I’ve been reading Blogger Brides ever since I got engaged last August, but have never gotten over the hump of actually blogging. I’m just reaching the point in my wedding plans that I could really use some advice and ideas on my personal wedding from other brides, so I’ve finally decided to overcome my irrational fear and post. I am pretty excited to be a member of this community and welcome all of your comments and suggestions as I gear up for the big day.

I am getting married on July 24, and just passed the 5-month point with a lot done but a lot still left to do. My current project is trying to figure out what to use for a guest book.

My wedding is mostly traditional. Church wedding with a reception in a hotel ballroom on the beach in Rhode Island. We’re doing all the standard reception frills- traditional first dance, cake cutting, bouquet toss, garter, etc. But there is a part of me that wants to embrace at least something non-traditional. Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue are the traditional “somethings,” but to me, “something unique” is equally, if not more, important.

The most difficult part about my idea of incorporating something non-traditional into my wedding is the push-back I’m getting from my mom. She’s very traditional and has already turned me against some other ideas I’ve had to incorporate something unique. Having grown up with my mom as a single parent, and myself as an only child, we have a very close relationship and it’s hard for me to make a decision that she doesn’t agree with, especially when it comes to this day which is very special for both of us.

My ideas thus far for a non-traditional guestbook have been:

• An 18-month calendar with various pictures of FH and I for each month, surrounded by a border where people can sign. This would be accompanied by a sign asking people to add their birthdays, anniversaries and other special dates so we can take inventory. My mom didn’t like this idea due to its extreme departure from the traditional, and went further to say that we should feel obligated to send gifts if we ask for people’s birthdays and anniversaries.
• A guestbook signature platter. My mom’s complaint with this was that people would be restricted in their messages and wouldn’t be able to say everything they wanted to, or everything wouldn’t fit. We have 150 guests, and even though these platters are sold with room for 200+ signatures, she is still not sold.

(Photo credit: YouNique Boutique)

So assuming I listen to my mom’s restrictions, how can I come up with a compromise? I’ve toyed with the idea of getting a coffee-table book with pictures of something FH and I enjoy or an interest we share, but I’m concerned that the color of the signature marker won’t contrast enough with pictures in such a book for us to be able to actually read.

What are other brides using as a guest book? Are you going traditional or do you have a unique idea?