Guest Book Alternatives

[Complicated Woman]

Hey ladies,

In the July Issue of Real Simple magazine, they had an interesting alternative to guest books that I thought I'd share.

What they suggested was putting out a container full of smooth white rocks (the river pebbles you can get at craft stores) and paint pens and having each guest write their name on a rock and place it in a wide cylindrical vase. You could do this with anything -- seashells, small Christmas ornaments, etc. I thought it was a neat idea and that it would make a pretty display item after the wedding.

[DragonYoga]

OOOO I like that idea!!! I was thinking of going with the engravable metal tray. It's like $72 for a small one but oh so pretty! I knew I didn't want a guest book because, well, there'd be a LOT of empty pages...!

[Lizbet]

Hey, CW, I get that mag,too. It is so nice. I love all their little tips and tricks.

[breezy]

what a great idea!

[birdie]

That is such a great idea! I may have to snag it if you don't mind! I've been looking for something creative like that. Unfortunately, I'm not creative!

[mommy03bride]

that sounds really cute. the wedding i went to they had a serving plate that everyone signed so they could keep that.

[clairon13]

i went to a church once where new members signed a rock (these were just the plain river rock kind, smooth, but brown) w/ a black sharpie, and they kept all the rocks in one of those HUGE pier 1 vases/candle hurricanes. when they didn't have membership sundays, the vase w/ rocks just sat out in the hallway... it was a very attractive centerpiece, and there's so much you could do w/ it after the wedding, if you kept some flowers to dry from your bouquet, you could put them around the base, or if you had a unity candle, you could put the candle infirst and the rocks aroudn it... i'm getting really excitd about an idea i didn't even use!! lol

[michaelsbride]

I love that idea... we're planning on doing the rose ceremony i think that was posted somewhere long ago on here (exchanging roses to each other as your first gift as husband and wife and the vase sits somewhere in the home and on the anniversary you exchange roses again... or if theres something you just cant say like "i need you" you put a rose there so the other person knows) using a vase with the rocks would be soo perfect!

[DragonYoga]

The more I think aobut the rocks idea, the more I like it...!

[Complicated Woman]

The thing that I like most about the rock idea is actually that it reminds me of the ancient Hebrew tradition of the ebenezer. An ebenezer was this rock pile that was started when God did something good for you, and every time God blessed your life, you added a rock to the pile to remember it. When things seem hopeless, you're supposed to look at your ebenezer to remember God's holy presence in your life. To me, having all these rocks with the names of our loved ones on them is a good way to start a modern ebenezer.

[michaelsbride]

CW is there anyway you could scan a picture so we could see it? i have an image in my mind and i tried to explain it to my mom but she didnt "get it"... she was doped up on pain meds but thats beside the point! hehe if ya cant, no biggie...

[Complicated Woman]

I don't have access to a scanner, but it is in the July issue of Real Simple, p. 62. HTH!

[Sh@ks18]

thats a very cute idea. I have to remember to do it when my day comes

[555Ann555]

Originally Posted by Complicated Woman

The thing that I like most about the rock idea is actually that it reminds me of the ancient Hebrew tradition of the ebenezer. An ebenezer was this rock pile that was started when God did something good for you, and every time God blessed your life, you added a rock to the pile to remember it. When things seem hopeless, you're supposed to look at your ebenezer to remember God's holy presence in your life. To me, having all these rocks with the names of our loved ones on them is a good way to start a modern ebenezer.

I got goosebumps from that

I may just have to strt a little ebenezer of my own

[Jeanna]

I'm doing it! Thanks CW! I'm so excited!

[labeadel]

We did "blessing stones" at our wedding. I bought black and white stones from Michael's and we laid them out on the table by our programs. Then we asked each guest and member of the wedding party to take a stone and hold onto it during the ceremony. Then the officiant asked everyone to think of all of their blessings to us while rubbing the stone and transfer those warm wishes and thoughts onto the stone. Then when everyone left the ceremony, they dropped the stones into a bowl for us, which is displayed in our home.

It's a cute idea to have everyone sign it too. We didn't do that though.

[AlwaysABride]

I love this idea -- and afterwards, it would make a unique, personal and wonderful decoration for your home.Even my husband thinks the idea "ROCKS" (sorry for the very bad pun there )

[DragonYoga]

Originally Posted by AlwaysABride

I love this idea -- and afterwards, it would make a unique, personal and wonderful decoration for your home.Even my husband thinks the idea "ROCKS" (sorry for the very bad pun there )