Wedding Q&A Thursday - Guest Books

Q: I am not into the traditional wedding guest book, I just don’t see myself looking back at a book of names but my mother feels that it is important. What is a more modern and creative guest book idea that I can use that might appeal to both me and my traditional mother.

A: That is a great question and one that we get quite often. The wedding tradition of a guest book was a way to document who attended your wedding...same thing at funeral, ugh. There are many more options out there than the traditional white guest book – you can find a book in almost any color, pattern and style to match your wedding and theme, but why stick with the traditional when you can have something much more creative. We have many suggestions that might be suitable to both you and your mother....so many that we will divide it up in separate posts because...sigh...brides these days have pretty sweet and numerous options.

Coffee Table Books
If you are having a destination wedding, the actual location of your wedding holds greater significance. In such a case, using a coffee table book with pictures and sites from the city where you are getting married as your guest book allows you to play on the traditional guest book, while creating something that has a place in your home instead of your storage facility. Choose a book that is heavy on pictures, with ample blank space around the picture margins. Your guests will fill the empty space with warm wishes and sign their names (record of attendance: check; tradition observed: check). Every time that you, or a house guest, pick up the book you will be reminded of the great day that you two spent in Savannah starting your lives together.

For a Savannah destination wedding, this is a great option that you can purchase on the Historic Savannah Foundation web site - it is a beautiful book, and the proceeds of the sale benefit a Savannah non-profit.

If you choose have professional engagement portraits taken, have them published as a coffee table guest book. Many wedding photographers can set this up for you and may even include it as an option in your service package. If you'd like to make a DIY coffee table guest book, using professional engagement portraits or just great pictures of you and your mate, a site like MyPublisher allows you to easily create your own. Be sure, once again, to leave ample empty space in the margins.

Creative guest book options are as boudless as your own creativity. We'll be back with some more options this afternoon.