Traditionally, guests sign a book on the day of the their event, be it a wedding, corporate event, or party, to show who was witness to the event. Etiquette-wise, it gave the host a way to thank each individual guest for coming. Today, the tradition still exists, however, options for how one wants to record the guest list are endless. Here are just a few ideas…

Traditional Guest Book

 Traditional books that are lined registers of guest attendance to free-form books that encourage guest to write a note to the couple, or a few words of advice are available most anywhere. You can purchase these at any stationary store, or search online for a variety of styles, or even visit your local Target. You can often purchase one in the same style as your invitations from the company you are using for your invites.

Frames

One of the more popular alternatives to a book, is a framed picture of the couple, or simply a large matting (in which a wedding picture will be placed at a later date). A word of warning: Make certain to use permanent, quality pens that do not fade. You can purchase these at any stationary or scrapbooking store. There are also options available now in which the matting is silver and the signatures are etched into the matting itself. These should not have an issue holding up long-term and are very classy.

Photobooks or Scrapbooks

In similar style to the traditional guest book, there are photobooks or scrapbooks. You can create scrapbook pages for the guests to sign, or you can create a photobook of the two of you (think childhood, dating, and engagement pictures) that people can sign around. Again, be certain to use high quality pens that will not fade. If you do not want to highlight pictures of yourselves, create pages on which you will later place a picture of each guest. You can also use cameras on the guest tables with signage encouraging your guest to make certain a photo of each guest/couple is taken to put in the scrapbook.

Photo Booths

A trend, and one that has come from the idea of the scrapbook, is to rent a photo booth that allows all your guests at the wedding to get pictures of themselves taken as a photographic rendition of a guest book. Some couples choose to let their guests keep some of the photos and then sign and leave a photo for the couple, others allow only one set of photos to be taken and ask that their guests sign and leave a note for them on the pictures.

Video Booth

The newest of trends is to do it all on video! There are video guest booths popping up all over, so keep an eye out!

Silver Engraved Platter

Like the engraved matting, you can opt for a stainless steel platter with a diamond tip pen with which guests engrave their names and messages into your platter.

Ceramic Platter

Like the silver platters, but on a much more casual level, your guests can sign a white ceramic platter using special markers. Guests sign, draw and design on your platter and then it is baked in the oven at 300 degrees for a half hour.

Collage

Another fun thing you can do it to set out cards or pieces of paper on which your guests are encouraged to write a bit of marriage advice. The cards can then be put together in a collage and frame and displayed in your new home as encouragement to you both through your years together.

Of course, your options are as endless as your imagination, so what can you think of??