Alternative Wedding Guest Book Ideas

This post contains affiliate links to products. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. This post is written in collaboration with Meaningful Frames.

I married the love of my life on January 15, 2021! It was truly the most magical day possible + everything came together perfectly! As the wedding day comes, all of the tiny things start to add up. You can click here to read more about my experience with the wedding planning process. We had a destination wedding in Tampa, FL + all of those tiny things had to wait until the week of the wedding to put together. These last minute items included a tripod, guest bags for those staying in our hotel, + our alternative guest book ideas.

Some couples opt for a signed guest book that includes pictures from their engagement or their relationship. While this option can be ideal for some individuals, it wasn’t my first preference. My hope was to display guest signatures in a way that embodied the experience of the wedding itself. We chose to incorporate three alternative guest book ideas to implement into our wedding reception. + before you say “Darby, that is WAY too many”… I get it, I get it, maybe it was! But each piece was unique + displayed at different times during the event to avoid overwhelming guests. I’ve written about each of our alternative guest book ideas below!

Message In a Bottle

This message in a bottle is a very easy alternative guest book to create in little to no time! Find a tall bottle + provide small paper + pen//marker for guests to write words of encouragement or advice. We purchased this bottle from Homegoods, but any bottle will work! My husband + I will decided we would open this bottle on our 1st anniversary. However, this could easily be done with a few more bottles to open on different milestone anniversaries! This can be an inexpensive option that can be a classy + simple way to dress up the space!

Signed Custom Frame

This framed guest book is my favorite alternative guest book from our wedding! This stunning piece was created by Meaningful Frames + the owner himself reached out to me via instagram about the opportunity to create this guest book with my ideal customization. This piece was handmade + I was able to pick the design and layout of the frame, the color of the wood border and insert, + could even choose what shape the drop pieces would be. I loved the elegant look of the round guest book frame with the wooden insert in the center and the wooden drop hearts. However, there design options are endless with this company! The owner created this piece + shipped it to us in perfect time for our reception + a lot of our guests complemented the piece!

There are additional pieces that can be added to the frame such a guest book display easel to support it at the reception + a signing pen (a no-bleed pen which is a MUST for signing the wooden pieces). This piece is the perfect blend of the style Max + I love + the best part about this piece is the ability to display it in my home after the event! Traditional guest books are looked at every now + then but this piece will forever have a spot on our wall. This frame holds more than just names of our guests but also the memory of every guest or family that attended + serves as a reminder of the magical day we were able to celebrate with those we love!

Signed Photo Booth Book

I consider this guest book idea an alternative because it is different than a traditional book. For a traditional guest book, guests sign pictures that were taken prior to the wedding day. However, a photo booth book is signed by guests as they are taking pictures at a wedding reception or event! I think this is an option for any couple who wants to see their guests in the moment. I love looking back at the pictures to see the fun our guests were having!

This photo booth book was provided by the photo booth vendor we had on site, however, I’ve included similar ones below with skinny tip sharpie markers to sign!

What are some alternative guest book options you did for your wedding or want to do in the future? Leave it in the comments below!