Dinner, toasts and cake

Guest Book Ideas

The best guest books are the ones guests enjoy. Photos, a voicemail, a game piece. Put it where people wait, not in a corner.

20 products, each chosen by I Do with a note on why.

Prices marked ~ are estimates. Check the retailer for current prices and availability.

  • Photo Guest Book Album (opens Amazon in a new tab)

    Our pick: Instax Mini Guest Book Album, 112 Pockets, Beige

    An album with a slot for each instant print and space to write beside it.

    ~$25 (approximate)

    View on Amazon: Photo Guest Book Album (opens in a new tab)
  • Photo Guest Book Sign (opens Amazon in a new tab)

    Our pick: White Arch Acrylic Photo Guest Book Sign

    An instant-camera guest book goes half used without a sign that tells guests what to do.

    ~$10 (approximate)

    View on Amazon: Photo Guest Book Sign (opens in a new tab)
  • Photo Guest Book Sign, Black (opens Amazon in a new tab)

    Our pick: Black Arch Acrylic Photo Guest Book Sign

    A black arch acrylic sign telling guests to snap one and stick it in the book.

    ~$15 (approximate)

    View on Amazon: Photo Guest Book Sign, Black (opens in a new tab)
  • Audio Guest Book Phone (opens Amazon in a new tab)

    Our pick: Audio Guest Book Phone

    Guests leave a voicemail instead of a signature.

    ~$85 (approximate)

    View on Amazon: Audio Guest Book Phone (opens in a new tab)
  • White Paint Pens (opens Amazon in a new tab)

    Our pick: Sharpie Oil-Based Paint Markers, White, 2 Pack

    Oil-based paint stays put on vinyl, glass, plastic and wood where a regular marker rubs off.

    ~$5 (approximate)

    View on Amazon: White Paint Pens (opens in a new tab)
  • Another option

    Gold Paint Pens (opens Amazon in a new tab)

    Our pick: Sharpie Oil-Based Paint Markers, Metallic Gold, 3 Pack

    The same paint marker in metallic gold for a black record, a dark guest book or a navy frame mat.

    ~$15 (approximate)

    View on Amazon: Gold Paint Pens (opens in a new tab)
  • Guest Book and Pen (opens Amazon in a new tab)

    Our pick: Gold Foil Guest Book with Pen and Sign

    Put it somewhere guests pass on the way in, not tucked in a corner.

    ~$15 (approximate)

    View on Amazon: Guest Book and Pen (opens in a new tab)
  • Another option

    Personalized Guest Book (opens Amazon in a new tab)

    Our pick: Linen Photo Guest Book with Names and Year

    The guest book is the thing you keep forever, so this is the one to personalize: linen.

    With your names and date

    ~$25 (approximate)

    View on Amazon: Personalized Guest Book (opens in a new tab)
  • Instant Camera (opens Amazon in a new tab)

    Our pick: Fujifilm Instax Mini 12, Clay White

    The camera on the guest book table, in a white body that sits with any palette.

    ~$95 (approximate)

    View on Amazon: Instant Camera (opens in a new tab)
  • Instax Film, 120 Shots (opens Amazon in a new tab)

    Our pick: Fujifilm Instax Mini Film, 120 Sheets

    Guest count times 1.3, rounded up to the nearest 20, is the number of shots you need.

    ~$95 (approximate)

    View on Amazon: Instax Film, 120 Shots (opens in a new tab)
  • Giant Block Game (opens Amazon in a new tab)

    Our pick: Giant Tumbling Timbers, 56 Pine Blocks

    A cocktail-hour game that doubles as the guest book: guests sign a block with a marker and the couple plays i.

    ~$50 (approximate)

    View on Amazon: Giant Block Game (opens in a new tab)
  • Photo Adhesive Dots (opens Amazon in a new tab)

    Our pick: Scotch Adhesive Dots, 300 Count

    Permanent, acid-free dots that hold an instant print in the album without a glue stick mess.

    ~$5 (approximate)

    View on Amazon: Photo Adhesive Dots (opens in a new tab)
  • Advice Cards and Box (opens Amazon in a new tab)

    Our pick: STOFINITY Advice Cards with Wooden Box

    A card at every seat gets far more written than a station does, and the box collects them for later.

    ~$15 (approximate)

    View on Amazon: Advice Cards and Box (opens in a new tab)
  • Thumbprint Tree Canvas (opens Amazon in a new tab)

    Our pick: Shelling Home Fingerprint Tree Canvas, 23.6 in

    A framed keepsake that fits a hundred guests as leaves.

    ~$15 (approximate)

    View on Amazon: Thumbprint Tree Canvas (opens in a new tab)
  • Photo Clip Lights (opens Amazon in a new tab)

    Our pick: litogo Photo Clip String Lights, 33 ft, 60 Clips

    A warm string of lights with clips where the instant prints go during the night.

    ~$15 (approximate)

    View on Amazon: Photo Clip Lights (opens in a new tab)
  • Wedding Mad Libs Cards (opens Amazon in a new tab)

    Our pick: Kate Aspen Mad Libs Cards, Set of 50

    The dinner-hour problem is strangers at a table; a fill-in-the-blank card gives everyone a script.

    ~$15 (approximate)

    View on Amazon: Wedding Mad Libs Cards (opens in a new tab)
  • Archival Signing Pens (opens Amazon in a new tab)

    Our pick: Sakura Pigma Micron 05 Black Pens, 6 Pack

    At a Quaker wedding every person present signs the certificate as a witness.

    ~$20 (approximate)

    View on Amazon: Archival Signing Pens (opens in a new tab)
  • Date Night Cards (opens Amazon in a new tab)

    Our pick: 321Done Date Night Idea Cards, 50 Pack

    Guests write a date idea on a card, and the couple pulls one a month for the first year.

    ~$10 (approximate)

    View on Amazon: Date Night Cards (opens in a new tab)
  • Vinyl Record Guest Book (opens Amazon in a new tab)

    Our pick: Relaxweex Vinyl Record Guest Book, 2 Records with Stands

    For music couples: guests sign a blank 12 inch record with a white paint pen and it hangs in the house afterw.

    ~$25 (approximate)

    View on Amazon: Vinyl Record Guest Book (opens in a new tab)
  • Heart Drop Box Guest Book (opens Amazon in a new tab)

    Our pick: Wooden Hearts Drop-Box Guest Book

    Each guest signs a wooden heart and drops it into the frame.

    ~$30 (approximate)

    View on Amazon: Heart Drop Box Guest Book (opens in a new tab)

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Don't forget, nothing to buy

  • A photo or audio station needs a host to reload film and prompt guests; unattended, it goes half used.
  • Match the pen to the surface: archival ink for cotton paper, paint pens for wood, glass and dark pages.
  • Test the audio guest book a week before and record your own greeting.

Missing something?

Know a product that would help other couples? Let us know and we'll take a look.

Plan the rest in I Do

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Guest Book Ideas · Wedding Shop · I Do