Brides / Kevin Liang
The guests who come to celebrate your wedding day are a huge part of what makes it unique. That’s why it’s essential to pick the right wedding guest book. Wedding planner and writer Jason Kahn prefers guest books that give your loved ones the “freedom to be creative with what they want to write.” He advises couples to consider how the guest book will look in their home after the wedding. There’s also the question of whether or not you’re looking for a traditional, ledger-style guest book or, like Kahn, prefer a sign-in method that’s a little out-of-the-ordinary. For a more unusual option, he suggests “a piece of art that is significant to the couple’s story, like a globe if they love to travel or a wine barrel or case from their favorite varietal.”
To help you find the perfect guest book, we’ve researched the best options on the market. We looked for traditional bound books, sign-in décor, and out-of-the-box alternatives to find something for every style and wedding theme.
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Laid-back receptions call for simple guest books with striking details. This beautifully minimal book is available in five colors and has a velvety cover. The cursive writing on the cover is a pretty touch that's versatile enough to be used for other occasions, too.
Material: Hardcover | Size: 10 x 8 inches | Number of Pages: 100
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Giannini Firenze's marbled paper has been a Florentine institution since 1856. This hand-finished guest book brings the brand's legendary artistry—and a touch of la dolce vita—to your guests' fingertips. With a delicate, marbled pattern on its cover, the tome is filled with lined ivory pages. Guests can leave their name, address, and a special message on each page.
Material: Paper | Size: 10.43 x 8.07 x 0.67 inches | Number of Pages: N/A
This handmade treasure is completely customizable. Couples can emboss the velvety hard cover with their names or initials in gold, silver, or rose gold and select their own font. With 60 pages of blank paper, there's lots of room for guests to write messages or affix keepsake photos.
Material: Fabric, paper, shiny foil | Size: 11.5 x 8.5 inches | Number of Pages: 60
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Smythson, an iconic British stationery brand, offers a classic leather-bound guest book in the brand's signature blue, black, sandstone, and white. With a grosgrain bookmark and 128 gilt-edged blank pages, this keepsake journal features lots of room for guests to write in.
Material: Crossgrain calf leather, white-wove watermarked paper | Size: 10 x 8.5 inches | Number of Pages: 128
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With this guest book, you can give your loved ones something gorgeous to look at while they sign in. Ultra-thick pages can feature photos and other details in signature-friendly layouts. Plus, fabric binding, foil-stamped text, and lay-flat pages ensure this high-quality guest book will last, no matter how many times you take it out.
Material: Fabric | Size: 8 x 5, 8.25 x 11, 11 x 8.25, 10 x 10, 12 x 12, 11 x 14, 14 x 11 inches | Number of Pages: 20-90
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This winsome guest book is bound with a pop of patterned color. The front of the book is customizable, leaving room for couples to add their names, wedding dates, or whatever they wish. Inside are 96 thick, black pages for guests to adorn with messages. The guest book comes with a grey ribbon marker.
Material: Hardcover with silk-finish paper, pages inside have an eggshell finish | Size: 11.25 x 8.5 inches | Number of Pages: 96
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If you rent a photo booth for your wedding day, this guest book is picture-perfect for the big moment. The simple yet stunning dusty blue hardcover features metallic foil printing and the choice of blank pages offers your guests plenty of space to paste goofy photos of themselves.
Material: Hardcover | Size: 9 x 6, 10 x 8, 12 x 12 inches | Number of Pages: 50-100
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This sweet guest book from Rifle will surely win the hearts of couples who love wildflowers and nature. The neatly embroidered cloth-covered hardcover guest book has 144 pages for friends and family to leave notes, create drawings, or add photos for the new couple. The book has a lay-flat lining; each page is half-blank and half-lined. This guest book also includes a grosgrain ribbon bookmark.
Material: Cloth covered hardcover with embroidery | Size: 8.25 x 10.25 inches | Number of Pages: 144
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Graphic Image's minimalist guest book has a leather cover with a monochrome look. The word "Guests" appears on the front of the down-to-business book. The 160 pages with gilt edges leave room for guests to jot down their well-wishes. This guest book is perfect for couples who shy away from anything overly fussy.
Material: Leather, acid-free archival lined paper | Size: 8.5 x 6.75 inches | Number of Pages: 160
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With a dainty marbled pattern, this guest book has classic appeal. Couples can personalize the cover with their names, wedding date, and the location of their big event. On the back cover, there's room for a personalized quotation or even a passage from a favorite book. The guest book comes with a grey ribbon marker and is stocked with 96 thick pages for well-wishers to scribble down their thoughts.
Material: Hardcover with silk-finish paper; pages inside have an eggshell finish | Size: 11.25 x 8.5 inches | Number of Pages: 96
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Reading that your guests are ecstatic for you is lovely, but so is seeing it. Use a Polaroid photo guest book, like this beautiful option, which offers the best of both worlds. The Instax has a dedicated selfie mode, making it easy for guests to take and print photos of themselves. Then, they attach their photo with this guest book’s built-in adhesive strips and write a little note on the lines provided.
