25 Alternative Wedding Guest Book Ideas Your Guests Will Have Never Seen Before
From fun wedding guest book alternatives inspired by Jenga and other games to quirky wall art ideas and fingerprint trees, be inspired by these unusual wedding guest book ideas
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Rather than a traditional book, there are plenty of fun wedding guest book alternatives out there that mean your guests can be more creative with the messages they leave. Plus, you and your new spouse will have so much fun after the wedding reading through all those special messages!
One of the best parts of having a wedding is being able to spend the happiest day of your life with all of your loved ones in one place. You spend so much time creating the perfect experience for your guests on your wedding day, so don’t miss out on hearing their special wedding wishes and words they want to say by having a wedding guest book.
From a wooden heart wedding guest book to personalised records and a message in a bottle, start browsing the most unique alternative wedding guest books to find the style that suits your big day.
25 of the Best Guest Book Alternatives
1. Wedding Fingerprint Tree Guest Book – £26, Lilly Pea Designs
This gorgeous idea for a guest book is sure to leave a lasting impression, literally! With it, your guests can leave an ink impression of their fingerprints on the watercolour illustration, which creates leaves on the branches. The A4 print is suitable for up to 50 fingerprints, while up to 90 can fit on the A3 print. This unique alternative to a guestbook can also feature personalised text and be framed. A finer liner pen can be included as well, so guests can sign their names and couples are allowed to choose from different colours. With a rainbow palette to choose from, you can pick one to complement your wedding theme!
Pros & Cons: While this print idea is ideal for smaller weddings with up to 90 guests, if you are planning a large celebration, it may not work as well. If you really like the idea, though, there is nothing stopping you from getting multiples which you can then hang in your newlywed home!
2. Custom Photo Vinyl Record Guest Book – £62.36, Etsy
Now, this is an idea we can jam along with! This personalised record can feature the song for your first dance. Your loved ones can sign it and leave well wishes for you and your partner. For those who love music, this is an ideal alternative for a traditional wedding guest book, and it can be displayed in your home later to remind you of your memories.
Pros & Cons: For those who love music, this can fit nicely into a related wedding theme or let you and your partner express your personalities on your big day.
3. Fingerprint Balloon Guest Book – £16.95, Amazon
We love the idea of your alternative guest book actually being a piece of art that has been created by all your loved ones. Fans of the Disney movie Up! will adore this balloon-style print. The print comes with brightly-coloured inks so your friends and family can leave a fingerprint to make up one of the balloons. You can fit up to 150 fingerprints on it as well, making it ideal for even larger weddings. The set includes a black frame and a pad with six ink colour options.
Pros & Cons: Guests might not appreciate getting their fingers a little messy with the ink, but it is sure to please plenty of youngsters and is a great way to encourage a lively and joyful atmosphere.
READ MORE: The Best Disney Quotes For Your Wedding Ceremony
4. Wooden Wedding Memory Box – £17.99, Ginger Ray
Weddings are about making memories, but this wooden memory box is about making sure they are stored for safekeeping! It includes cards for your guests to leave a note about their favourite memory with you, marriage advice, and more, which can be filed away under different headers. After your wedding, you can then revisit these little notes and happy moments left behind by your loved ones, allowing you to cherish not only the day but them as well. There are five sections in all, with 15 sheets of card per section, leaving plenty for your guests.
Pros & Cons: The front of the box can't be personalised, but with so many unique messages inside just for you, there is still plenty of sentiment!
5. Wedding Rings Personalised Guest Book – £109, Natural Gift Store
This wooden heart guest book alternative lets your family and friends leave their names and notes on wooden hearts to be dropped inside two interlocking rings. To make it bespoke, your names along with your wedding date can be added. Then, after your big day, you can display the guest book to remind yourselves of all the memories.
It comes with 100 hearts and is ideal for weddings of between 100 and 140 guests. Each attendee can sign their own, or couples can share a heart. For an additional £14, couples can purchase a sign to be displayed next to the rings with the words 'Create Memories, Sign a wooden note.'
Pros & Cons: Being crafted from wood, this guest book idea stylistically works best with rustic-themed or casual weddings.
6. Wedding Guestbook Tumbling Blocks Game – from £29.95, Etsy
If you and your partner love to play board games, this wedding guest book idea might just be the one. You can have your names, the venue, and the game blocks personalised. Guests can sign the other blocks if they wish, and the game could even be left out for loved ones to enjoy during your event. It gives you the option of a double gift box which can fit a bottle of wine alongside the game.
Pros & Cons: Depending on the atmosphere you want at your wedding, games can be a perfect complement or too casual if you are aiming for that black-tie ambience. After all, the little details can make all the difference in the kind of tone you want to set on your wedding day!
