The short answer: a guest book is a record of who came to a wedding, party or trip, in their own handwriting. This free printable has pages for weddings, parties, vacation rentals and memorials, plus a table sign.
- Wedding page has an address column for your thank-you list
- How many pages: 5 for 50 households, 9 for 100
- Print on cardstock, add a cover and bind it
- Set out good pens where everyone passes
- Next step: Get the free printable guest book (we email it to you); want more? The Wedding Planner Checklist is $5.99.
Our picks for guest book
Printables
Wedding Planner Checklist
A 12-month checklist plus budget, vendors, guest list, seating, day-of timeline and packing lists.
Save 31%Bundles
Wedding Planning Bundle
The Wedding Budget Spreadsheet and the 13-page Wedding Planner Checklist together - for less than buying them separately.
Spreadsheets
Wedding Budget Spreadsheet
Enter each payment once - the sheet shows what you've paid, what you still owe, and what's left of your budget.
Printables
Household Binder
Family info, emergency plan, calendars, meals, groceries, cleaning, bills and sitter notes.
A guest book is one of the simplest keepsakes from a wedding, party or trip: a record of who came, in their own handwriting. This free printable guest book has pages for weddings, parties and events, vacation rentals and memorials, plus a sign for the table. The wedding page has an address column, so your guest book also becomes your thank-you note list.
What's in the free download
The PDF has five pages:
- Wedding guest book. Columns for names, a message for the couple and a mailing address.
- Party and event guest book. For birthdays, showers, anniversaries, graduations and open houses, with an optional phone or email column.
- Vacation rental guest book. Dates of stay, names and hometown, and a favorite spot, meal or tip.
- Memorial guest register. Name, how the guest knew the person, and an address for thank-you notes.
- Guest book sign. "Please sign our guest book," with a space for names and the date.
Print as many copies of each page as you need. It fits US Letter, and A4 with "fit to page."
How to make a guest book from printable pages
- Count your guests. Plan one line per couple or family. The wedding page has 12 lines, so 100 households need about 9 pages.
- Print on cardstock so pages survive a day of pens and table bumps.
- Add a cover with your names, the event and the date.
- Bind it. Use a three-ring binder, a ribbon through punched holes, or a copy shop's spiral binding.
- Set out good pens. Fine-tip, quick-drying black or dark blue pens work best.
- Frame the sign and set it beside the book.
How many guest book pages to print
Plan by household, not by person, since couples and families usually sign together. Using the 12-line wedding page:
| Households invited | Pages to print |
|---|---|
| 25 | 3 |
| 50 | 5 |
| 100 | 9 |
| 150 | 13 |
| 200 | 17 |
Add one or two spare pages. If you have two entrances or a big crowd, split the pages across two tables so the line moves faster, then bind them together afterward.
Prompts that get better messages
Blank lines can stump guests. A short prompt at the top of each page helps. Write one in by hand or on the sign:
- "Share a favorite memory with us."
- "Leave your best advice for the couple."
- "Where should we go on our first anniversary?"
- "Tell us how you know us."
- "What's your wish for us this year?"
At a vacation rental, try "What should the next guests not miss?" At a memorial, "Share a memory you'd like the family to keep."
The wedding guest book
A wedding guest book does two jobs. It's a keepsake, and if you ask for addresses, it's a ready-made list for thank-you notes. Emily Post's advice on wedding guests and gifts says couples should thank their guests with prompt and thoughtful notes. With addresses already in the guest book, that job gets much faster.
Wedding guest book tips:
- Put it where everyone passes, near the entrance to the ceremony or reception.
- Ask a friend to help. A cousin or friend who invites guests to sign during cocktail hour makes a big difference.
- Use a sign. Emily Post's guide to printed items for your wedding includes instructions for the guest book among the small signs and messages that guide guests through the day.
- Bring it to the reception if it starts at the ceremony, so late arrivals can sign.
- Assign someone to take it home at the end of the night with the cards and gifts.
What to write in a wedding guest book
If you're a guest staring at a blank line, keep it short and warm:
- "Wishing you a lifetime of love and laughter."
- "So happy to celebrate with you today. Cheers to the two of you!"
- "Thank you for letting us be part of your day."
- "May your home always be full of friends and good food."
- "Our best advice: never stop dating each other."
Sign with your full name, and the names of everyone in your party, so the couple knows exactly who wrote it.
Wedding guest book alternatives
A bound book isn't the only option. Some popular swaps:
| Idea | How it works |
|---|---|
| Printable pages | Guests sign the pages here; you bind them into a book afterward |
| Signed photo mat | Guests sign the mat around an engagement photo for framing |
| Drop box | Guests write on wooden hearts or cards and drop them in a box |
| Puzzle | Each guest signs one piece; assemble it later |
| Globe or map | Guests sign near where they live |
| Polaroid book | Guests snap a photo and write beside it |
If you choose a keepsake that has no room for addresses, keep the address page from this download on the same table, or collect addresses with your RSVPs. Our wedding guest list template tracks names, addresses and RSVPs in one place.
The party and event guest book
A guest book isn't just for weddings. The party page works for:
- Milestone birthdays, like a 50th or 80th.
- Baby and bridal showers, where guests can add a wish or advice.
- Anniversary parties, with messages for the couple.
- Graduations and open houses.
- Retirement parties.
The optional phone or email column helps if you want to share photos afterward. Our holiday party planning checklist can help you plan the rest of the party.
The vacation rental guest book
If you rent out a cabin, beach house or spare room, a guest book is a friendly touch. Guests share what they enjoyed, and the next visitors get local tips. The vacation rental page asks for dates of stay, names and hometown, and a favorite spot, meal or tip.
