A Scrappy Twist to the Polaroid Guestbook?

A Scrappy Twist to the Polaroid Guestbook?

September 4th, 2008 @ 4:05 pm by Mrs. Martini

For my 7th annual 21st birthday in 2006, my friends threw me a surprise party at one of my MOH’s apartment. Let’s just say there were a lot of tears, a LOT of silly string, and a lot of craziness going on. It was one of the most memorable days of my life. One very sweet thing I got to take home with me was a polariod guest book that Mrs. Bee brought for everyone to sign. She also provided tons of stickers for people to decorate their page with along with different colored markers.

Here are just a couple of the pages from the guestbook:

Looking back on these pictures, I just noticed the martini glasses and the Bon Jovi reference. LOL!

J went a little nuts with her page but I love it!

The guest book was a huge hit, especially because there was alcohol involved and it tends to bring out the quirkiness in people. I laughed so much the next day while reading what everyone wrote to me. I thought the idea itself was fantastic! Then, when we started wedding planning I thought - How awesome would it be to have a scrapbook/guestbook for our guests to sign? And how cool would it be to make this even bigger, to provide more supplies to make things fun for the guests, such as ribbons, stamps, stickers and paper?

The specifics are brewing in my head at the moment - I know what I want but I also know I still have plenty of time. So I’ve casually been thinking about it for now, but also slowly stocking up on random supplies as I see them. Then my indecisiveness started kicking in. I started getting paranoid. What if it’s too cheesy? What if it’s too tedious for guests to spend time on doing? It worked out perfectly for a 7th annual 21st birthday, but a wedding is much more formal than a house party with close friends.

This is where I’d like to ask everyone for a huge favor and help me out on this one.

What do you think about a scrapbook polaroid guest book? If you were a guest would you spend time on it? Any suggestions on how I can make this idea better?

Tags: guestbook, new-jersey |

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28 Responses to “A Scrappy Twist to the Polaroid Guestbook?”

Member

MrsDavis (message) 251 posts, Helper bee

I had an idea similair to this and asked my friends and coworkers the same thing. Smoe thought it was a good idea but quite a few people said that they porbably wouldn’t spend the time on it. Howvere, looking back, I kind of wish I had done it anyway. My regular guestbook was kind of a boring read.

9/4/08 @ 4:09 pm (reply)

Member

echo (message) 91 posts, Worker bee

I think a scrapbook guest book is a great idea!

If I was a guest, whether I would complete the scrapbook page, would depend on how it was presented.

If it was set up at one table only, with very little room, and only a few sets of markers, stickers, ribbon etc, then I may not take the time to complete one for two reasons; I don’t like the idea of having to keep an eye on the table for when it’s not busy so I can have “my turn” and I don’t like feeling “rushed” when it is finally my turn to create

However, if you were to provide the pages and the creative materials at each guest table, then I probably would spend time creating a beautiful, thoughtful, and humerous scrapbook page! Especially if there is time between the ceremony and dinner

If there are too many guest tables for the above possibility, then perhaps just having multiple tables with creative materials and room would also work?

9/4/08 @ 4:17 pm (reply)

Guest

Laura

We had one of the guest books (the company name has escaped me) where it was two sided and had a place to draw a picture of yourself (the guest) and write in fun things. I would say about 45% of the guests “got it”. There were a bunch of people that didn’t do both sides of the page and of course ones that didn’t do a page at all. The pages that we did get were great but I don’t know if I would have called it a “hit”. My guess is that it would work best if there was a good amount of down town (i.e. while waiting for your pictures to be done, or if they aren’t in to really doing a lot of dancing at the reception.)

Good luck!

9/4/08 @ 4:19 pm (reply)

Guest

Heather

I admit I am super crafty, so I would love something like this, but some people may not. But they could still write something, like a normal guestbook, and just not decorate their part. It also depends on how much time they will have to do it… An hour cocktail hour may not be enough time for 200 people to decorate and write, but if it is only 80 people.. maybe… I don’t know how big your guest list is Another idea would be (again, if you are having a cocktail hour) to set up little “craft stations” on the cocktail tables, that way someone can decorate a piece of paper at their own pace and with a drink in hand, and then all the pages can be set on a table and bound together later on…

9/4/08 @ 4:19 pm (reply)

Guest

kpenn

If I was close to the couple I would spend the time, but if just a coworker or not a close close friend I would probably not…

9/4/08 @ 4:26 pm (reply)

Guest

jess

I just went to a wedding where the couple had created a scrapbook to use as their guestbook, and the guests just signed wherever they wanted, so I was thinking…

…what if you made the “skeleton” of the scrapbook, and just left a section to “place Polaroid here” on each page, so that they can “complete” the page for you? Or you could even leave other parts of the pages halfway finished, so that they can still add personal touches without having to spend lots of time?

I love your idea about not having the usual sign-in guest book!

