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Wishing wells & card boxes

With the gift of money being welcomed more and more at weddings nowadays, a lovely wedding gift card box / holder is a nice touch and can be a focal point for your gift table. Here are a few cute ideas on how to incorporate something into your look and feel for the day. Ranging from the practical to the whimsical, there is something for everyone .... think hatboxes, suitcases, birdcages or even postboxes!


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Unique guest book ideas

Wedding guest books are invariably a terrific way to perhaps recall the special time you had with your guests at your wedding. It’s the first things about the wedding celebration your guest would probably see and give you a brief remark that you will appreciate everyday for a long time to come. Think about matching the theme of the guest book with the total theme of the wedding event.

Make a memory “book” loaded with heartfelt messages. The main factor to a brilliant guest book is actually a range of remarkable responses from your guests. Inspire them to express themselves. Let your guest write their best wishes, share their piece of advice, write a funny short story, compose a poem or recall a favorite memory. Indeed, these guest book ideas and alternatives are a perfect way to remember all of the people who help you to celebrate your big day. After the wedding party celebration, take them on your honeymoon destination and read them together with your new spouse.

Bored with the typical sign-in albums with listing of names where wedding guests basically sign and pass it around? Your wedding doesn’t have to be similar to everyone else’s. There are lots of creative ways to remember who helped you celebrate your extraordinary wedding day and record all the guests who came to share the joy of the celebration. Here are 20 awesome guest book alternatives for the wedding reception.

20 CREATIVE GUEST BOOK ALTERNATIVES

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01. Polaroid Scrapbook

Make sure the polaroid camera has plenty of film. Wedding guest can strike a pose then leave their photo on the guest book, together with their short message for the couple.

VIEW SOURCE: TOP-L, TOP-R, BOTTOM

 

02. Guest Book Puzzle

Either side on the puzzle features a portrait photo chosen by the bride and groom and have the back side for the wedding guest’s personal comments. Put the pieces inside a glass container at the wedding venue, together with a message requesting guest to autograph the incomplete backside.

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03. Wedding Caricature Sign-in Board

Bring life to your party celebration. You may wanna try hiring a caricature artist to draw the portrait of the bride and groom and let the wedding guest sign on it as they arrive. Wedding caricatures can be drawn up in full color or black line style.

VIEW SOURCES: TOP, BOTTOM

 

04. Fingerprint Guest Book

Design your guest book as a work of art. Just let your guest press their thumb to create leaves in which they will place their signature or message for the bride and groom.

VIEW SOURCES: LEFT, RIGHT

 

05. Typewriter Guest Book

Arrange an old-fashioned typewriter together with long pieces of paper for guests to type their good wishes as the mood strikes.

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06. Wishing Stones

An Irish wedding tradition wherein they have their wedding guests write their best wishes on smooth stones. Put together a wedding guest book table with plenty of pebbles and a glass vase filled up with water. After the guest signed with a permanent marker, they can put the stones inside the vase. This represent and bring back the tradition of throwing stones into a river or pool.

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07. Wedding Mad libs

Receive some marvelous and crazy feedback with these creative mad libs-inspired guest book.

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08. Chalkboard Message in Photo booth

Cut-out bubble shapes and coat it with chalkboard paint. Place them by your photo booth and let your guest write a short message before having their hilarious pose infront of the camera.

VIEW SOURCES: IMAGE

 

09. Wine Bottle Guest Book

Now let your guest sign a bottle of wine with a glass marker and let them leave a note for the couple. Then let the wine be stored and kept in your new family home and be opened up during wedding anniversaries.

VIEW SOURCES: LEFT, RIGHT

 

10. Vinyl Record Guest Book Alternative

If you are a music junkie, it’s more fun to use the vinyl record as a guest book instead. Use it on a table at the wedding reception with silver or gold marker pens and encourage your guests to have their autographs.

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11. Photo Frame Guest Book Alternative

Celebrate your wedding day along with loving words of your friends flanked by your chosen wedding photo. Use an acid free fine point pen to protect your guest’s messages for many years.

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12. Guitar Guest Book Alternative

If you have a music band or simply love music, you might want to repurpose one of your guitar into a guest book. This can generate an awesome conversation when hang and display on the wall with a protective coat.

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13. Wine Cork Guest Book Alternative

For wine lovers, wine corks can be a guest book alternative for guest to write on.

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14. Guest Book Platter

Grab the moments of your wedding event with the best souvenir and genuine messages that you can treasure and display for a long time. A platter is indeed a great guest book alternative. Don’t forget to bake in your home oven to protect and seal on the messages.

