Most people like them, even the shy ones and it gives guests a break, something to interact with and even rest their dancing feet!

Photos provide a wonderful keepsake of a special day, but what’s lovely about photo booths are they often capture candid type shots as guests can be creative and really show their personalities.

THEMES & PROPS

Themes are great for photo booths and help people relax and enjoy the experience. 

Some suggestions are:

• Masquerade - make your own masks, ask guests to bring some or buy some
• Dress ups  - collect from op shops or $2 shops
• Glasses - pimp up some old glasses
• Bohemian - make flowered headdresses
• Colour - Collect a range of items in your theme colours 
• Rustic - apple boxes, vintage items and materials

Or have a look at Trade Me for packs of props or pre-loved ones going cheap. Etsy has lots of photobooth printable props can use to make your own. 

HOW TO GET STARTED:

BACKDROP

First of all, you need to create a photo booth and a backdrop is a great place to start. Here are some ideas:

• An old sheet, curtain or fabric or look in Spotlight or Look Sharp
• Old wood doors can look fabulous and are often cheap on Trade Me
• Create a backdrop using fake flowers or make paper flowers
• Fairy Light curtain
• Chalkboard wall paint a big sheet of plywood with chalk paint
• Barnwood wall made from old pallets 
• Ribbon curtain strands of ribbon suspended from a pole

Pinterest has lots of ideas but to help we have created a Pinterest board for DIY Photobooth Ideas to help. 

LIGHTING & LOCATION

You’ll need good lighting and space where you’re not in anyone's way but easily accessible to guests. If your set up is outside, make use of natural light. If you inside check the lighting as you may need some lights if the venue is dark.

FRAME

Some people create giant Polaroid frames for guests to hold. These are fun and easy to make with some foam core from Warehouse Stationery. Or you could buy a big photo frame from an op shop and just use the frame part. These look fab hung from a tree if your wedding is outside. Just Google: DIY giant polaroid frames and there’s a tonne of information. 

HELP

You don’t need to do this alone, grab a couple of reliable friends and have fun getting creative. It can be as simple or as complex as you decide you want it to be. Give yourself lots of time to prepare and set up. If you can visit the venue way ahead of time, you can make sure you find the perfect set up spot.

HERE ARE OUR FIVE TOP TIPS 

1. It’s okay for guests to say no I don’t want my photo taken. The last thing you want to do is put pressure on your guests, if a little gentle persuasion isn’t working then it’s fair to say your guest isn’t comfortable. Best to back off they might join in the fun at their own pace.

2. Give yourself more set up time than you think you need to set up your photo booth. Do a practice set up at home and take a photo so you can replicate it on the day easily. 

3. Ideally, you will want someone to be responsible for the booth, and unless you’re paying them, they’ll be a guest. So you’ll want them to have fun themselves. Setting a start and stop time for the booth will ensure they get to enjoy your wedding too. Get your MC to tell guests about the photo booth and again a reminder before you close it.

4. Have plenty of film on hand for your camera and spare batteries. Film is expensive so another good reason why having someone looking after your photo booth. This will avoid kids going wild with the film and also a friend can monitor film use. Decide upfront if you want guests to take a photo home or if all the photos are for you to keep for your guestbook. Remember don't buy your film too early as it expires. Look out for deals online and check Trade Me for people selling surplus film after their events just check the expiry dates. Instax now offer Event Hire Kits a great way of hiring all your cameras and film at the same time.

5. If you’ve got young children attending your event, giving them some props to hold in the photo booth will help to keep them still and focussed while you need them to be!

OCCASIONS TO USE A PHOTO BOOTH

If you’re wondering when you’d use a photo booth, here are some ideas:

• Hens Party
• Weddings
• Birthday Party
• Baby Shower
• Barmitzvah or Batmitzvah
• Christmas Party

A BOOK FOR YOUR PHOTOS

Whether you have Instax prints or photo booth strips you will want to make sure you have somewhere for guests to put the photos. If you want the photos to go straight in a book have a table set up where this can be displayed with instructions for guests. We also have a collection of photo guestbooks

We’d love to know if you’ve set up your own DIY Photo Booth. Don’t be shy, contact us and let us know!

