Guest Books and Pens - Choosing What's Best For Your Wedding

The Guest Book is a statement to your guests that you honor their attendance and wish to record and remember it. And for the guest, a beautiful and elegant book invites thoughts and blessings that will be remembered and treasured. So you want to choose carefully--this small investment can pay huge dividends. Here are some tips to consider.

1. The Formality and Size of your wedding: The larger and more formal the wedding, the more formal the guest book. You want your book to echo the theme and feel you are creating. So if you are having a large wedding at a house of worship and you want to have the guests sign there, you may want a book that is lace covered, or embroidered or has accent colors that match your wedding colors. The elegance of your book and pen will set the stage for the wedding to follow. If you are having your guest sign at the reception, the elegance of this accessory will continue the feeling you have created at your wedding.

2. The Style Of your Wedding: Are you having a traditional white wedding? Or are you having a casual beach affair? Is this your second wedding? Are you having a large, sit down meal? Or a simple afternoon buffet for close friends an family? You can match any of these styles of weddings with a guest book. Look for books that are red, or pink or accented with contrasting ribbons. Look for guest books that have different adornments on them, crystals or shells or sculptured satin. Your book can be very elaborate or a simple embossed one, it can be whimsical, or stylish, casual or covered in Italian lace. The most important thing is to consider what you you want your guests to experience when they begin to write and choose a book that reflects that.

3. Displaying your Guest Book: Along with your wedding photo album, your guest book can also be displayed and enjoyed. Certainly for the first year or two, both of these books can be in central locations in your living space to be shared by friends and family. So you also want to choose a book (as well as photo album) that you would enjoy seeing on a daily basis and sharing when people are visiting. People love to look at wedding pictures and read what others have written--it's a way of re-experiencing a wonderful event and also getting a chance to notice things they may have missed.

So take your time to choose a guest book that's right for your wedding and one that you will be proud to display and treasure.