Martha Stewart Weddings

46 Guest Books from Real Weddings

July 27, 2011
Credit: Elizabeth Messina Photography

Get inspired by these great ideas, which added a special touch to receptions.

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Credit: Elizabeth Messina Photography
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Wedding guest books are fun for both the couple and their celebrants. Invite attendees to leave you well-wishes at your reception, and you're guaranteed to have a keepsake to look back on for years to come. Plus, your guests will get to leave their mark on your event, not to mention put in writing whatever they didn't have a chance to express in person on the big day.

Because you're sure to cherish your nearest and dearest's contributions (even if they're just signatures), you'll want to put them in something just as special. So, before your nuptials, we recommend picking out a vessel that you love and will always enjoy looking at. Note that it doesn't have to literally be bound pages—while guest "books" are a beloved tradition, nowadays, many are anything but traditional! Modern couples have swapped in replacements for their attendees to sign, including postcards, posters, and items like benches, globes, and buoys.

Ahead, a collection of guest books and their contemporary alternatives, all from real weddings. Whether you want something classic or totally creative, these sentiment-holders are bound to stir up great ideas for your own celebration. The following brides and grooms were inspired by their color palettes, hobbies and interests, wedding themes, and so much more. Click through and consider their muses before choosing yours. You'll be glad that you did, no matter if you plan to put your guest book on display or stow it lovingly in a drawer for safe keeping. Happy memory-keeping, soon-to-be spouses!

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Signed Vows

Credit: Elizabeth Messina Photography
Get Inspired by This Super-Stylish Wedding

At this celebration, guests signed the couple's guest book and a copy of their vows.

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Mad Libs

Credit: Alison Conklin
Get Inspired by This Metallic Wedding

Instead of filling out a standard guest book, attendees at this celebration completed fun, Mad Libs-inspired sheets.

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Meaningful Guest Book

Credit: Carrie Patterson
Go Inside This Fall Wedding

The bride at this wedding made a guest book with the help of Artifact Uprising. It was filled with images of her mother's oil paintings.

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Ornate Guest Book

Credit: Rebecca Yale Photography
Go Inside This Destination Wedding

These pretty blue-green and light-gray books had intricate designs.

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Typed Messages

Credit: Bonnie Sen Photography
See More from This Foodie Wedding

As an antique touch, celebrants at this event typed their words on a continuous scroll with a typewriter.

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Family Guest Book

Credit: Amy Arrington Photography

For this wedding, the bride used the same guest book that her grandparents used.

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Hashtag Guest Book

Credit: Jesse Leake
Go Inside This Epic Wedding

This couple's guest book was a sign of the times. "A friend literally made a book of hashtags for everyone to write in," the bride shared. "It was hilarious to read them all after." 

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Animal Poster

Credit: Jillian Zamora Photography
See More from This Colorful Wedding

These two combined their first names (Holly and John) into "Jolly" to describe their celebration. They had "Jolly Wedding" written on a poster designed by Chris Riise, which was also covered in colorful animals to reflect their zoo event. They used the artwork as a guest "book."

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Pink Guest Book

Credit: Liz Banfield
Check Out the Rest of This Romantic Wedding

This soft, pink guest book went with the rest of the wedding's palette.

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Gold-Foil Guest Book

Credit: Mirelle Carmichael Photography
Check Out the Rest of This Boho Wedding

This white guest book was dressed up with the bride and groom's names in gold foil.

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Urban Guest Book

Credit: Corbin Gurkin
See More from This Celebrity Wedding

At actress Abby Elliott's wedding to her husband, Bill Kennedy, attendees wrote greetings in a book about New York City.

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Photo Album

Credit: Jessica Antola
Go Inside This Natural Wedding

This guest book included photos, and was surrounded by them, too.

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White Guest Book

Credit: Christian Oth Studio
Check Out the Rest of This Fashionable Wedding

This classic guest book was made of white leather and decorated with gold foil.

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Floral Guest Book

Credit: Jose Villa

A floral design made this guest book stand out.

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Monogrammed Guest Book

Credit: Aaron Delesie
See More from This Mediterranean-Inspired Wedding

A monogram makes any guest book more personal, including this elegant one.

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Watercolor Poster

Credit: Shewanders
See More from This Sunny Wedding

A bridesmaid painted this poster using watercolors, and had guests sign it in lieu of a guest book. The design was based off of the couple's medical professions.

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Library Cards

Credit: Caroline Lima Photography

Guests at this creative celebration signed the cards found on the inside of library books.

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Location-Specific Guest Book

Credit: Katherine O’Brien Photography
Get More Details from This Texas Wedding

A book about Texas—the couple's wedding location—served as the guest book at this event.

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Carved Guest Book

Credit: Amber Gress
Get Inspired by This Camp-Themed Wedding

This RedBerryGuestBooks book included the couple's initials, plus a carving of Long Island, where they got married.

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Signed Bench

Credit: Stacey Hedman

This couple had celebrants sign a bench instead of a book, which they could later put in their home.

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Sticker Guest Book

Credit: Katie Stoops Photography
See More from This Shoreline Wedding

At these nuptials, sticker labels, like those found on Champagne bottles, were provided. Guests toasted the new couple in writing, then stuck their notes inside the accompanying book. 

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French Guest Book

Credit: AVERYHOUSE
Go Inside This Glamorous Wedding

At this wedding, the guest book was fashioned from a vintage French tome.

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Velvet Guest Book

Credit: Jose Villa
Check Out the Rest of This Romantic Wedding

A custom guest book was covered in velvet and embossed with the couple's initials at these nuptials.

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Heirloom Guest Book

Credit: Alexandra Creswell

This bride had a custom guest book made from her paternal grandfather's old highway patrol binder.

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Camp Postcards

Credit: Jaclyn Simpson Photography
See More Details from This Rustic Wedding

Rather than signing a traditional guest book, attendees wrote down well-wishes and messages to the bride and groom on postcards at their camp wedding.

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Resolution Wall

At this New Year's Eve celebration, a "take one, make one" resolution wall spelled out "M+J," the couple's initials. Guests chose a playful prediction (such as, "I resolve to visit Graceland") or added their own.

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Nautical Trinkets

Credit: Mr. Haack

Instead of a guest book, this chose a more interactive approach, fitting for the seaside setting. A mix of lobster buoys—snatched up from a neighbor who was selling them in their front yard the week before the wedding—were affixed to an old door and dubbed the "Wishing Well." Guests signed the buoys with Sharpies and after the wedding, the newlyweds hung them in their spare bathroom. The fun idea was dreamt up and produced by Jesi Haack of Jesi Haack Design.

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Paper Scrolls