guest books and mementoes

The traditional guest book can be a beautiful keepsake of your celebration. You may want to give your family and friends some prompts as to what you would like them to write. You could place a little card with the guest book that is easy to read:

“For John and Sally’s keepsake of their wedding please feel free to write something they will treasure. You may wish to write how you know this beautiful couple, where you met them, a funny tale (please only ones that their future children can read and enjoy!), good wishes, blessings and/or anything else you fancy. Thank you!”

 It is a good idea to have the MC announce the whereabouts of the book and encourage people to write in it during the celebration. Another way to encourage everyone’s participation is to ask a friend or family member to walk around, meeting and greeting people while taking the book with them… pen in hand.

There are other ways to create treasured memories of your ceremony.

• Prepare a framed photograph of the two of you with a large mat area that your guests can sign. You can then either hang the frame as it is or replace the photograph with one of your favourite wedding photographs (maybe one of your guests!)


• At our ceremony, instead of presents, we invited our guests to bring a favourite reading, quote or even something they had written about marriage or friendship. We set aside a time during the ceremony where some of these could be read aloud. We got a great blend of the serious to the funny, and it was wonderful to have all the selections as a surprise. We added the collection of readings to our special mementoes of the day.


• An unglazed plate or large bowl with a special pen means you can create a special memento that will be used constantly in the kitchen or on display. After your guests have signed you can get the item glazed and fired ready for use.


• Wishing cards also give each guest the opportunity to write a wish or blessing for your future on a pre prepared card and they can pop it into a bowl, wishing well or onto the branches of a ‘wish tree’. These cards can be added to your wedding album or keepsake box.


• With assistance, to ensure it doesn’t get too messy for your family and friends, guests can be invited to place their handprint, using non toxic paint, on a large canvas. When this has dried people can return to write their blessing on the spectacular piece of art!