Do I need a guestbook?

gymchick05 · April 2011

OK so I used this weekend to try and get a ton of wedding stuff done. On my list, is a guestbook, but do I really need this? Have any of you not done one? Did you regret it? It seems like a PITA to make this (I know I could buy one, but if I did it Id make a photobook) and not sure Id ever look at it again. Im thinking all the messages from the guests in their cards I will save and can make a scrapbook if I want. What do you think?

cutiepie12702 · April 2011

This was something FI and I kept going back and forth on, and two weeks ago we went to my friend's wedding and about 15 people out of 225 people signed it. After we saw that, we decided to skip it. Everyone is too concerned with socializing and eating during cocktail hour to care about signing anything.

MCRM22011 · April 2011

My mom bought me one, but otherwise, I probably wouldn't have bothered. It's all up to you. I doubt you will regret not having one.

AllieCat16 · April 2011

we had ours made through our photographer with our e-pics...i would say about 1/4 of our guests signed it but we loved the album so much it was worth it. i wouldn't have bothered with just a book with lines to sign your name.

Danes983 · April 2011

We had a picture frame with a pic inside and the background people could write on. It was pretty cool.

kristen8040 · April 2011

My mom also bought us one so we'll be using that. We'll also be using a baseball bat for people to sign also so that we can display it in the basement and it will probably be seen more than a book that will probably sit on a shelf.

I've seen a lot of weddings use something like this with an engagement picture or something similar (obviously not a wedding picture since you wouldn't have it yet):

sgdc2011 · April 2011

We got one through our photographer with our epics also. We love the way it came out. We just need to make sure it's placed in a spot with maximum traffic walking through. I've seen some in obscure places.

goaliegirl · April 2011

We got a hockey jersey with our name on the back and wedding date and had everyone sign the back of the jersey. We framed it and put it up in our house.

altimat873 · April 2011

I am having one made with our e-photos and putting up a sign to request guests to sign. BUT I am also having a photobooth and a book for pix, do I dont think i want to do both but havent decided which one we will put out.
Someone recommended I use my e-photo book for my shower for advice, etc so i might do that.
I love the poster idea in the pix above.

diamondx423 · April 2011

We're doing something similar to goaliegirl only with a Yankees jersey. I know I'll never look at a book again.

peaches178 · April 2011

We're doing a wish and advice jar. I made the cards 5x7 so that if we get a lot of them filled out we can put them in a little photo album to keep with all of our wedding stuff and if we don't get get a lot filled out then we'll just keep them in a box with the wedding cards we get.

sfennell1 · April 2011

I wouln't worry about having one. The only reason I will have a guestbook is because it comes with the photobooth. Other than that I would have skipped it.

mbcdefg · April 2011

We received a signature platter from a cousin as a Christmas gift, so we put it out at our cocktail hour and many people signed it.

Plus, we booked a photobooth and it came with a scrapbook, so people pasted their photo strips in it and wrote messages for us. Some were really funny.

I wouldn't have bought any of that stuff on my own, though, but it's nice to have them.

Little Spitfire · April 2011

Our photography package came with a e-pic guest book and while i was meh about the idea leading up to the wedding I absolutely loved how the book came out and at least half our guests signed it. We really treasure the book and the messages now.

felicia220 · April 2011

We did Wedding Wishes. They are little cards that guests fill out and drop in the Wishing "vase". I just thought it was cute and a little different, but not that many people filled them out and I guess in a way it wasn't necessary.

raangoli · April 2011

We had one, but it was a picture book rather than a traditional guest book or of our engagement pictures. We had a few people sign it, but I am so happy we had it since my 6 year old niece drew the cutest pictures in it for us, and I love it!

futuremrsdavies · April 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_need-guestbook?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:90Discussion:535cbc7e-1f2c-450c-bdce-1761292821e9Post:a2848eaf-dc77-47a7-a235-6ff08e459e89">Re: Do I need a guestbook?</a>:
[QUOTE]My mom also bought us one so we'll be using that. We'll also be using a baseball bat for people to sign also so that we can display it in the basement and it will probably be seen more than a book that will probably sit on a shelf. I've seen a lot of weddings use something like this with an engagement picture or something similar (obviously not a wedding picture since you wouldn't have it yet):
Posted by kristen8040[/QUOTE]

this is what we are doing

NMH2011 · April 2011

We are using one from www.guestbookstore.com. I'm going to put the pages on a table with some pens/markers so our guests can complete their pages between the ceremony and cocktail hour.

Tara2316 · April 2011

We did one, but not even half of our guests signed it. We had it out next to the escort card table during cocktail hour and near the bar the rest of the night. But still, it was barely signed. It was nice though to read what people wrote.

ffbride_0813 · April 2011

I did a baseball bat. it was put on the escort card table. I actually think everyone probably signed it. Its covered with signatures and we only had 100 people at our wedding. We are putting it in our basement. I didnt think i cared about the guest book thing but now I am glad to have it. If anyone is looking for a good personalized bat company I used this one. http://www.engravedtolast.com/ They had excellent customer service. I was a bit of a bridezilla with them and emailed them a bunch of times to make sure the logo they were adding to my bat would come out right.

xstarx05x · April 2011

we had both a photo sign-in and a guestbook, which may have been a bit redundant (forgot our photographer was providing a sign-in when we picked up the guestbook, but I probably only thought of getting the guestbook cuz it matched our invitations and was pretty! lol) the nice thing about having both was that A- guests could write more on the photo-sign in, and B- provided 2 locations for guests to "register" at.

i think you should at least get a photo sign-in or a plate (if you don't get a guestbook). the bat's a cool idea! do you have a theme where you could incorporate an object to be signed? it's definitely nice to have *something* where guests can sign, write a message, etc. You can only keep cards for so long

Do I need a guestbook?

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