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15. Wishing Tree Guest Book Alternative

A Wish Tree as an alternative guest book coming from a Dutch wedding tradition where visitors are provided with a sheet of paper. The guests write their wishes to the bride and groom and then hang it on the tree. This creates a stunning focal point. The tree is positioned at the entry ways towards the wedding reception to amaze your guests as they walk in.

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16. Guest Quilt

Another guest book idea is to choose a guest quilt. After it is sewn together, it reminds you of the people who come to your wedding day. Place a cardboard under the fabric to avoid the fabric marker from bleeding through.

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17. Jenga Guest Book Alternative

A different way to engage with your guest is to have them take a block of Jenga stick to write their message to the happy couple. Every time you play the game, it will bring back all the memories for years to come.

VIEW SOURCES: Oh Lovely Day

 

18. Vintage Postcard

For those couple who have a timeless vintage or travel styled wedding, using vintage postcards as guest book complements it. Guest then compose their sweet wishes for the wedding couple.

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19. Engagement Guest Book

Engagement guestbooks are impressive considering that it lets you show off lots of the engagement session photos, while giving yet another kind of guest book to sign at the wedding reception. Spaces inside the guest book enable wedding guests to jot down sweet advice and best wishes for the couple while displaying the best photos from your engagement photo shoot.

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20. Wooden Slice Guest Book Alternative

Another guest book alternative is to have your guest sign a large wooden guest book that is almost the size of a tree trunk.

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More wedding freebies

The Guide to Romantic Harbourside Weddings in The Rocks and Darling Harbour has all the information you need on indoor and outdoor locations, places for your ceremony, intimate or large reception venues and picture perfect spots for stunning wedding photos that feature the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House as backdrops.

The guide features original jewellers, personalised wedding candles, and unique lollies with personal messages for your guests. There's even a few suggestions for handmade original gifts that make a wonderful thank you for bridesmaids and groomsmen.

And because no wedding is complete without a boys' and girls' night out there's also a few fun suggestions on how to get the most out of your pre-marriage celebrations.

If you can imagine yourself enjoying a romantic harbourside wedding, The Guide to Romantic Harbourside Weddings in The Rocks and Darling Harbour can help make it a reality.

Start with this guide. It was put together especially with you in mind for your free copy fill in your information here

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The Wedding Guide of New South Wales is packed with information on wedding professionals - it's the easiest way to choose your suppliers.

Simply fill out this form and They will send you your free magazine - the complete guide to the perfect wedding! (For NSW brides only)

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A free personal wedding website that you can edit and send to friends and family . . . keep everyone up to date on all the happenings of your wedding . . .

You can upload photos, there's a great countdown to your wedding and even a guest book for visitors to leave messages.

ALL FREE !! Simply follow the instructions here to make i-do.com.au your homepage and get your free wedding website.

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View a copy of the latest Wedding Style guide magazine free online. Its jam packed full of wonderful wedding ideas. To view, simply click here

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Get ready for some exciting new Bridal Tools to help and assist in your wedding planning!

The Wedding Shows research and development team have been working with brides and grooms to help better understand your needs and develop a new benchmark in a Bridal tool set!

Be the first to receive these new innovative planning tools!

Register Now to be the first to receive these innovative Bridal tools upon release for FREE and the chance to Win your very own Dream Honeymoon and remember by becoming a wedding show member you will receive:

1. The latest on NEW wedding show programs coming your way!
2. Up and coming information on COMPETITIONS!
3. Special offers and wedding supplier discounts exclusive only to our members
4. The Wedding Show Newsletters and much more!

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Travel Registry, Australia's only free, do-it-yourself honeymoon wedding registry. Honeymoon registries are a reasonably new thing in Australia, with many couples already living together before they tie the knot. Traditional bridal registries are somewhat useless for a lot of couples in this situation, because they already have their homes decked out with all the things they need. With this in mind, why not offer your guests the chance to contribute to your honeymoon?
It's so simple. Once you have signed up for free, they will build you a registry website that you can tell your guests about in your wedding invitations. You will get access to create an itemised, categorised honeymoon registry, in which you can include all aspects of your honeymoon, such as accommodation, flights, dinners, cocktails on the beach - whatever! Guests visit your registry website and they can elect to buy whichever gift(s) they like by sending you the money. They can pay you by cheque or bank transfer - these details will be provided to them when they choose which gift(s) to buy.

Cocktails

If you are planning on catering your own wedding, try these yummy cocktails!