7. Glass Wishing Jar Wedding Guest Book Alternative – £18.99, Ginger Ray
There is something especially sweet and romantic about this alternative to a guest book. This glass jar idea lets your guests write well wishes on wooden hearts to be dropped in for you to discover later. The design would work especially well at a countryside or rustic wedding or if you have Mason jars throughout your décor. It comes with 100 hearts for guests to sign, ensuring there is plenty for your loved ones.
Pros & Cons: You will have to find something else to hold the blank hearts, but this could offer another decorating opportunity.
8. Personalised Wedding Guest Sign – from £75, Etsy
Not only does this clever ideal allow you to collect your family and friends' autographs, but it can be used as a decorative item in your home later! The sign can be customized with your name and wedding date, making it even more special. Couples can also choose between different sizes and wood grains to ensure that the sign fits their wedding theme.
If you want, you could even get multiples in different sizes to fit more names and create an interesting visual effect.
Pros & Cons: This design blends rustic and contemporary styles together in an effective way, making it versatile for a range of wedding visions.
9. Personalised Record Wedding Guest Book – £26.99, Bird & Key
Music fans will adore this alternative to a traditional guest book. The record in the centre of the picture can be personalised with your names, your wedding date, and the name of 'your song,' whether it’s a song that is special to you or the tune for your first dance. You can also choose from different colours for the record.
Not only does it add a decorative element to your wedding, but it can be used to style your home later as well, providing a bespoke touch.
Pros & Cons: If you want your first dance to be a surprise, having this guest book at the entrance before you to make your way to the dance floor could ruin the surprise. That said, it might just get folks excited for the dance to begin!
READ MORE: The 175 Best First Dance Songs of All Time
10. Bunting Wedding Guest Book Alternative – from £24.99, Etsy
This guest book alternative, which comes unframed and as a fine art giclée print, is a charming way to keep your wedding memories preserved. Guests can sign the different flags on the contemporary bunting illustration, and even leave a little message expressing their joy at your marriage.
You can have your wedding date and names placed in the centre, and also have the option of different colours. This makes blending the print in with the rest of your wedding palette simple!
Pros & Cons: The bunting design works well with an array of wedding themes, but might not be suited for some, especially if you are going for a classic and black-tie-style celebration.
11. 12" Globe Guest Book – £99.99, Etsy
We are over the moon about this guest book alternative and think your guests will be orbiting around it with many compliments! They can sign the globe and leave you with a decorative item populated with their signatures and well wishes. It has an elegant gold stand and visually appealing typography, elevated enough for a wedding event.
Given that your loved ones mean the world to you, we are sure this will become a treasured heirloom for your to cherish for years to come.
Pros & Cons: This globe does feature map-related text, which may make some of your guests' notes difficult to read.
READ MORE: 36 Vintage Ideas for Your Wedding
12. Rustic Wedding Guest Book – from £94.65, Etsy
This impressive alternative to a traditional guest book would be perfect for a rustic-themed wedding day. Your guests leave their names next to the tree branches to create a beautiful piece of statement art you can keep. The bottom of the print can be customised with your names and the wedding date as well. Couples can choose to have it printed on paper or a canvas and there are multiple size options.
Pros & Cons: The tree on this elegant print only has so many branches, so if you don't want guests signing in the white space and are planning to host a large celebration, you may consider getting more than one!
13. Personalised Love Birds Wedding Guest Book Print – £26.99, Bird & Key
Sure to be a sweet touch at your wedding event, this print of lovebirds and leaves is an ideal guest book alternative. Your loved ones can sign the foliage with their names and a touching sentiment. The print can come in a plethora of colours, and your names and wedding date can be added to the centre. Different sizes are also available, making customising this print simple.
Pros & Cons: The frame isn't included, but this also allows you to seek out one that especially suits your wedding's theme and your style.
14. Wooden Heart Wedding Guest Book – £21.99, Ginger Ray
There is something especially whimsical about this idea for a guest book! Guests can write their names and a note of well wishes on a wooden heart ornament and leave it on the wooden tree. It makes for a nice decorative element to your wedding's design, and the white of the branches and trunk can complement different colour palettes. The tree comes with 70 ornaments and an instruction card.
Pros & Cons: If you have a nature-themed wedding, this idea is especially fitting, helping to bring a little bit more of the outside in.
15. Wooden Heart Jigsaw – £16.99, Ginger Ray
This wooden heart jigsaw is not only a complete bargain, but it’s also a romantic alternative to a traditional guest book. We love the idea that all the happy wishes and messages from your nearest and dearest come together to make a complete heart. Plus, it gives your loved ones another activity to do and the chance to reminisce.
It is a great way to enhance the ambience of your festivities, getting people talking and laughing while creating new memories to treasure.
Pros & Cons: If guests want to leave a private message, this is more difficult to do with this public display of notes and signatures.
