Racking your brain for a unique alternative to the classic wedding guest book? The guest ‘log’ is the perfect solution! When planning my wedding, I looked at many different guest book options, but I was disappointed by many. I felt they would either collect dust in a closet, or become a tacky outdated piece of decor. Then, while Pinteresting (of course ;)), I saw a pin that described how to preserve a slice of wood and I knew I had found my guest book!
The only question was how or where to get a large log slice? I told Mr. Fancee about my idea and he liked it! Lucky for us, one of his groomsmen knew someone who was cutting down trees and saved us a slice. Then Mr. Fancee’s dad kindly smoothed and sanded it for the wedding.
I knew I wanted a little something more to set it apart, so I decided to add a monogram to the middle. Using Word, I printed a monogram with Monogram KK font. The day before the wedding two of my bridesmaids traced the monogram onto the log slice and painted it. Voila! Gorgeous guest log, filled with lovely messages from friends and family.
After the wedding Mr. F preserved the log by slapping on a few coats of polyurethane. Eventually, we hope to legs on it and make it a rustic side table, but for now it will find a home on our dining room accent table (once we get one that is…). I will try to post an updated picture with all of the signatures once our log finds a home in our apartment.
Well what do you think? Would you try this? What other unique alternatives have you found for a wedding guest book?
Sometimes ink bleeds on wood. Did you have that problem with the sharpies? Or did you use the sharpie pens rather than sharpie markers? I want to do this for my wedding but I don’t want the names to bleed on the wood and not be able to read it later. Maybe a clear coat or a coat of polyurethane first before the signing and maybe a clear coat after the signing? I just don’t want the ink to bleed into the wood making it not readable or to smear when a coat of polyurethane is applied after the signing. What are your thought?
Hi Amber, we used regular sharpies and didnt have an issue with ink bleed. Maybe test out a marker on the back side of your wood before the wedding 🙂
what type of paint was used for the initials in the center?
I really want to do this for my upcoming wedding. Did you use sharpies? I’m worried that the names will smear when coated with polyurethane. Did this happen or did the words stay in place?
Hi Kelsey, yes we used sharpies and nothing smeared at all. I can’t remember if we applied polyurethane on it before or after the wedding tho. You could always give it a light coat or even wait until after everyone’s signed if you’re worried 🙂
Oh my word! This is perfect! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks April! 🙂
I love the monogram! We are doing our guest books this way. I found yours when I was searching for wording for the chalk board behind our log section tables. I love the guest ‘log’.
Thanks Pam, I’m so excited that you are doing it too! Best of luck 🙂