9/4/08 @ 4:29 pm (reply)

Guest

Sherry

i had the polaroid guestbook at my wedding, and though there were less than 50 people at the party, it took FOREVER to get around. people want to read what other people wrote and then think about something funny that they can write themselves. this could be a time buster if you have a larger wedding.

i think echo’s idea is great - depending on how formal your wedding is going to be, you might not be able to put so many materials, but some scrapbook paper and pens would do nicely. the guests could take their time completing this “project” and you could always have someone pick the pages up before the end of the night. and if some people are uncomfortable doing a whole page, maybe you could also do a traditional guestbook for everyone to sign when they come to the reception.

good luck!

9/4/08 @ 4:50 pm (reply)

Member

missm (message) 811 posts, Busy bee

jess - what a great idea! as a guest, if i don’t know the bride and groom really well, i’m always at a loss for what to write in the guest book. a skeleton with some prompts or suggestions would be a great way to get some non-standard entries. guests could flip through the pages and find one that called out to them to fill in. if the pages were partially completed, then it would take less time to fill in.

if you’re having a smaller wedding and a good amount of time for people to fill in info, then it could be tons of fun.

9/4/08 @ 4:52 pm (reply)

Guest

Dmd

I’m actually planning this for my wedding. A friend of ours did this for her wedding - it turned out really great. The level of creativity will vary quite a bit. I would say you have to willing to accept some very boring ones in addition to some terrific designs.

In my case, there is extra time between the ceremony and reception. I too have amassed from various sales a pile of stickers, papers, and patterned scissors from which people can personalize the page. I bought loose 8″x8″ sheets in five colors for people to use for the background.

I purposely bought loose pages so that I can match my wedding colors and allow people to have some choice. It also means more than two people can be working on their guest page at the same time around one or two craft tables in the cocktail area. We’ll load the sheets into a scrapbook after the wedding.

I think the key will be to offer some visual instructions and examples for people (especially relatives) who aren’t familiar with scrapbooking. Hopefully this will inspire them to do more than tape on the polaroid and sign their name. It’s always easier to do things when there’s an example to look at. I also plan to have a friend or two take turns to lend a hand to people through the process.

9/4/08 @ 4:54 pm (reply)

10.

Member

echoleigh (message) 7 posts, Newbee

Another Echo here *waves*

I am planning something similar for our wedding. We’ll have either a Polaroid camera or digital camera and printer; we’re asking for photos of our guests and will provide loose sheets of paper for their sentiments.

I am also thinking of having a typewriter there, because I’m a writer (reporter, actually). This way guests who choose to do so, can type up what they want to say.

I think I might have my SIL who’s not in the wedding man that station.

9/4/08 @ 5:00 pm (reply)

11.

Guest

Dmd

Incidentally, Polaroid film will be discontinued some time Q1 2009. If you decide to do this, start buying film now and store in it in the refrigerator until use (not the freezer). If you can buy it for $1 per shot (10 per pack), you’re getting a good price.

9/4/08 @ 5:02 pm (reply)

12.

Bee

Miss Dumpling (message) 650 posts, Busy bee

I have an anniversay of my 21st birthday every year. This year was my 6th! I always say that at the dinner table for my birthday, but I dont think people get the joke. Glad we are on the same page, Martini!

9/4/08 @ 5:31 pm (reply)

13.

Member

jennred782 (message) 355 posts, Helper bee

First I love the annual 21st bday party, that is great. I may need to do that after I turned 30 ah ok. The company someone mentioned earlier is http://www.guestbookstore.com or something along those lines. It is kinda pricey but maybe you can get layout ideas from them. A friend had it at her wedding and I thought it was great especially since you could take the page with you and then bring it back. I think it was 3 hole punched on the side. It was great. I am trying to come up with a DIY way of doing this. Mrs. Creme Puff did something sort of like it also.

9/4/08 @ 6:42 pm (reply)

14.

Guest

beelight13

i believe there’s a polaroid memory book for sale somewhere in cyberspace.
also, i’m planning on doing this at my wedding. you could probably get some friend’s kids to be the ones in charge of approaching the guests and snapping pictures of them and manning the colored pens or something. that would be fun for the kids and get the attention of the guests involved also.
good luck! and let me know how it goes!

9/4/08 @ 8:06 pm (reply)

15.

Guest

To be honest, as a guest, I probably wouldn’t want to spend too much time on this if it is at a guest table. I’d want to enjoy the wedding!

The best solution I have come up with, which was also mentioned earlier, is to place supplies at each guest table so that people can work on it while they are just getting seated before dinner is served, and during any other down time. Plus, they are already seated so they’re comfortable and can take their sweet time with the guestbook page and put more effort into it.

9/4/08 @ 8:07 pm (reply)

16.

Member

lazybride (message) 64 posts, Worker bee

if you really want everyone to be in it…you can sort of “assign” someone to be the guestbook polaroid person. have them go around and take pics and the guest will write in the book while the picture dries. obviously - you’d need to put someone in charge who is outgoing and speaks korean (in case you want your parents friends to be in it as well)…i was in charge before and the bride/groom seemed happy with the outcome.

9/4/08 @ 9:47 pm (reply)

17.

Bee

Mr. Bee (message) 1,555 posts, Bumble bee

haha, “7th annual 21st birthday”… face it, we’re all getting old.

