Non traditional guest book?

You can get wooden letters at Michaels on sale and/or use coupons for a good price if you watch sales. If that's out of the question, maybe get a piece of wood and paint/write your last name or initial on it and have people sign around it. I'm considering painting a canvas for everyone to sign, mine will be the sky on the night of the wedding to match my "night under the stars" theme, but you could make the image something Beauty and the Beast related like below.

Other ideas related to Beauty and the Beast (depending on how many guests): have people sign a teapot you can display or full tea set, sign a bench to use in your home, there is also a Beauty and the Beast themed shadow box guestbook on Etsy (just a bit pricey at $80-120 depending on number of petals up to 95), I'm sure there are similar ones by other sellers.

We're getting plain white photo mats for people to sign that will go around 2 of our wedding photos. (We're having 2 parties, so one for each party.) We didn't want the standard book because we know it will go into a drawer and collect dust. This way we'll have our "guest book" hanging on the wall.

What was the original idea?

I kinda love your original idea and just might steal it!

Definitely something with rose petals!
https://www.etsy.com/listing/500249704/enchanted-rose-wedding-guest-book-beauty

https://www.etsy.com/listing/544181862/beauty-and-the-beast-themed-wedding-drop

https://www.michaels.com/lillian-rose-fairy-tale-rose-petal-signing-canvas/d081401s.html

https://www.michaels.com/lillian-rose-fairy-tale-signing-cards-and-rose-dome-favors/d081305s.html

https://www.michaels.com/lillian-rose-fairy-tale-storybook-ring-holder-red-and-gold/d081363s.html

Yeeesss!!!! Ok, so I've done so much research on this EXACT thing. They make a shadow box of the rose in the glass where guests and sign petals and drop in. Oh, it's so cute

Instead of your full last name can you do your last initial and the initials of your first names, so it's less letters?

Https://pin.it/hb5wfbxka76ww2

What about your guests signing a silk rose petal? Then you can put them in a display case similar to the beauty and the beast one

Do a finger print tree! I've been to weddings where they've done this and it's so cool

We're doing a customized poster from Amazon, it's a tree and everyone signs a leaf