Hosting tips:
- Leave the book in plain sight in the kitchen or living room, with a pen.
- Add a welcome note on the first page with Wi-Fi details and checkout steps.
- Read it between stays. Guests often mention small things that need fixing.
- Keep finished pages in a binder so returning guests can read old entries.
Paper or digital guest book?
A paper guest book is the classic choice: handwriting is personal, and older relatives sign it easily. A digital guest book, such as a shared online form or a QR code linked to a message page, can collect photos and reach guests who couldn't attend. Many hosts do both. Set the printed pages on the table for guests in the room, and share a link with anyone who watched from home. Print the online messages later and add them to the binder so everything lives in one place.
The memorial guest register
At a funeral, memorial or celebration of life, a guest register helps the family know who came and send thank-you notes later. The memorial page asks each guest for a name, how they knew the person and an address. Place it at the entrance with a pen, and ask a family friend to keep an eye on it. Afterward, the pages can go in a keepsake box with cards and the program.
Turn the guest book into your thank-you list
When the event is over, the guest book becomes a to-do list:
- Number each line in the book.
- Match lines to gifts using your gift list or cards.
- Check off each note as you write and mail it.
- Note anyone missing an address and look it up in your RSVPs.
Emily Post's advice to send prompt, thoughtful thank-you notes is easier when the names and addresses are already on one page. Our wedding timeline has a spot for thank-you notes after the big day.
Plan the rest of the wedding
The guest book is one small item on a long list. The Wedding Planner Checklist ($5.99) has a 12-month checklist, budget, vendors, guest list and RSVPs, seating, wedding party, day-of timeline and packing lists. The Wedding Planning Bundle ($8.99) pairs it with the Wedding Budget Spreadsheet, so the numbers and the plan stay together.
For more planning help, see our wedding seating chart template, our wedding binder guide and our wedding favors ideas.
Keep guest books with your family records
Once the party is over, guest books and registers are worth keeping. Store them flat in a keepsake box, or punch the pages and keep them in a binder with cards and programs. The Household Binder ($6.99) has a Birthdays & Important Dates page, so you can note anniversaries and milestones from the events your guest books record. Copy new addresses into a printable address book so they are ready for next year's cards.
Hosting a graduate this spring? A guest book or advice cards fit right in with these graduation party ideas, along with themes, food and a simple party budget.
Wedding Planner Checklist
A 12-month checklist plus budget, vendors, guest list, seating, day-of timeline and packing lists.
$5.99 · Instant download. Print at home or fill it in on screen. Or browse the full Wedding collection.
Frequently asked questions
Is this printable guest book free? Yes, this printable guest book is free. The guest book pages on this page are a free PDF that we email to you. You get a wedding page, a party page, a vacation rental page, a memorial register and a guest book sign.
What is a guest book? A guest book is a book or set of pages where guests write their names and a short message at an event or a place they stayed. It becomes a keepsake of who came, and at a wedding it can double as a list for thank-you notes.
What do you write in a wedding guest book? Write your name, a short wish or memory for the couple, and, if there's a column for it, your mailing address. Keep it to a sentence or two, like "So happy for you both, here's to many adventures," and sign with your full name.
Should a wedding guest book ask for addresses? Yes, if you want an easy thank-you list. Emily Post advises couples to thank guests with prompt and thoughtful notes, and an address column means you won't have to hunt for addresses after the wedding.
Do you need a guest book at a wedding? No, you don't need a guest book at a wedding. A guest book is optional, not a must. Many couples like one as a keepsake, but you can skip it or use a photo frame, cards or a poster instead. Emily Post's list of wedding-day signs includes instructions for the guest book if you do have one.
How many pages should a wedding guest book have? Plan about one line per couple or family, not per person. The wedding page in this download has 12 lines, so 100 invited households need about 9 pages. Print a couple of extra pages in case two guest book tables fill at once.
Where should the guest book go at a wedding? Put the guest book near the entrance to the reception or ceremony, where guests pass on the way in. Add pens, a small sign and, ideally, a friend or family member who reminds guests to sign during cocktail hour.
What can I use instead of a traditional guest book? You can use the free printable pages here instead of a traditional guest book, as a simple swap for a bound book. Other popular choices are a signed photo mat, a puzzle with a piece per guest, a globe, a wooden drop box with hearts, or cards guests fill out and drop in a box.
What do you write in a vacation rental guest book? Write the dates you stayed, who you are and where you're from, and one tip for the next guests: a favorite restaurant, a walk, a beach or something about the house. Hosts like hearing what you enjoyed.
What goes in a memorial guest book? A memorial or funeral guest register usually asks for each guest's name, how they knew the person and an address. The family can then send thank-you notes and know who came to share in the memories.
How do I make a guest book from printable pages? Use the free guest book pages on this page. Print the pages on cardstock, punch them and put them in a binder, or take them to a copy shop for spiral or coil binding. Add a cover sheet with your names and date. The guest book sign can stand in a frame on the table.
Do you sell a wedding planner with a guest list? Yes, HomeBase sells a wedding planner with a guest list: the Wedding Planner Checklist. The Wedding Planner Checklist ($5.99) has a guest list and RSVP tracker along with a 12-month checklist, budget, vendors, seating, wedding party, day-of timeline and packing lists.
Free printable
A guest book for weddings, parties, rentals or memorials
Five pages, including a "Please sign our guest book" sign. You'll also get our weekly HomeBase email with simple holiday planning, budgeting and hosting tips.
Sources
- The Emily Post Institute: Printed items for your wedding emilypost.com
- The Emily Post Institute: Wedding guests and gifts emilypost.com