Guest Book a Must?

I don't know if I want to use one or not yet, I'm with you I don't really see a point to it.

I thought the main purpose of a guest book was to be able to thank all the guests for attending. I assume that the tradition was that not everyone who attended gave a gift, so this way no one was missed.

Just my personal assumption. I do not know if I would call it a must because many people are doing alternative ideas like a wish bowl or advice tree but I think it is a good idea to have a way to see who came since some do not see all their guests.

Every wedding I've been to the guest book is always used.. I guess its the region you're in, ya know? Around here, there's always a guest book attendant that stands there and makes sure everyone signs. I'm not sure its super important to have after, except to have accountability of who was there.. I know there were a few people that came to my sister's wedding, but couldn't make it to the reception. And it was nice to be able to look in the guest book and read all the names of people who were there. I don't think its 100% necessary, just nice to have.

I was thinking of doing the conversation starter guest book that Martha Stewart mentions on her website... put some small pieces of paper on each table... that starts with stuff like "romantic places we should visit", or "ingredients for a great marriage".... you know... give them something to write about... that you and your husband would enjoy reading...that way they are not just writing the usual generic "best wishes" or "congratulations"... I don't want that kind of guest book

http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/goodthings/conversation-starter-guestbook

I like that Advice Tree idea. That sounds like it could be put to use. Do you know how that works FutureSummerBride? Are you doing that?

We're having one, but it'll be blank pages (see http://www.etsy.com/transaction/32147072). We'll mark a few pages spread throughout the book as saved for photos and then leave the other ones open for people to write a brief note/letter as they're comfortable (asking our parents or bridal party to start it out to give people an example). So it'll be kind of a combo guest book/scrap book.

We used a book with blank pages, and people wrote nice things in it--just a lot of heartfelt messages in the moment, you know? It was only like $30 on Etsy, so I'm glad we got it. We'll also be taking it to our hometown reception next month.

Not having one myself. Went to a wedding a few weeks ago and they had smooth stones with fine point markers and the guests wrote things on them and they all got put in a pretty glass vase for the couple to enjoy later.

We had an advice/wish tree at our wedding. I pulled some branches off a tree in the backyard, put them in a vase and hot glued fake flowers on it. I bought plain white price tags from an office supply store. The whole thing cost me about $15 and I can reuse the "tree" and/or vase for house decor. The tags are going in the wedding album. I'm at work so I can't post a picture but there is one on my boards if you want to look.

I think I am going to go with a advise/wish tree. I found this pic online and fell in love with it! Thanks Girls

Honestly, the last wedding I went to, I am sure she was appauled by the way her guestbook was mistreated after she seen the final product after the wedding. Parents were letting their children sign them in, so it was a disaster. And for us, I only put our names. I don't usually give out our address. I feel like, if I was invited & I signed the book, you know who to sent a card to. But, we were not invited via Invitation. We were invited via e-mail from my Aunt. My parents however did get an invitation. I am having a guestbook, but I can only imagine mine will be just as horrifying when I see it :-/ I am making a guestbook for my bridal shower, too, but it's going to serve as my guestbook & photo album for my pics of me & my relatives and friends after the shower is over

We are doing similar to what some of the other girls have mentioned. I cal it a "Scrapbook photo frame sign in book" I just got a plain white scrapbook from hobby lobby with plain white pages in it and I put different E-pics on each page leaveing plenty of room for ppl to leave us messages or just sign if they would like. It was cheap and easy to make!

We are using two of these .. they are 9" tall and our guest can sign their names with fine point sharpie markers. then we will put them in a display case for our home

will prob do the white and black.

Im not getting a guest book because we are doing a photobooth and the attendants make a scrapbook for me with my guests' pictures and a note from them so i thought that was enough

i have never signed a guest book at a wedding so uhm dont see the point

Im still undecided on the guestbook also it seems like a waste and I love the tree idea but honestly I would probably throw it away afterwards. Im also leaning towards no because I always see people write the same thing many years of happiness bla bla but its still up in the air

I'm doing a signature vase! I'm keeping my bouquet (made out of buttons) and a signature vase is the perfect thing to be able to keep my bouquet in afterwards as a table decorations. I would attach a photo, but my laptop crapped out so I'm on FS's old laptop, but here is a link of the picture of the vase I'm getting.

http://www.sincerewedding.com/images/wedding-guest-books/signature-vase_LG.jpg

We did a photo guest book frame. we took a 11x14 frame and put a matt in it with one of our engagement pictures. Guests signed around the matt and now its hanging up in our living room. I look at it daily and read all the well wishes from family and friends. Once we get our wedding pics back we plan on replacing the engagement pic with a wedding pic

We incorporated ours into our DIY fauxtobooth. Everyone signed, and also left us pictures.

A great Trend I am seeing in California is the Signature Frame. An 8x11 Engagement Photo (or if you do your Bridal Photos before the wedding as some brides do, one of those) in a 16x20 frame matted down to 8x11. You set it on a sturdy easel with several pens with which to sign (And I do suggest having an attendant still for it if you plan on having younger guests present). That way you can hang it in your home and always be reminded of your wedding day, unlike the guest book and video/photos which you may never see again... I don't even know WHERE my own guestbook even IS...