Engagement Scrapbook/ Guest Book

[MarthaA562]

I am looking to make a scrapbook with our engagement photos and some other memories. I have never done this before. How can I make one that has pictures and momentos, along with a space for guests to sign. Basically I want it to serve as a double duty. I want a Gold album, black pages, and maybe red accents along with black and white photos. I don't want any fru fru flowers or anything, just simple and elegant, not cluttered. I have two ideas:
1. To make the pages black, with frames around the photography, and then leave ample space for guests to sign around the photos with pens that write on black paper.
2. To embellish the pages with fun stuff ( I have found some things on Michaels and other scrapbooking web sites) and then add pages in the back for people to write notes.
I have thought about getting a kit, but I know that I would want to change everything, and I think that it would be a waste of money.
Does anyone know of any good books or web sites to help a beginner that wants to make it look proffessional get started?? I still have a year, but I want to get it started now, so that I know that it is perfect. I also think that I want to paste them on there so that I can position the photos and memory items in different angles. i searched and could not find a picture of exactly what I was looking for...
Any ideas, web sites, books, or suggestions would be awesome!!

[maroki13]

I don't have any websites or anything, but I just finished our wedding scrapbook.

I really like the idea of black pages with black and white photos. I think something really simple would work....white or red cardstock behind the photos (a little bigger than the photos, maybe a 1/4"-1/2" border) and the rest of the page blank, so guests can write messages and sign their names.

You could also do pages with special headings: Childhood memories, Marriage advice, Wishes for the Couple, etc.....that way all of your marriage advice could be compiled on one page, and the rest of the pages could be more general messages.

I'd love to see a picture when it is completed!!

[feb-bride]

Here are a few links to sites with various scrapbooking tips:

http://www.creativescrapbooking.com/tips.htm

http://www.scrapbook.com/tips.php

http://scrapbook.lifetips.com/

http://organizedscrapbooks.com/tips.html

http://www.101scrapbookingtips.org/

I've never seen a gold scrapbook before, but Creative Memories has some great albums that can serve as wedding albums. I recommend using a Creative Memories album (even if you buy your embellishments somewhere else) because their albums come with a lifetime guarantee. (Don't worry - I'm not trying to sell you an album. I used to sell CM products, but I haven't done that for years.)

http://www.creativememories.com/

I looked through the albums they have on their site, and I think that one of the following would look great as a wedding album:

http://www.creativememories.com/Main...Coverset-12x12

http://www.creativememories.com/Main...in-black-12x12

http://www.creativememories.com/Main...in-black-12x12

They had a color that was "gold-ish," but it looked like a mustard yellow color to me.

[breezy]

I wouldn't worry about leaving room. Since it's book style, you can just do your scrapbooking on the Right page and leave the Left page blank for signatures

[MarthaA562]

Wow... thanks for all the web sites!!! I also bought "Scrapbooking for Dummies" used off of Amazon for like $10.