This handcrafted artwork is a keepsake designed to record the people who make your world special. The perfect gift for family, friends, or someone you think deserves a little kindness.

How to Enter

Like the giveaway post

Follow @myguestbooknz

Tag a friend and tell us why they deserve this meaningful gift

Prize Details

One lucky winner will receive a Pōhutukawa Family Tree Fingerprint Print. This special artwork celebrates the connections that matter most — a timeless reminder of the people you hold close.

Includes:
1 x A4 Family Tree Print (unframed)
3 x ink pads in colours of your choice
A fine art pen
NZ Shipping to winners address

Dates

Entries close Sunday 7 September 2025 at midnight

Winner announced Monday 8 September 2025

Giveaway Terms & Conditions

Full giveaway terms and conditions

If you’re looking for guestbook ideas for your wedding you are in the right place.

See our full range of Wedding Guestbooks and find the one that will capture your memories in style.

A guestbook is more than a notebook, it’s a keepsake that captures the voices, love, and support of your guests. If you’re wondering “Do I really need a wedding guestbook?” the answer is a resounding yes. Here are 10 reasons why a wedding guestbook is a must-have for your big day:

1. A Personal Time Capsule

Your guestbook becomes a snapshot of one of the most important days of your life. Years from now, you’ll be able to flip through its pages and relive the love, laughter, and joy of your wedding day.

2. Messages You’ll Treasure Forever

Unlike a quick hug or congratulations at the reception, a guestbook gives friends and family space to share heartfelt messages, advice, and memories in their own words.

3. A Keepsake Beyond Photos

Wedding photos capture moments, but a guestbook captures voices. Having both means you can revisit not only what your day looked like, but also what it felt like in words.

4. A Way to Include Everyone

Not all guests are comfortable making speeches or standing in the spotlight. A guestbook gives every guest - from grandparents to little cousins - a chance to leave their mark.

5. Space for Creativity

From doodles and inside jokes to poetry and words of wisdom, guestbooks invite personality and creativity, making each entry unique.

6. A Heirloom to Pass Down

Your guestbook becomes part of your family history. Imagine your children or grandchildren reading the loving notes written on your wedding day.

7. A Record of Everyone Who Was There

With the whirlwind of the day, it’s easy to forget who you spoke to and when. Your guestbook becomes a permanent record of everyone who came to celebrate with you.

8. A Touch of Personal Style

Guestbooks can be customised to match your wedding theme, whether elegant, rustic, modern, or playful. They add to your décor while serving a practical purpose.

9. A Beautiful Display Piece

Long after the wedding, your guestbook doesn’t need to be tucked away. Display it on your coffee table, bookshelf, or in a special keepsake box to enjoy any time.

10. A Tradition with Modern Twists

From traditional bound books to fingerprint trees, photo guestbooks, or interactive prompts, today’s guestbooks come in styles that fit every couple. Whatever form you choose, it’s a tradition worth keeping.

Final Thoughts

A wedding guestbook is more than just paper and ink—it’s a living memory of your wedding day. When the flowers have faded and the cake is gone, your guestbook will remain as a tangible reminder of the love and support that surrounded you as you started your marriage.

✨ Tip: Choose a guestbook style that reflects your personality as a couple, whether that’s a classic bound book, a playful fingerprint tree, or a photo guestbook where guests can add Instax photos alongside their messages.

Too impatient to wait until after an event to flip through a guestbook and see everyone’s photos and messages?

Well, we’ve got just the thing for you.

Introducing our Instant Instax Photo Guestbooks — not just guestbooks, but photo albums too! Perfect for birthdays, anniversaries, baby showers, graduations, and any occasion worth celebrating.

📸 Instant memories, captured on the spot
Got an 18th or 21st coming up? Or maybe you’ve cruised past those magic milestones and are embracing another fabulous decade?

