Guest Book necessary?

It's certainly not required! We're doing a photo guest book, just because I love pictures, and thought instant cameras would be fun. Otherwise, I would probably be skipping the guest book, since I'd likely look at it once, and then it'd sit on a shelf for years. There are alternatives, such as a puzzle guest book, people signing wine bottles or a large board, etc. Totally up to you on whether you want to do one or not!

I'm not having one, I think it's pointless.

Nope! We already had a framed piece of art that fit our theme we asked guests to sign. A “book” never made sense to me.

Nope! Nothing is really necessary except for the couple getting married, the officiant and required number of witnesses.

It's not required. A large number of guests don't sign the guestbook for any reason. If you want pictures of all your guests, make sure your photographer knows that and that you're on the same page. A number of them only focus on the couple, parents and attendants rather than guests in general.


You can skip the traditional book that 50 blank pages that only one gets used. Some people sign a photo matte provided by the photographer. Others get creative with coffee table books, polaroids, writing on postcards or wooden pieces in a jar and the list goes on.

It’s not needed. Traditional guest books that people sign don’t really get looked at anyway

Do you think a simple guest book and gift collection box be at the same table?

We didn’t have any sort of guest book and we have no regrets about that!

I don't think it's necessary. The only thing I could think of it being useful for us remembering exactly who was there for thank-you cards.

Someone posted on here a puzzle guest book & it looks like fun. Thinking of getting it & having it as wall art.

Definitely not a necessity. There's also multiple guest book alternatives rather than a legit book. Some have puzzle pieces, jenga pieces, big letters or photos to sign, Polaroids with signed names/comments and create their own book, etc.

We didn't have one

They are not necessary. There are several other options besides having people sign a book too.

They are not needed, however I am going to have a sign that will hang in my living room be our guest book. That way our guests will sign it and we will actually see it every day.

It’s not necessary. We have chosen to do a castle piece with our names and wedding date in the middle and it comes with wooden hearts and people can sign it and slide it into the castle. We are going to hang it on our wall after. But honestly I think I only went to one wedding with a “guestbook” and they had something similar to what I’m doing, they had everyone sign a piece of wood that they hung in their kitchen.

I think it's your prerogative really... if you don't want one, you certainly don't have to have one. I personally think it's a nice little reminder of the big day. And there's so many creative ways to have an alternative guest book that could be useful! I personally did a wooden American flags with little wooden stars that people signed and dropped into the frame. I love it and it's such a nice decoration in my home. I've seen people do fingerprint trees, a bench, a photo, a large wooden letter for their last name, a globe, and there's so many other things. And I will also say, although I told my photographer to take photos of everyone and we went around to each table, some people didn't make it into the photos. But, if it's not something you want, don't even worry about it.

It’s definitely not necessary. Many people won’t participate, and I don’t know any couples who regularly look at theirs unless it’s something they hung up in their home.

We're not doing a guest book. We will have 2 photographers and a photo booth. We think that will be enough...