What you are setting up
A photo guest book is a book with engraved wooden covers and blank pages inside. Guests take an instant photo, attach it to a page and write a line beside it, and the book comes home as the album of the day. The book arrives with the paper you chose and nothing else, so the table needs a few things from you: a camera, film, something to attach the photos with and a pen or two.
Where the table goes
Put the book where every guest passes twice: near the entrance or beside the bar, not at the far end of the room. People sign when they arrive and again when the evening loosens up. A small card that says what to do keeps the line moving: take a photo, tape it in, write us a line. Ask one friend to fill the first page before the guests arrive; everyone copies the first entry, so a neat photo and a short, warm note set the tone for the whole book.
The kit for the table
- An instant camera and film. Count one photo per guest or couple, and a spare pack for retakes. Cameras and film are not included with the book.
- Photo corners or photo-safe double-sided tape. The pages have no pockets and no adhesive strips, so any instant or printed photo fits, and it goes in wherever the guest wants it.
- Two signing markers. One pen at the table means a queue; two keep it moving. Our black and gold signing markers are made for the cardstock pages; add them in the builder and they ship with the book. Uncap one and leave it on the open book.
- A little light. Instant photos need it, and the table by the entrance usually has it. Keep the book itself out of direct sun so the ink dries evenly.
How many pages you need
Paper is counted in sheets, and both sides are usable, blank, with no lines or prompts. The 85 lb cardstock comes with 25, 45 or 55 sheets; the 30 lb standard paper with 45 or 60. Count roughly one page per guest or family who will add a photo, and take the next sheet count up for a big party: an empty page at the end is fine, a full book at guest sixty is not.
Small or Large
| Size | Closed book | Room on the page |
|---|---|---|
| Small | 8.65" × 6" (22 × 15 cm) | An instant photo and a line or two beside it |
| Large | 12.15" × 8.6" (31 × 22 cm) | A photo and a longer note, or two photos on one page |
Instax Mini and Square prints suit both sizes. If your guests will use Polaroid or Instax Wide prints, or you want printed 4 × 6 photos in the book later, pick the Large so there is space left for the writing. Check your print size and plan the layout before you choose.
Which paper
Cardstock (white, cream or black) is the thick, durable choice for instant photos and marker pens. Standard white paper suits a book that is mostly handwritten notes and signatures. Black cardstock with the gold marker is the evening-wedding look; cream cardstock with black ink is the classic one.
The cover
Your names and your date are engraved on the front cover, exactly as you type them in the builder, nothing added and nothing removed, so read the lines twice before checkout. Want to see it first? Ask for a free digital proof in the notes and we email it within a business day; you have 48 hours to approve it or ask for changes.
When to order
Every book is made to order in 1–3 business days, ships free by FedEx or UPS express and arrives in about 3–4 business days. Order 3–4 weeks before the wedding so there is time for a proof and for the film to arrive. Markers ordered in the builder ship in the same box.
After the wedding
Let the ink dry before you close the book, then keep it away from damp and direct sun. Wipe the covers with a soft dry cloth when they need it. That is all: the album is already made.
See the wedding photo guest books · Personalize the Adventure Book · Photo guest book questions
