A Non-Traditional Solution to the Wedding Guestbook

I have memorized most of my wedding guestbook. Pathetic or useless? Perhaps, but since I used a non-traditional style, it is proudly displayed in our home and I look at it most everyday. Instead of having our guests sign a traditional guestbook, I laid out two mats that I had removed from large picture frames. After the wedding and honeymoon, I placed some of our wedding photos in the mats and displayed the framed guestbook and photo combination on the wall.

So many guest books become coffee table or closet clutter. Why not make yours into something that you will admire and look at everyday?

Department stores and retail shops like TJMaxx or Marshalls are great places to look for autograph or signature frames and mats. Do not limit yourself to those that are specifically designed for this purpose. Consider the size photo or print that you will want to display. Perhaps a series of 4x6 vertical photos is more desirable to you than a single 11x14 poster.

Do you want the frames to hang vertically or horizontally? Will the frame match the motif of your home and will it seem dated in a few years? When selecting the mat size, consider the number of guests that will attend. Is there room for each guest or family to comfortably sign the mat with their wishes for you and your spouse?

Carefully select several pens to be used on the mats. Ink that dries quickly is important so that the signatures are not smudged. There will be little time for drying between people signing and passing off the marker. If you have several mats on the table, you may want to have the table greeter make it clear that each person or family will only need to sign one mat.

Likewise, be sure to let the table greeter know any other specific directions you have for the mats. For example, only the provided pens should be used. Check to determine if a centimeter or two margin around the edge of the mat is needed so that the signatures are not covered when it is placed back in the frame. Consider having one mat for the bride's guests and another for the groom's.

Making the change from the traditional guestbook is not a challenging or expensive addition to a wedding. It truly makes the wedding attendees a more memorable part of your ceremony in the years to come.