No matter the age or occasion, all you need is:

Your Instax camera

A few packs of Instax Mini film

One of our handcrafted photo guestbooks

As the photos pop out, guests simply pop them into the pages and write a personal message alongside. It's that easy — and so much fun.

✨ Designed with love (and hands!) in New Zealand
Each guestbook is handcrafted by a local NZ artisan bookbinder. We love supporting small makers who turn paper and cloth into something truly special.

The covers are a classic bookcloth, bound with gold screws — timeless, elegant, and designed to suit any event style.

No fiddly glue or sticky dots needed — each page has pre-cut slits to tuck your photos in securely, just like old-school albums.

🎉 Perfect for:
Children’s Birthday Parties – Sweet little faces and squiggly handwriting? Adorable.

Hen Parties – Trust us, you’ll want to remember the night. (Or be surprised by it the next morning!)

Weddings, Anniversaries, Baby Showers, Office Farewells, Graduations – Any milestone worth making memories for.

🕒 Why wait?
You don’t have to send your guestbook away or wait weeks to receive a printed album. With an Instax photo guestbook, the memories are created in the moment — and the keepsake is yours to enjoy as soon as the event ends.

🎁 A meaningful gift or treat for yourself
Our guestbooks are designed to hold Instax Mini photos and make a beautiful, playful, and thoughtful gift — or a lovely addition to your own celebration.

A keepsake in an instant.

📦 Ready to make memories?
Shop Instax Photo Guestbooks

Here are a few thoughtful tips to help you leave a message that truly offers comfort:

1. Sign it, even if you’re unsure what to write.

We understand the temptation to skip it, especially if everything that comes to mind feels cliché. But even the simplest message can bring comfort. Just showing up and writing something heartfelt about how beautiful the service was, or that you are honoured to attend matters more than getting the words “just right.”

2. Mention your relationship with the person who passed.

For example: "Jack and I went to school together in the 80s, we worked together, played rugby, and laughed a lot. My favourite memory is when he..." A short story or memory is often cherished by family members, especially if it reveals something they didn’t know.

3. Share a quote that reminds you of them.

Including a quote and a short note about why you chose it would be a lovely tribute. It might be a lyric, a poem, or something they used to say. Or maybe a joke they used to tell you that always made you smile.

What not to write in a guestbook, avoid these:

• Anything that makes light of the situation. Grief is deeply personal.
• “I know how you feel.” Even if you've experienced loss, everyone's grief is different.
• “They’re in a better place now.” While meant kindly, this phrase may not comfort everyone.
• “It’s time to move on.” Grieving doesn’t follow a timeline, and this may feel dismissive.
• "They are with God now." You may want to avoid religion if you dont know that everyone in the family is religious.

The most important thing? Write from the heart.

Even if it feels clumsy, sincerity matters more than eloquence. Your words are a gesture of love and support and that’s exactly what the guestbook is for.

Looking for a beautiful way to honour someone’s memory? Browse our funeral guestbook collection.

Your wedding day is filled with unforgettable moments - and your guestbook should be one of them. It’s more than just a place for signatures; it’s a keepsake of love, laughter, and heartfelt messages from the people who matter most.

Here are our top tips to help you choose a guestbook that’s as unique as your celebration:

✨ 1. Match Your Style
Think about your wedding theme. Is it rustic, elegant, boho, or beachy? Your guestbook should complement your vibe. From fingerprint trees to photo books, there’s a style for every couple.

📸 2. Consider a Photo Guestbook
Instax photo guestbooks are a hit! Guests snap a photo, tuck it into the pages, and leave a message beside it. No glue, no fuss-just instant memories.

🖋️ 3. Choosing the Right Format
Do you want a traditional bound book, loose-leaf pages, or something interactive like a fingerprint tree or droptop guestbook? Think about how you’ll store and revisit it over the years.