Cosmopolitans

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 1 cup (250ml) Grand Marnier (or orange liqueur)
• 1/2 cup (125ml) chilled vodka
• 1 1/2 cups (375ml) chilled cranberry juice
• 1/4 cup (60ml) lime juice
• Ice cubes, to serve
• Lime wedges, to serve

Method

1. Combine the Grand Marnier, vodka, cranberry juice and lime juice in a jug. Place ice cubes in martini glasses and pour over the cosmopolitan mixture. Serve immediately with lime wedges, if desired.

Chilli mojito

Preparation Time

5 minutes

Cooking Time

5 minutes

Ingredients (serves 8)

• 170g (3/4 cup) white sugar
• 1 tsp dried chilli flakes
• 2 egg whites
• 16 fresh mint sprigs
• 160ml (2/3 cup) lime cordial
• 2 limes, coarsely chopped
• 24 ice cubes
• 320ml white rum
• Soda water, to serve
• 2 long fresh red chillies (optional), halved, deseeded, thinly sliced

Method

1. Place the sugar and chilli flakes in a mortar and pound with a pestle until finely crushed. (Alternatively, use a coffee or spice grinder.) Transfer to a small plate.
2. Use a fork to whisk the egg whites in a bowl until frothy. Dip the rim of 1 serving glass into the egg white, then into the chilli mixture to coat. Repeat with the remaining serving glasses. Set aside until set.
3. Divide the mint, cordial and lime among the glasses. Use the end of a rolling pin to gently pound until coarsely crushed. Divide the ice cubes and rum among the glasses. Top with soda water. Add a slice of chilli to each glass, if desired, to serve.

Notes & tips

• Time plan tip: Make this recipe just before serving.

Blue lagoon

Ingredients (serves 8)

• 1L (4 cups) bought pineapple juice
• 500ml (2 cups) chilled lemonade
• 250ml (1 cup) blue curacao
• 250ml (1 cup) dry gin
• Fresh pineapple wedges, to garnish

Method

1. Place the pineapple juice in a shallow metal container. Cover with foil and place in the freezer for 4 hours or until just set.
2. Roughly break up the frozen pineapple juice with a metal spoon and quickly transfer to the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Transfer to a large jug. Add the lemonade and stir until just combined.
3. Pour the blue curacao and gin among 8 serving glasses. Pour over the pineapple mixture. Garnish with a pineapple wedge and serve immediately.

Notes & tips

• Allow 4 hours freezing time.
• Blue curacao, a rum-based liqueur with a subtle bitter-orange flavour, is the base for this cocktail.

Berry punch

Makes

4 litres

Ingredients

• 125g blueberries
• 125g raspberries
• 250g strawberries, hulled, sliced
• 1.5 litres raspberry and cranberry juice, chilled
• 1 cup vodka
• 1 lime
• 1.25 litres lemonade, chilled
• ice cubes, to serve

Method

1. Place blueberries, raspberries and strawberries in a large bowl. Add juice and vodka. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to allow flavours to develop.
2. Thinly slice lime. Cut slices into small wedges. Stir through punch. Add lemonade and ice. Serve.

Watermelon mai tai

Preparation Time

5 minutes

Ingredients (serves 8)

• 500g peeled watermelon, chopped
• 125ml (1/2 cup) Golden Circle pineapple juice
• 125ml (1/2 cup) white rum
• 60ml (1/4 cup) triple sec liqueur
• 1 tsp grenadine
• Crushed ice, to serve

Method

1. Place the watermelon, pineapple juice, rum, liqueur and grenadine in the jug of a blender and blend until smooth.
2. Divide the ice among serving glasses. Pour over watermelon mixture to serve.

Notes & tips

• Note: Make this recipe just before serving.
• Tip: To make this drink suitable for designated drivers, omit alcohol and increase the pineapple juice to 1 cup.

Frozen cosmopolitan

Ingredients (serves 12)

• 2 cups chilled sugar syrup
• 6 large limes, juiced
• 2 cups classic cranberry juice
• 2 cups vodka

Method

1. Pour sugar syrup into a 3-litre container. Strain 1 cup lime juice into a jug. Add lime juice, cranberry juice and vodka to syrup. Mix well. Cover and freeze overnight.
2. Stir frozen cosmopolitan to combine. Spoon into glasses. Serve immediately.

Passionfruit Champagne cocktails

Preparation Time

5 minutes

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 375ml (1 1/2 cups) passionfruit pulp
• 125ml (1/2 cup) brandy
• 1 x 750ml btl chilled Champagne or sparkling white wine

Method

1. Spoon the passionfruit pulp among twelve 30ml ice-cube trays. Place in the freezer for 4 hours or until firm.
2. Pour the brandy among serving glasses. Top with Champagne or sparkling wine and passionfruit ice cubes. Serve immediately.

Purple wedding inspiration