Guest Book

Stacylynn702

My mom bought us a good old fashioned guest book for our wedding (she bought it when we first go engaged).  I told her that I would prefer to have the photo frame where guests can sign this way we can hang it in our house.  I don't really know what people do with a regular guest book after the wedding.  I am also considering a photo book from shutterfly or snapfish.  This way, we can put in our e-pics and put it in our coffee table with other photo albums.

What did you use or what are you going to use?  I also want your opinions of the different kinds.
 Also, for married ladies, what did you do with your guest book after the wedding?

Please note:  My mom doesn't care if we use her book or not, she just wants to know if she should monogram it or put it away for one of my brothers in case they want to use it.  Thanks!

LaRositaMonita

We did the guestbook photo frame and it was a great idea.  It's currently hanging in our living room.

Stacylynn702

LRM, where did you order it from?

LaRositaMonita

I got mine from a frame shop on ebay, although I can't really recommend them. I would HIGHLY recommend this one from Pottery Barn, which you can find on ebay. I can only find the "teen" version in pink, but it could easily by spray pained black or some other color.  It is HUGE...friends of our have it and it's just stunning sitting over their fireplace.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170523033706&rvr_id=146468785266&crlp=1_263602_263622&UA=M*F%3F&GUID=e9d5cca212a0a075f8b4c6a4fff05f3d&itemid=170523033706&ff4=263602_263622

Bride_to_be_2011

I have a guest book platter.

Santorini2011

We are going with a photobook.  I love the picture frame idea but I am afraid that we would not hang it.

I don't know of anyone who is married and revisits their tradional guest book

Stacylynn702

ohhh,  that's really neat!  I've never seen anything like that.  How many signatures does something like that hold? 

mdrswedding

We are going to use this.....

http://www.etsy.com/listing/57111918/guest-book-signature-frame-with-name-art

Received it a couple weeks ago and it turned out fantastic!  Great customer service and speedy turn around.  

Love it!

flawlessfay

Hey,

i am using some of my engagement pics and turning it into a an book for my guest to sign. My photographer is helping me with it so i will let you know how it turns out.

caraellen23

We are doing something a bit different....kind of a gamble, it could be great, or we could get nothing.  We got a stack of gorgeous vintage french postcards and are asking people to write well wishes on the backs, then slide them into a photo album.  We have a sign in a frame explaining what to do (using a picture of us kissing in front of the eiffel tower).   I hope people get it and write notes to us, but if they don't, its okay.

Stacylynn702

Cara, that's so cool you found something to go along with your theme.
I wonder if I could do something to incorporate our theme but I'm not that creative.  Our theme is "Fall in Philadelphia" if anyone has any ideas!

Santorini, where did you get your photobook from??

ooodsie

We did the photo frame that people sign - as well as we had a photobooth that came with a guest book that people put their photo strip in and sign... I honestly coudlnt even tell you where the photobooth guestbook is right now, in a box somewhere possibly.

I'm glad we did the picture, I think for us a guest book just ends up getting thrown in a drawer somewhere where as the photo frame is out and visible everyday.

ooodsie

Also - we didnt want the kind with a tiny picture and a big mat, so we opted for a simple 8x11 matte/frame set from AC Moore (photo below)... It was like 40 bucks and we had a 50% off coupon.     

Stacylynn702

For those who got the photo frame, where did you buy it???  I don't want to spend a boatload, considering I already have something.  Is the part where people sign just a matte?  I'm wondering if I could do it myself with a coupon from AC Moore.  Thanks!

caraellen23

Hmmm.... the first thing I thought of for Fall in Philadelphia would be some sort of leaf/tree scenario.  I saw on my photographers blog recently that a couple did river rocks instead of a guestbook, asking people to write on rocks and then put them in tall glass cylinders.

I've seen pictures of some sort of guestbook tree...people write their names or messages on their leaf/branch on the tree.  I'm sorry I don't know too much about it or if you'd be able to get it in time.  I'll give it some more thought!!

Stacylynn702

LRM, I just saw ur response about where u bought it, sorry I missed it.  We actually have a bunch of GCs to PB b/c I asked for them last Christmas!  This makes me excited lol   Thanks!!!

mandy122782

I am having a photobooth so the booth prints two copies and the attendant puts one into a guest book and then the guests sign underneath their picture.

But I am also thinking of doing a wishing tree in which we will have a cute poem and ask people to write a note, advice, etc.

Stacy - Your theme of "Fall in Philadelphia" could be easily incorporated using a wishing tree because you could cut the paper into leaf shapes and maybe in your wedding colors.

caraellen23

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_pennsylvania-philadelphia_guest-book?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:105Discussion:efb24719-85df-4458-943f-110df97051ebPost:59b8da96-d62a-454a-a8e2-12b478e00618">Re: Guest Book</a>:
[QUOTE]Stacy - Your theme of "Fall in Philadelphia" could be easily incorporated using a wishing tree because you could cut the paper into leaf shapes and maybe in your wedding colors.
Posted by mandy122782[/QUOTE]

This is what I was attempting to say. haha

Stacylynn702

Cara, I thought of using a similar idea.   I think it was posted on my month board. People do thumbprints on a family tree (so they look like leaves).  I like the idea but when I'm a guest at a wedding, I love reading notes people write.  On the family tree, people just put thumbprints on a pre-painted tree and write their name inside.  I'd also worry about people getting ink on their suites and dresses!  If you come up with anything let me know   I do realize you must have a lot going on right now though lol.