📝 4. Make It Easy to Sign
Place your guestbook in a well-lit, accessible spot. Provide quality pens (trust us-good pens matter!) and a little sign encouraging guests to leave a note.

💡 5. Add a Personal Touch
Customise your guestbook with your names, wedding date, or a meaningful quote. It’s the little details that make it truly yours.

🎁 Bonus Tip: Think Beyond the Wedding
Guestbooks aren’t just for weddings. They’re perfect for anniversaries, baby showers, retirements, and milestone birthdays. A beautiful way to capture life’s big moments.

A Micro wedding guestbook should be fun and unqiue so think Instax camera paired with one of our Instax Photo Guestbooks so guests can take some photos and pop them in your album. Or if you want something for the wall, a small fingerprint tree would be a fun activity for guests to get involved in. 

Traditional style books can be really versatile. As you don't have lots of guests you could ask each guest to write a letter to you in the book for you to read on your Wedding Anniversary.

When you decide on the venue, set your guestbook up on the bar or nearby furniture dressed up in style with some flowers or maybe some framed candid photos of you and your other half and you are good to go.

At My Guestbook all our books are made to order and are entirely customisable making the day truly YOURS! What are the options, you ask? Gold foil, monogramming and laser engraved details are all do-able if you have time. Don’t worry though if time is not on your side we have some options for rush orders when you just need something yesterday!

Scroll through our wedding guestbook collections to get all your micro wedding inspiration, or send us an email.

Established in 2019, New Zealand Made Day is a special occasion that falls on 21st November every year. It is a day dedicated to celebrating all things made in New Zealand. From locally sourced products to homegrown services, this day shines a spotlight on the incredible talent and creativity that exists within Aotearoa New Zealand.

What is New Zealand Made Day?

New Zealand Made Day is a day of national pride, where businesses and individuals come together to showcase their NZ Made products and services. It is a day to honor the craftsmanship, innovation, and hard work that goes into creating goods and services right here in New Zealand.

How can businesses get involved?

Businesses across the country actively participate in New Zealand Made Day by sharing their unique NZ Made stories. They highlight the quality, sustainability, and authenticity of their products, as well as the people behind making them. It's a great opportunity for businesses to connect with their customers on a deeper level and showcase what makes their products truly special.

Why is it important to support NZ Made?

Supporting NZ Made products and services is not just about buying local—it's about investing in the future of our country. By choosing to support New Zealand Made, you are contributing to the growth of local businesses, creating job opportunities, and promoting sustainability. It's a way to show your appreciation for the unique culture and creativity that defines New Zealand.

How can individuals participate?

On New Zealand Made Day, individuals can show their support by purchasing NZ Made products, sharing their favorite local businesses on social media, or simply taking the time to learn more about the stories behind the products they love. It's a day to celebrate and champion the incredible diversity of products and services that are proudly made in New Zealand.

So mark your calendars for 21st November and join in the celebration of New Zealand Made Day. Whether you're a business owner, a consumer, or simply a proud Kiwi, this is a day to come together and showcase the best of what New Zealand has to offer. Let's celebrate our local talent, creativity, and innovation on this special day!

This beauty we created for a bach in Ahitarakihi Bay, Marlborough. We love hearing the stories behind the books and this one we had to share.

'The Goose' was built by our client 15 years ago and a friend gifted a Visitors Book as a bach warming gift way back at the beginning. With the pages of that book now filled a new book was needed and lucky for us our client asked us to create a new book for their slice of paradise.

So how did this bach get its name? The bach looks out on an island that looks like a goose, so the name of the bach has always been ‘The Goose’. As you can see the view is simply stunning and if you look closely you can see the island in the distance resembles a goose - maybe asleep?!!

The bach name ‘ The Goose’ was chosen by the families children when they were little which makes this special place even more magical. This book will become an heirloom for future generations as the pages are filled with notes of times spent together making memories. 

If you are looking for a guestbook for your own bach or maybe as a gift for a friend we would love to help. Why not have a look at our collection of visitors books

What if I am not a good writer? I can never think of what to write!