16. Gold Glass Guest Book Alternative – £25.99, Ginger Ray
We think this pretty and elegant gold and glass box is the perfect wedding guest book alternative to something more traditional. It will look beautiful in your wedding photos, and guests can leave their special messages on the blank gold hearts that it comes with. The box comes with 160 gold hearts, ensuring there is plenty for your guests.
Pros & Cons: With multiple guests opening and closing the box, you could end up with a guestbook covered in fingerprints. It may be best to ensure the lid gets left open!
17. Message in a Bottle – £85, Etsy
If you have a nautical-themed wedding, this guest book idea is especially well suited. The bottle comes with paper scrolls for your guests to write their notes, which they can tie up with the jute string. A tent card explaining what to do is also included. This is a great way for guests to leave notes in private if they so wish, which can make the messages even more meaningful.
Pros & Cons: Tying and untying the notes might be a little cumbersome, but the visual effect makes it worth it.
18. Wedding Advice Cards – £9.99, Amazon
We wouldn't be surprised if a number of your guests have stories worth sharing, and this guest book idea is an ideal way to get them talking! Be it grandparents, aunts and uncles, friends, parents, or many others, their experience can be nuggets of gold to a newlywed couple setting off together.
Plus, the cheerful and simple font combined with the floral decorative border make these advice cards well suited for an event celebrating love.
Pros & Cons: If guests have nothing to say, they may not take the time to leave a note at all, which could mean missing out on a few signatures.
19. Wooden Guest Book Plaques – from £35, Etsy
This creative idea lets your guests build a tower of good thoughts for you on your big day. Loved ones can leave messages and their names on the plaques crafted from wood, stacking them one after the other. The result is a decorative addition to your wedding as well, which makes this idea work double-time.
Pros & Cons: Finding a place to display this later might be tricky if it doesn't fit with your home interior design.
READ MORE: 50 Winter Wedding Tips: How to Plan the Ultimate Winter Wedding
20. Star Map Wedding Guest Book Sign – from £15, Etsy
Love, they say, is written in the stars! This gorgeous idea includes the star constellations from the night you got engaged along with the predicted night sky for your wedding date. Guests can then write a message onto the board, and it’s something pretty and romantic you can hang in your home.
Pros & Cons: If you have this displayed on a stand, you will want a sturdy one to make it easier for guests to leave their notes.
21. Customisable Frame Wedding Guest Book Alternative – £35.95, Etsy
What we love about this guest book is that it lets you capture memories from your big day both in pictures and in written form. If you plan to have a wedding photo booth where images can be printed out, this will provide the perfect opportunity for guests to display them. The frame comes with 56 cards for loved ones to leave a special note for the newlywed pair.
Pros & Cons: Larger wedding celebrations, be warned: you may need more than one if you plan on having a lot of guests.
READ MORE: 55 Autumn Wedding Ideas
22. Vintage Postcards – £6, Etsy
Take a trip to the past with these vintage postcards as a guest book alternative. The set is shipped uncut with easy-to-trim borders and eight cards per sheet. Each design on the sheet is slightly different to provide a little variety. The vintage-inspired designs are ideal for a shabby-chic wedding theme, but also suit other wedding ideas.
Pros & Cons: You'll need to find a box of some kind for guests to drop these in, but that might provide another design opportunity!
23. Wedding Pastel Hearts Alternative Guest Book – £185, Etsy
This alternative guest book idea has our hearts all a-flutter! Guests can sign their names and leave notes on the paper hearts, which are sent to you along with two black fine liner pens. Then, after your wedding, you can send them back in the provided envelope and have them displayed and framed for you.
You can also have the arrangement customised with your names, a poem, reading, or other text relating to your special day.
Pros & Cons: You may want to think about setting up a box or jar for guests to leave their notes, or these could quickly become lost in the festivities. But that also leaves you with more room to be creative with your wedding decorations!
24. Wooden Wedding Guest Book – £26.99, Amazon
If you can’t quite tear yourself away from a traditional guest book, then add a rustic touch with this wooden ring-bound book. It comes personalised with your wedding details and is printed in the New Forest right here in the UK.
With blank pages, guests can get creative with the notes they leave, even giving them space to leave drawings, doodles, photos, or other mementoes next to their names. The accents are hand-drawn and may be customised to fit your wedding theme. Other colours are also available.
Pros & Cons: This is a traditional route to go, so if you wanted something more show-stopping, this might not be it. If you're after subtle, bespoke customisation, though, you've come to the right place!
25. Audio Guest Book - £299 to hire, OH! Photobooth
The team at OH! Photobooth has branched out, giving you the chance to hear your messages from guests! Not only does this vintage phone make for an amazing wedding prop, it also allows guests to leave personalised messages that you can keep and listen to whenever you like!
Pros & Cons: Technology can break over time, whereas a book or object can be more easily maintained and passed along. It does beautifully marry vintage vibes with the latest tech, though!
Are you looking for even more ways to make your wedding unique? Then don’t miss our edit of 65 unusual wedding favour ideas
