I’ve reached the age where a lot of my friends are finally getting married. I’d never attended any weddings when I was younger, but now I seem to be going to at least three or four every year. Being a part of so many ceremonies has given me a good idea of what’s popular these days and what’s not, which will help me plan my own nuptials in the near future. One thing that has really stood out for me has been the elegant wedding guest books that I’ve seen at each reception.

Wedding guest books are basically big scrapbook-style keepsakes that are usually signed by the newlyweds’ friends, relatives, and acquaintances that attend the ceremony. All the wedding guest books that I’ve seen are very different from each other in style, size, and design. Some wedding guest books have spiral bindings like notebooks would; others have a stitched binding. Some are huge, oversized albums; others are a smaller, more manageable size. Some have very fancy, ornate covers; others are plain and simple. In short, there are fabulous wedding guest books out there for just about every taste.

In addition, it seems that everyone has different ideas about how to personalize their wedding guest books. As I mentioned above, most couples are content just to have their guests sign their names somewhere on the pages. Other couples prefer something a bit more personal and ask their friends and relatives to write a short message or poem instead. Then there are those couples that like to add photos from the big day next to the signatures and messages. The important thing for newlyweds to remember is to tell everyone exactly how they want their wedding guest books to be handled. After all, the bride and groom will want to treasure their keepsake for a long, long time to come, so it would be a shame to have a majority of the guests write lovely, moving messages while a few loose canons leave raunchy jokes on the pages.

Many couples choose to purchase their wedding guest books from the same stationery store that they ordered their invitations from. This is convenient for couples because not only does it mean that there’s one less trip to the store to make, but also because the stationer can easily match the book’s cover to the color or theme of the invitations if desired. Another option is to purchase wedding guest books separately, either from a different stationery store or perhaps from an online retailer that specializes in these products.

If you’re getting married soon, I recommend giving considerable thought to your wedding guest book. When you look back at this wonderful keepsake twenty years from now, you’ll be glad you took some extra time to choose the right one.

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