If you are asked to contribute to a Memory Book via email or you are invited to attend an event where you know there will be a memory book, don't worry!  Be prepared grab some paper and jot down some notes to help:

• memory of your times spent together
• what you will miss about them
• what you loved about your loved one (personality or traits)
• funny things they did or said (it's okay to be funny, it evokes memories)
• how they made you feel when you spent time with them

Don't over think it, write the way you speak and your message of sympathy will turn out beautifully.

If you are staring at the blank paper and the thought of writing has you stumped just say the story or words in your head then write those words down. Imagine you telling someone the story and write it as you tell it, it will be more real and will truly be a heartfelt message appreciated by all who read it.

When I had to write the eulogy for my own Mums memorial service I knew I would struggle to hold it together so I recorded myself speaking on my phone voice memo app and then played it back. I then wrote down my words as I listenned which for me helped get the words on paper.

Good luck and whatever you write will be part of a meaningful gift that will be cherished by your loved ones family for years to come. 

What is a milestone birthday?
This is usually a birthday ending in zero, 30th, 40th, 50th and 60th with the exception of 16, 18 and, 21. Milestone birthdays are more than just a number they represent significant milestones in our lives and give us an opportunity to look back on our journeys and to take some time for reflection and get excited about the future.

Why Celebrate a milestone birthday?
They represent an end of an era and a new beginning or chapter of a person's life creating a cause for celebration. 

Ideas for an 30th birthday book
If you’d like to incorporate a guest book for a 30th birthday celebration here’s some ideas on what you can do with it:

• If old school friends are attending, ask them to bring old photos than can be stuck into the book. 
• Either ask guests to source their favourite quotes or have some printed off. A handwritten quote is a great addition to a guestbook.   
• Ask guests who are unable to attend to email through some stories and add them in the book. These are guaranteed to bring tears of joy. 

Ideas for a 30th birthday Fingerprint Guestbook
Our fingerprint guestbooks are great for a fun guest activity and a fantastic way to capture the names of the guests who shared the occasion with you. The prints can be framed afterwards making them fabulous keepsakes as well as personal wall art. From trees to tractors we have lots of designs to choose from to suit the person or occasion.

Random fact .....
Where does the concept of milestone birthday come from?
We can thank the Romans for a lot of things; roads are just one of their amazing inventions. During the time roads were becoming a thing, the Romans wanted to let travelers know how much distance they’d travelled (from one point to another). So, they put up stone obelisks every mile and called them …. milestones! The concept of reaching a milestone was created and then used in everyday language such as birthday milestones.

Quotes
Stuck for birthday wishes?
Quotes are great for birthday cards - why reinvent the wheel? Especially when someone’s already done an outstanding job in the first place!

Here are some of our favourite quotes that can be used as part of a birthday message:

DR. SEUSS
Happy Birthday
I am what I am, that's a great thing to be!
If I say so myself,
Happy Birthday to me!

UNKNOWN
When you were born,
the sun,
the moon
and all the stars in heaven sang.

DR. SEUSS
Why fit in
when you were born
to stand out?

BILLIE BURKE
Age is of no importance,
unless you are a cheese.

DR. SEUSS
“Today you are You,
that is truer than true.
There is no one alive who is Youer than You.

30th Balloons Photo by Marina Barcelos @unsplash

Have you ever flipped through a guestbook and paused to admire the beautiful handwriting?

The pen used to sign those pages played a significant role in creating a lasting impression. Guestbook pens, often overlooked, can add a touch of timeless elegance to any special event.

Why Choose a Special Pen?

• Memorable Keepsake: A unique pen can become a cherished souvenir for the couple or host, symbolising the event and the people who attended.
• They Add  A Touch Of Luxury: A quality pen can elevate your guestbook table, guests will feel the quality when they use it.
• Perfect Wedding Gift: A gorgeous pen would make the perfect gift for the hard to buy for couple. They could use it for their guestbook or sigining the register, and enjoy long after the wedding making it even more meaningful as it will remind them of their special day.