Ooods, I agree with you.  Yours looks great and that's exactly what I was wondering with AC Moore.  We must have posted at the same time! 

caraellen23

I have this thing for trees.  When I started wedding planning, I had hoped my centerpieces and placecard table would be tree-like with hanging crystals and lights.  Ahhh it would have been beautiful.   I would have done some sort of tree guestbook, asking people to write notes on leaves or something, then hang it on the tree.  I did worry that it was asking a bit much of people, which is why I think my guestbook I ended up with is a bit of a gamble.

I'll stop writing now, I'm writing all over your post and not really helping, haha!

Stacylynn702

Ha Cara, you're fine!  You are helping me
I'm not really understanding this wishing tree though.  How does this work???  I don't get how they would hang them on there.  On websites, I've seen sticky notes and such but they won't last so I ignored them. 
I want something I can keep and enjoy and I just don't know how to go about doing it w/o spending a whole lot of $$

ooodsie

Stacy, when you go to AC Moore - buy the super thin point sharpies so people can write easier.   Get a few, they tend to get lost.  I think we bought 4 or 5 of them.

Stacylynn702

Awesome, thanks ooods!  

LaRositaMonita

Stacy, the Pottery Boarn frame has not been sold in their stores for years - the friends we have who used it got married in 2007.  If you want something that big I would go for the pink one on ebay and spend another $5 to paint it.  The dimensions are listed in the ebay listing.  The frame will hold basically as many signatures as you need it to... the frame we got is about 24x36 and we had 115 guests.  It is jam-packed and I actually wish wed'd had a lightly bigger frame. 

miguelhilary2010

I did a book and hardly anyone signed it.  We also didn't get many messages in the shower book either.  My guests suck.

Bride_to_be_2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_pennsylvania-philadelphia_guest-book?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:105Discussion:efb24719-85df-4458-943f-110df97051ebPost:c513407d-53fb-45d1-9522-ea402d29423a">Re: Guest Book</a>:
[QUOTE]ohhh,  that's really neat!  I've never seen anything like that.  How many signatures does something like that hold? 
Posted by Stacylynn702[/QUOTE]

If you talking to me about my post,  I would say 100? Something like that. Keep in mind not every single guest will sign it. I think it says how big it is on the website. And aprox how many  signatures would fit.

Jesster153

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_pennsylvania-philadelphia_guest-book?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:105Discussion:efb24719-85df-4458-943f-110df97051ebPost:196d3268-67df-48f5-80a0-bbb170b7cd97">Re: Guest Book</a>:
[QUOTE]I did a book and hardly anyone signed it.  We also didn't get many messages in the shower book either.  My guests suck.
Posted by miguelhilary2010[/QUOTE]

hahaha

Hardly anyone signed my sisters either so we decided to not do a guest book. We're getting a custom made Eagles Jersey with our last name and '15' on it (for 10/15) and then having people sign that with a black sharpie

miguelhilary2010

Very cute idea Jess!

rachpass

I know its not fall related and so maybe not helpful...? We are getting old records and having people sign them in silver sharpies. We are doing a vintage inspiration and my FI is a music freak so we decided that would be fun and we can hang them on the wall in his DJ room (yes he has a DJ room). We are also making CDs as the favors and they look like little 45s.  I like the idea of doing something that you will be able to look at everyday, rather than doing a guest book just because that’s what everyone does. Maybe you could find something that reminds you of fall that you would decorate your home with and then have people sign that….

mandy122782

Stacy - This is what I meant by a wishing tree.





And I found some on Etsy that would fit your Fall theme. I was thinking once you have the pieces of paper that the guests sign you could do a collage type of thing or just save them in a nice box. Not sure if thats more work than you wanted. Here are links to the Etsy stuff i saw.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/55987382/wedding-wish-tree-rustic-pine-reclaimed?ref=sr_gallery_39&ga_search_query=wishing+tree+wedding&ga_search_type=&ga_page=1&order=&includes%5B0%5D=tags&includes%5B1%5D=title

http://www.etsy.com/listing/55864244/maple-leaf-wish-tree-tag-choice-of-color?ref=sr_gallery_2&ga_search_query=wishing+tree+wedding&ga_search_type=&ga_page=2&order=&includes%5B0%5D=tags&includes%5B1%5D=title

jlb734

This is what I'm using---

http://www.etsy.com/listing/52871883/small-wedding-tree-11x14?image_id=162919357

The etsy seller will customize the colors used, too--you could totally use fall colored ink pads instead of the greens, and it'd completely go with your fall theme.