Material: Fabric | Size: 10 x 7, 11 x 10 inches | Number of Pages: 20-100
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This book’s front cover features a photograph of the two of you, printed on silver halide photo paper and laminated with a glossy finish (you can also add photos to the laminated back cover). The book has 122 pages, each with two lined columns labeled “Names” and “Message” to keep everything neat and organized.
Material: Laminated hardcover | Size: 8 x 11 inches | Number of Pages: 122
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If you enjoy nature and minimalistic decor, this lovely guest book is ideal for a spring or summer wedding. The crisp, white hardcover features only your names and wedding date, encircled by an elegant wreath of green foliage. Inside are 96 thick, textured, blank pages and a gray ribbon page marker. So sweet and simple!
Material: Hardcover with silk finish | Size: 11.25 x 8.5 inches | Number of Pages: 96
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Is there anyone who doesn’t love tiny envelopes? We think not. Four small envelopes are attached to each page of this book, and each contains a paper card that your guests can fill out and slip back into the spiral-bound book. Loved ones can get as personal as they want since no one but you will see what they say, and you’ll have so much fun opening each envelope to read their messages.
Material: Paper | Size: 8.1 x 8.3 x 0.5 inches | Number of Pages: 80 cards, 80 envelopes
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Looking for something simple and sophisticated? This Italian leather-bound guest book is exactly that. It contains 160 pages of premium ivory writing paper, and its cover reads “Guests” in gold. The book comes in gray, white, and blush, all of which complement practically every wedding color palette.
Material: Leather | Size: 8.5 x 6.75 inches | Number of Pages: 160
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This personalized guest book from Papier has a white cover decorated with poppies on the front and back, ready for a springtime wedding. There’s also space to personalize the guest book with your name, wedding date, or a message on the front. The book includes 96 thick paper pages with an eggshell finish for your guests to write messages. The guest book has finished end pages and includes a gray ribbon marker.
Material: Hardcover with silk-finish paper, pages inside have an eggshell finish | Size: 11.25 x 8.5 inches | Number of Pages: 96
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For a whimsical take on the traditional guest book, set up a place for guests to leave fan mail. These custom mailbox decals (two are included) are super cute, and if you put them on a USPS-approved mailbox, you can keep the decals outside your home later. If you go with plain postcards, your guests will have plenty of space to write and paste pictures, but you can also look for some new or vintage postcards that complement the theme of your wedding.
Material: Vinyl decals | Size: 12.7 x 6.9 inches | Number of Pages: N/A
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Welcome your guests with this linen-covered hardback book. The book is handcrafted and built to last. Add your names and wedding date to the cover, and you have a simple, yet striking book. Choose whether your pages—there are 100 of them—are blank or lined.
Material: Hardback with linen fabric finish, matte, heavyweight paper | Size: 8 x 10 inches | Number of Pages: 100
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This full-grain, calfskin, leather-bound guest book from Mark & Graham exudes style and elegance. It comes in five colors (tan, white-gold, white, navy, and black) and has 160 lined pages for your guests to put pen to paper. You can add two lines of foil-debossed monogramming to the front of the guest book (up to 48 characters) to commemorate the special day.
Material: Leather | Size: 6.75 x 8.5 x 1 inches | Number of Pages: 160
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For a book with a celebratory style, pick this festive option with silk-finished pages. You can personalize it with your names. If you really fall in love with the theme, you can use it for your wedding invitations, program, menu, and more.
Material: Hardcover, silk paper | Size: 11.25 x 8.5 inches | Number of Pages: 96
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This sign-in poster is perfect for couples whose love was written in the stars. In the center is an image of the night sky as it appeared on a particular day—the day you met or got engaged or, perhaps, your wedding day itself—from a specific location. After your guests sign it, you’ll have a lovely keepsake to display in your home.
Material: Paper or canvas | Size: 11 x 14, 16 x 20, 18 x 24, 24 x 30, 20 x 30, 24 x 36 inches | Number of Pages: One
What to Look for in a Wedding Guest Book
- Size: Consider how many people are attending your wedding. You'll want to remember everyone who came to celebrate, so make sure your wedding guest book has enough space for everyone to write their name, add personalized messages, or even paste pictures.
- Style: A guest book can be more than a bound book. Consider the theme of your wedding, your and your partner's individual personalities, and how you'd like to save this keepsake after the big day.
- Cover: Leather-bound hardcover books are ideal for displaying after the wedding day in your home. However, you can also find soft-cover and spiral wedding guest books that are perfect for the more casual couple. In addition, you could opt for a more creative option like a personalized canvas, date jar, or even a plant pot.
Why Trust Brides
Mckenzie Eggers is a freelance writer with over seven years of experience. She holds a Ph.D. in English literature from Penn State University and has been writing for Brides since September 2020, covering gifts and registries. Former Senior Editor Kate Donovan contributed additional products and insights for this story.
- Jason Kahn is a wedding planner and author of "Getting Groomed: The Ultimate Wedding Planner For Gay Grooms."
