How it works
We have provided this guide to your order to help explain the journey from placing your order to receiving your unique framed artwork.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you would like to discuss any aspect of your order - we will be happy to help and provide any advice and suggestions to creating a magical keepsake for you.
You may also want to view our Frequently Asked Questions and also our Gallery of previous samples which we can email or can be found on our website.
1. Placing your Order
To place your order, simply email us at hello@alternativeguestbook.co.uk. If you can let us know you and your partners names, address and date of wedding and we will then prepare an invoice for the deposit of £100.
You do not need to know the frame size, frame colour or format (typed or scanned) at the time of your order. This can follow after the wedding once you have seen your completed Guest Message Cards. We are happy to offer our own advice at this stage once we have seen them based on our years of experience.
2. Designing your Message Cards
Once your order has been confirmed and the deposit has been paid, we will email through the template so that you can select the colours and font for the Message Card.
The Message Card is postcard size (A6) and has a message to your guests on the front and the reverse is left for them to write their message to you.
An example of the message is shown below although this is only a suggestion - you are free to change this in any way you wish.
Your frame comes with x50 Message Cards included but additional cards can be purchased if required.
Once you have approved your Message Card proof, we would normally diarise to print these x4 weeks before your wedding and have delivered via courier.
3. Two Weeks before the Big Day!
A few final reminders as the clock counts down....
Pens: We would advise that you have black gel ink pens on each table at your reception so that your guests can easily write their messages. Please note if you think you would like the 'scanned' format Guest Comments Frame then it is essential to use these gel ink style pens, (as opposed to biros). These pens, with black ink, will ensure the best scan. They can be purchased at most good stationers and we can provide some links on Amazon if you wish.
Reminder/Collection of Cards: Feedback suggests that when the cards are given a very quick mention in one of the speeches, the contribution in both quantity and quality significantly increases. We would also suggest you nominate someone in your wedding party to collect all the cards at a certain point in the day, prompting anyone who has not yet completed them and then keep them safe.
4. Sending your Message Cards back to us
Congratulations! The big day came and you loved every minute of it!
We are now going to capture that amazing atmosphere with some stunning unique artwork featuring the messages provided by your loved family and friends.
Once you have had chance to review your messages, have a think about your preferences for the format (typed or scanned) and also the size of your frame.
Once we have also had chance to also review them we can help you if you need some help in deciding depending on the volume of messages you have.
5. Deciding the design format for your frame
You will need to decide where you want your artwork to be created with Typed messages or Scanned messages. Ask us for a link to a gallery of further images of each option.
Typed
Scanned
Typed Messages: this format offers more flexibility than the scanned option (for example we can correct spelling mistakes) and we can also fit more typed messages on your chosen size frame than we can scanned messages. The typed format is slightly cheaper than the scanned format due to the additional editing required for each message with the latter option. The typed option may also be preferable where the guest’s handwriting is very difficult to read.
Scanned Messages: Some of our customer prefer the personal touch of having the messages in their guest’s own handwriting on their framed artwork.
The majority of our frames are produced on a white background however we have recently introduced our coloured background (black is very popular). However please note this is only available with the Typed Message format.
6. Deciding on the size of your frame
In a lot of cases the number of messages you wanted featured within your frame, may dictate which size you opt for.
A general guide, we recommend the following:
Typed Format
40cm x 40cm: up to X messages, x words
40cm x 50cm: up to X messages, x words
30cm x 75cm: up to X messages, x words
50cm x 50cm: up to X messages, x words
50cm x 70cm: up to X messages, x words
40cm x 40cm
40cm x 50cm
30cm x 75cm
Scanned Format
40cm x 40cm: up to X messages, x words
40cm x 50cm: up to X messages, x words
30cm x 75cm: up to X messages, x words
50cm x 50cm: up to X messages, x words
50cm x 70cm: up to X messages, x words
50cm x 50cm
50cm x 70cm
As well as deciding on the size of your frame you will also need to choose whether you want the frame in either landscape or portrait if opting for a non-square size
7. Deciding the colour of your frame
You will need to decide on the colour of your frame from the choice of Black, White or Oak. Please note that the 30cm x 75cm frame is only available in Black & Oak
Black
White
Oak
8. Choosing your mount combination
All our frames come with a double-mount to give a luxury finish and look. You have a choice from the following three options:
Double White
White Outer/Black Inner
Black Outer/White Inner
9. Choosing your central image
The majority of our customers let us have their favourite wedding photograph to use in the centre of the frame which we would suggest is in the same format as your chosen frame size i.e. square for square or landscape photograph for landscape frame etc. If you have a colour photograph and would like to see how your soft copy proof looks like in both colour and B+W then please let us know. Alternatively some customers use one of our venue sketches from our sister company The Illustrated Invitation (subject to having these already in our portfolio).
Colour Photograph
B+W Photograph
Venue Sketch
10. Receiving & approving your proofs
We will first supply a soft copy PDF proof of your frame artwork. This may include different options for the central photograph (as long as same size). We will then send through a B+W copy proof in the post. While this will not be the same quality as the final artwork, it will be in the same size as the final version will be. A hard copy proof will allow you to carefully check each message more easily than on screen with the PDF proof. We can make any final amendments you require (again sending through as PDF) before you approve the artwork so we can print in high quality and have framed and delivered and loved!