9/4/08 @ 11:58 pm (reply)

18.

Bee

Miss Martini (message) 245 posts, Helper bee

@Heather: that is what i was thinking! it would be during the cocktail hour, with a station just for the scrapbooking. we have a pretty large guest list so we would have to put out multiple books or sheets of paper.

9/4/08 @ 11:59 pm (reply)

19.

Bee

Miss Martini (message) 245 posts, Helper bee

@jess: this is an aweeeesome idea. thank you!!

9/5/08 @ 12:00 am (reply)

20.

Bee

Miss Martini (message) 245 posts, Helper bee

@Dmd: great point on examples! I was thinking of having a display for “directions, and have mr martini decorate his own page, and i would decorate one page as well (the first page of two books we’d have out) so people can get a feel for what to do with all the materials. but now i just might ask a couple of more people to help me create a few more examples! my thinking is, guests will probably just use the stickers and not get into the actual scrapbooking, which would be ok. I just wanted to provide the materials just in case so guests have choices! but i love the book idea with the loose pages! i bought two scrapbooks that you can unbind because after the wedding i wanted to take out the pages and create one huge consolidated scrap book.

9/5/08 @ 12:05 am (reply)

21.

Bee

Miss Martini (message) 245 posts, Helper bee

@echoleigh: awww a typewriter would be SUCH a cute personal touch!

@Miss Dumpling:
@jennred782:

hahahahaha, i wasn’t sure if anyone would get the joke!

9/5/08 @ 12:07 am (reply)

22.

Bee

Miss Martini (message) 245 posts, Helper bee

@Mr. Bee: I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m only 21 years old!

9/5/08 @ 12:08 am (reply)

23.

Guest

Jennifer

We’re kind of doing this, except without the BOOK part. We’re going to have 4.5″ x 6.5″ pieces of paper available. People will be invited to write whatever they want on those papers. We’ll have a large glass jar to collect them all.

Then afterwards, I will assemble the papers into a book. This way, I can toss the ones that my young cousins will write (my sister had a framed photo, and people were asked to sign the mat - my cousins drew boobies, then labeled them, with an arrow –> boobies!). Actually, I’ll probably keep them, but maybe tuck them in an envelope, and paste the envelope into the book…. So they will be reminded years from now how silly they were!

9/5/08 @ 11:12 am (reply)

24.

Guest

goodvoile

I had a unique twist on this for my wedding, but it may not be applicable . . . my best friend (who is my husband’s sister) sent card-size papers in our wedding colors to all our wedding guests in advance with a request to create a ’scrapbook page’ entry for us. I’m not sure what she told them to do or how she got my guest list (this was a total surprise, and I still have to bug her about details!), but she took all the responses and assembled them before the wedding into a beautiful scrapbook in colors and with elements that matched our wedding. She also included quotes from the readings at the ceremony (which she helped deliver), some of which were from guests who responded our their response cards to our request to tell us ‘what love and marriage is’. (This was in addition to a photo-mat ‘guest book’ we did at the ceremony and reception.)

The entries in our scrapbook vary greatly, from some people just writing about how they know us, why we are special to them, etc. to others who included drawings, or pictures of us from past events we shared in or pictures of themselves, to favorite poems to us, to very scrapbooky entries with lovely papers, wording, bride and groom-type clothes with our pictures on them, etc.

Not sure that all made sense — my point being that people did so much because they had time in advance, I think. We also took more entries at the reception (some people brought their scrapbook cards to the wedding) and even one couple took their picture with us at the wedding, attached that to the papers and wrote something, and sent that back. It was a cool, cool thing that we will treasure — but still not everyone participated, including some of my own family — no big deal; we treasure what we got.

I think the polaroid guest book is a great thing to do, too, and you could just have some extra scrapbooky-type stuff on hand for those who want to get more creative . . .

9/7/08 @ 5:03 pm (reply)

25.

Guest

Melothyryan

I love the idea!

10/1/08 @ 11:40 am (reply)

26.

Guest

Photobooth at the Wedding Reception « The Wedding Lens - Blog

[...] are several alternatives that will have the same effect. For example, you could create a polaroid version in which guests take pictures and sign a guestbook! It’s instant and you get fun photos - not much different than the photobooth. If you put [...]

11/22/08 @ 7:03 pm (reply)

27.

Member

thehandmadeboutique (message) 2 posts, Wannabee

I made a Polaroid guest book that was a hit at my wedding. Now a lot of people are moving to FujiFilm Instax guest books with FujiFilm instant photos. Those are fun. I like different guest books, but with some of the ideas out there, you can’t really hold on to pieces of paper with wishes on them. You really need some kind of a book to keep everything in. I offer design it yourself handmade guest books, Polaroid, FujiFilm Instax, Swarovski crystal guest books. I have over 300 fabrics and you can mix and match the fabrics to match your wedding colors. There isn’t anything on the web like it.
http://www.lisashandmadeboutqiue.com

7/10/09 @ 1:50 pm (reply)

28.

Guest

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