Diamend]

WE had everyone sign river rocks and put them in a glass vase that is in our home now...
http://s177.photobucket.com/albums/w206/diamend7/?action=view&current=DSC00091.jpg

[RosieAngel]

Oh wow, thank you all so much! You all gave me so many wonderful ideas that I don't know which one I want to choose now! I'll consult FH on this when he gets home from work.

[Goin2thechapel]

I had bought a guest book for my wedding before I found this site unfortunately. Elizabeth (Serendipity crafts) makes gorgeous plates and platters!! I actually just bought a plate from her last week to commemorate our One Year Anniversary since we bought our first home...

The plates are extremely personalized and something that you can display on the wall, on a table, or even on a small stand. I love the idea personally, because you can see it every day that you wake up.

It won't let me put my plate on here.....Elizabeth, can you do it??? I can't even get it to upload in photobucket...


PS..Guys, wait til you see what my house looks like and then the plate....It's sweet!!!

[MrsLove]

WE had everyone sign river rocks and put them in a glass vase that is in our home now...
http://s177.photobucket.com/albums/w206/diamend7/?action=view&current=DSC00091.jpg

I LOVE the rocks! What did the write with? I've been trying out some different options for writing on rocks and haven't come up with something that looks good. Plus, your rocks look small. Did people just write their names? I really like your idea!

[SerendipityCrafts]

It won't let me put my plate on here.....Elizabeth, can you do it??? I can't even get it to upload in photobucket...

PS..Guys, wait til you see what my house looks like and then the plate....It's sweet!!!

Awww thanks Amanda :) DH isn't home is he? Isn't this supposed to be a surprise?

You probably couldn't load it because the file is so huge (1.6MB)! Here is the digital mock up, sized down.

http://www.serendipity-crafts.com/images/DesousaHome.jpg

[SerendipityCrafts]

WE had everyone sign river rocks and put them in a glass vase that is in our home now...
http://s177.photobucket.com/albums/w206/diamend7/?action=view&current=DSC00091.jpg

Do you have a pic of them signed? Curious minds want to see :)

[FFC]

Do you have a pic of them signed? Curious minds want to see :)

Me too me too!!

[mtigercat]

I too am having smaller than the guestbook wedding. I am going to have everyone sign one page. Then i am also having the well wishes. And putting lots of cameras out. After all over I am going to develop pics and make a sort of scrap book out of everything. signatures, well wishes, and pics throughout the book. I am only using the guestbook to do this because i bought it before i came up with this idea and before i realized we weren't inviting a bunch of people.

[Diamend]

I LOVE the rocks! What did the write with? I've been trying out some different options for writing on rocks and haven't come up with something that looks good. Plus, your rocks look small. Did people just write their names? I really like your idea!

We used gold and silver gel pens. The rocks ranged from an inch to 2 inches, so people were able to right their names, some wrote small notes: "love you" "you rock" haha.... I loved how it turned out. Now we have our vase full of rocks in our house and I can sit and look at the random names when I'm on the couch... and I think people had fun with them!
http://s177.photobucket.com/albums/w206/diamend7/?action=view&current=2323232327Ffp63B3Dwp3E23373D733A-1.jpg

http://s177.photobucket.com/albums/w206/diamend7/?action=view&current=2323232327Ffp63B3Dwp3E23373D733A3D8.jpg

http://s177.photobucket.com/albums/w206/diamend7/?action=view&current=2323232327Ffp63A3Dwp3E23373D733A3D8.jpg

[kerri27]

We are having a canvas framed photogragh of us for people to sign.

[NOTKT]

I am using www.guestbookstore.com for mine. I can only add 20 pages if I want.