The Wedding Guest Book

Traditionally the Wedding Guest Book was a record of all who witnessed your wedding, and they where also legally obligated to sign the wedding licence, and then more recently they where used to organise thank-you notes and begin an address book. Today the Wedding Guest Book is more a keepsake for the Bride and Groom.

Most of the time Wedding Guest Books end up gathering dust on your coffee table or on the book shelf, and not everyone remembers to write something in. New and wonderful alternatives are available to the modern bride which are more creative and allow the "Guest Book" to become an everyday item that can be easily displayed in your home.

One such option is a Fingerprint Tree, it is a bit of a take on the "Family Tree" in that the branches of the tree are printed onto a piece of paper or canvas and then your guests use their thumbprint, dipped into ink, to make the leaves and sign their names. You can then have the "Tree" framed and hung on the wall where it is on display, and a wonderful creative reminder of your special day. Your "Tree" should reflect your theme so make sure it fits in with your colours etc. For example if you are having a black and white wedding then why not have a black card with white tree, and white ink for the fingerprints. This would create a very dramatic modern look.

Alternatively if you are getting married in the garden in springtime then having a cherry blossom, with pink fingerprints will be the best compliment. Make sure that you choose the right type of paper, if you are going to draw the tree yourself, using a good quality paper (like Cartridge, water colour paper) at least 220gsm is essential. Investing in good quality inks is also a good idea or better yet use a finish to lock in the colour so that your tree won't fade over time. Get the bridal party to start so that they can show everyone how it is done, as it can be confusing at first for those who haven't seen a "Fingerprint Tree" before and one last thing, make sure you have some wipes for your guests to clean up after making their mark. Some people may not want to keep leaving their fingerprints all over the place!

Another alternative is to use a Wedding Puzzle, this is where you get a picture of the couple and have it made into a puzzle, your guests can then sign a piece of the puzzle. The puzzle can then be made up and put in a frame between two pieces of perspex or glass where you can view both sides. This is a less messy option.

One wedding my sister went to recently had a photo booth for the "Guest Book", guests where invited to dress up and go into the photo booth (similar to a passport photo booth) and had their photo's taken. These where then printed and a copy given to the guest and one to the bride and groom. As the photo's don't take up much room it is easy to create a montage of everyone who was at the wedding and have it framed.

These are just a few of the options available to the modern bride, there are many more to suit every budget and style of wedding. Be creative, guests are a big part of the wedding and you will want to remember them.