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What is a wedding audio guest book?
A wedding audio guest book is a unique way for guests to be a part of your wedding… even if your loved one isn't able to be at the wedding! When you have an audio guest book for weddings, guests can leave heartfelt, hilarious, or even drunken congratulatory voicemails at your wedding. We love the idea of hearing the recorded voices of your loved ones that you can play over and over again long after your wedding day!
How does a wedding audio guest book work?
Ok, let's talk through the logistics here. Once you select an audio guest book service for your wedding, you're given a toll-free number or QR code. Then at your wedding, you can create signage or easy-to-follow instructions so that guests can call the wedding audio guest book from their own cell phones OR using a vintage phone that you provide. And that's where the great debate comes in… but we'll get to that in a minute.
When guests call in, they will hear your personal greeting when they call the phone number and be prompted to leave you a recorded message! All the recordings will end up in your online account.
How do you get guests to leave a message in a wedding audio guest book?
You can include the toll-free number in your Save the Dates and invitations… and even your Thank You cards, to catch any guests who didn't get a chance to leave a voice message during the reception! Some couples even set up guest book tables with instructions for the wedding audio guest book or included the number in a table place card.
Here's how these newlyweds did it:
We printed the invite on cards and signs and displayed with a little record player as we plan to have the audio transferred to vinyl. We also included the cards in thank you notes afterward to get others who forgot.
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We put a sign on the welcome table with the phone number and “leave a message for the bride and groom” and then also put it on the back all of the place cards.
Some people still forgot to leave a message, so we also sent an email out after.
Maddy
How does a wedding audio guest book work for guests who can't attend?
Loved ones who can't celebrate with you in person can still dial into the wedding audio guest book from their own phone, from wherever they are! Just send them the number, and they can easily call in and leave a voice message (or song, or even a speech) from the comfort of their home.
What happens to the voice recordings when you use a wedding audio guest book?
Whether your guests leave voice messages on a vintage phone or through their own phone, all the recordings end up on the online account you set up with the audio guest book service. You're able to sequence, edit, and download them. If you're old school with a record player, Life On Record, an audio guest book service for weddings, has a cool vinyl record option for playing back your guest's messages!
Can I use a vintage phone as an audio guest book for weddings?
Short answer is YES! But hold the phone…
Here are some pros and cons of using a vintage phone as a wedding audio guest book:
Pro: They're totally Instagrammable!
We've seen some offbeat newlyweds opt for vintage phone audio guest books at their wedding! They set up a designated spot, similar to how you'd do for a regular guest book. Except this time instead of signing a book, guests can pick up the vintage phone, leave a voice message, and get a nice photo opp!
Con: Background noise
Wedding receptions tend to be noisy. Guests often feel like they have to shout into the vintage phone or have a hard time concentrating on what to say.
Pros: There are so many cool vintage phone options!
We're high-key obsessed with all of LifeOnRecord's colorful vintage phone options. There's something for every offbeat theme or aesthetic!
Con: Guests feel rushed
Sometimes when there's a line of guests waiting to use the vintage phone audio guest book, guests can feel pressured to rush their message. LifeOnRecord's customers have expressed that the guests who dial in from their cell phones in the privacy of their home often leave more meaningful and longer messages. LifeOnRecord even has an option where guests can re-record their voice message as many times as they like!
Pro: You get to hear parts of the wedding you didn't experience
You can't be everywhere at once on your wedding day. With a vintage phone wedding audio guest book you can get a glimpse into what was happening in the moment. It's kind of a surreal and sentimental experience!
Con: Drunk or less tech-savvy guests might have difficulty
In the midst of a raging party people are not always the best with instructions. You don't want your wedding audio guest book files to be filled with messages like “Is this thing working?” or inaudible noises from the wedding reception. So although vintage phones are beautiful as an audio guest book for weddings, that's certainly a risk you'll take.
BUT if you've fallen in love with the vintage and retro phones…
You'll be thrilled to hear LifeOnRecord is doing a promo for Offbeat Wed readers on vintage phone rentals. Get a vintage phone rentals between $149-249 this month only! I repeat: This offer expires end of January!
To give you some context for what a sweet deal this is, other audio guestbook services go from $375-$499.
Plus, other audio guestbook services will charge up to $150 for a virtual number, which you need in order to have guests call you. And if your wedding is outside the US, they'll charge EXTRA!
LifeOnRecord is just $99 and it includes dozens of countries, recording management options you don’t get anywhere else, PLUS your account is open for a full-year.
Whether you opt for a vintage phone at your reception or have your guests dial in, a wedding audio guest book sounds like a fun time!
