If you want a guestbook for your wedding but are yearning for something out of the ordinary, an audio guestbook may be the perfect solution. Audio guestbooks are becoming increasingly popular for couples who want a way to remember well wishes from their family and friends, but who don’t prefer the traditional book.
Audio guestbooks are telephones that wedding guests can use to record messages and well wishes. The messages are transcribed onto physical or digital media for the newlywed couple, such as a vinyl record or an audio file.
These new “wedding phones” came in a variety of different options so that couples can match the telephone to their décor. Ranging from vintage to retro to modern, these phones are easy to set up and use. Guests simply pick up the phone, record their message, and make sure to place the phone back in the receiver when done.
How Voicemail Guestbooks Work
Audio guestbooks, also called voicemail guestbooks, work just like a regular phone: guests simply pick up the phone, listen to your recorded message, and then leave a message of their own. They can place the phone back on the receiver to end the message.
If they accidentally mess up the message, they can simply leave another one. When you send the phone back to the company for your recording, the company will sort through the messages and discard any unfinished messages or ‘blooper’ messages.
When you initially purchase your voicemail guestbook, the company will provide instructions for setup and return. Typically, however, it’s as simple as plugging in the phone.
Benefits Of Wedding Guestbooks
There are several benefits to voicemail guestbooks versus traditional wedding guestbooks. Six of the most prominent benefits are their durability, accessibility, storage, emotion, experience, and message length.
We cover these benefits in more depth in the sections that follow.
Durability
Traditional guestbooks are susceptible to regular wear and tear, in addition to moisture and accidents. If you spill a glass of wine while reminiscing, it can destroy your guestbook. Digital audio guestbooks last as long as your technology does – and even longer, if you back up the media or upload it to the cloud.
Even audio guestbooks on physical media like CDs or vinyl’s can be cleaned and hold up better against water and dust. Consider the same scenario discussed above: you spill a glass of wine. This time, it’s no problem; you simply rinse and dry the media.
Accessibility
Guests who have trouble writing (or who have handwriting that is less than legible) may feel self-conscious about leaving a message in a traditional guestbook. But audio guestbooks are easy to use and accessible to nearly everyone. And if your guests need help recording, that’s simple: another guest can simply hold the phone up for someone else to speak into.
Audio guestbooks are also more forgiving of mistakes. Most traditional wedding guestbooks offer pens or other permanent writing tools for use, which means that mistakes have to be messily scribbled out. But with audiobooks, your guests can just record another message without worrying.
Storage
Whereas traditional guestbooks take up space on your bookshelf or mantle, audio guestbooks on physical media are smaller and more easily stored. They can be slotted in with the rest of your CDs, DVDs, or vinyl recordings. These are also more easily transported in case you want to take your memories with you on your honeymoon or other vacations.
And in the case of digital guestbooks, they don’t take up any material space at all. As a bonus, if you have a digital recording, you can take your guestbook with you wherever you go via your phone.
Emotion
Though it can no doubt be impactful to read well wishes and kind sentiments, many people find that listening to your friend or family member’s voice is even more powerful. You’ll be able to hear all of the joy and happiness the recorder was feeling. And for any of the more humorous messages, you’ll be able to hear the laughter, too.
As an added bonus, audio guestbooks are also able to accommodate group messages since more than one person can contribute to a recording.
Experience
Using a phone to record a message for newlyweds is a more unique experience than writing in a book. Depending on the type of phone you choose, it can also evoke strong feelings of nostalgia and childhood memories.
You can even create a whole station dedicated to making lasting memories. For example, you can set up a “phone booth” where guests can leave a message for you, and a photo booth where they can take photos for themselves.
Message Length
Guests may feel pressured to limit their messages due to space in a traditional guestbook, but audio guestbooks have plenty of space! Most phones can hold up to (and even more than) ten hours’ worth of well wishes. This means that audio wedding guestbooks are perfect for weddings of all sizes, even if yours is going to be especially large.
These phones are also suitable for uses at multiple events, which means that you could have it at the wedding and reception. Alternatively, if you’re having a dinner or get-together for any guests that couldn’t come, they can still partake in wedding activities by leaving a message on the phone.
Is An Audio Guestbook Right For You?
Keep in mind, there are some drawbacks to audio guestbooks as well. For example, some people argue that wedding guestbooks are easier to interact with. With a traditional guestbook, you just grab the book and open it up; with audio guestbooks, you have to play the media through a corresponding device, such as a record player or phone.
When conducting your research, make sure to weigh the pros and cons of an audio guestbook to make sure it’s the right choice for you. Consider the points discussed above, what type of phone would best fit with your wedding theme, and which company offers the best deal for you.