Tips for Choosing the Perfect Guestbook Pen

• Consider the Event's Theme: Match the pen's style to the overall theme of the wedding, party, or other celebration.
• Think About the Guest Experience: Choose a pen that is comfortable to hold and easy to write with. Everyone loves a nice pen!
• Choose a pen with a fine tip: This ensures that guest messages are easy to read. If you use a heavy tipped pen guest messages can become illegible.

Whether you're planning a wedding, a baby shower, or a corporate event, a thoughtfully chosen guestbook pen can add a special touch to your event. 

Do you have any favorite types of guestbook pens or tips for choosing the perfect one? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

We met Jasmine, The Founder of I Do Diary back in 2022 when our stands were next to each other at the Bride and Groom Show. It's exciting to have kept in touch along the way to now bring you this collab giveaway.

You could be the winner of this stunning, bespoke Guestbook - handcrafted by us and this luxurious velvet ring box from I Do Diary.

All you need to do is head over to the I Do Diary Instagram page follow the simple steps below:

💍 First, like the post and share to your story.

💍 Next, Tag a bride or groom-to-be, or if you’re tying the knot, tag your besties to enter your own name in the draw! Each tag = one entry, so get tagging!

💍 Follow both @myguestbook and @idodiary
(Be sure to do both, we will be checking)

The winner will be announced on Sunday 25th of February at 7pm

This prize is the perfect keepsake from your Wedding Day.

Good luck!

Looking for a retirement gift? Creating a retirement memory book is a wonderful way to celebrate someone's career and life achievements. Here are some unique ideas to make the retirement memory book special and memorable:

1. Timeline of Achievements: Use the pages to create a visual timeline showcasing the retiree's major milestones, accomplishments, and memorable moments throughout their career through the years. Maybe a page for each year of their career with your organisation.

2. Colleague Messages: Reach out to colleagues, coworkers, and friends to collect messages, well wishes, and funny anecdotes about their time working together. 

3. Letters from Loved Ones: Invite family members, including children, grandchildren, and close friends, to write short letters expressing their love, admiration, and gratitude for the retiree. These letters can be included in the memory book as treasured keepsakes. Allocate one page per letter which will help with working out the page count needed for your book.

4. Bucket List Suggestions: Ask people to suggest activities, destinations, or experiences the retiree should consider adding to their retirement bucket list. Encourage contributors to be creative and provide detailed descriptions or personal anecdotes about each suggestion. This is a great idea for a retiree planning to travel when they retire.

5. Collection of Accomplishments: Compile photos, awards, and newspaper clippings showcasing the retiree's professional achievements and significant milestones throughout their career. Arrange them in a visually in the book with space for messages in between.

6. Recipe Collection: If the retiree is known for their culinary skills, ask friends and family to share their favorite recipes. Create a section dedicated to these recipes along with personal notes and stories about the retiree's cooking adventures. This idea would be great for a teacher who has enjoyed staff room shared morning teas over the years.

Adding personal touches will make it a cherished keepsake for years to come. You could have the cover personalised with a bespoke foil debossed design or opt for one of our studio designs such as our 'We Will Miss You!" memory books. 

We have some exciting news to share with you. We are thrilled to announce that we will be exhibiting at the Auckland Baby Show in March! 

This year marks the Baby Show’s 30th birthday and it's back at it’s home - the Auckland Showgrounds. 

This is a great opportunity for all you parents and parents-to-be to come and check out some of the latest and greatest baby products and services available in New Zealand. 

Plus, we have some great guestbook offers exclusive to Baby Show attendees.

So, come along and join us at the Auckland Baby Show on stand M1.

It's the first time we have exhibited at the Baby Show so we are excited to see how it goes. 

We can't wait to meet you there!

Imagine leafing through the pages of your visitors' book after you have collected years and years of entries from all the people who’ve stayed. 

Visitors Books in hotels started out in the nineteenth century as a place where guests on their travels could leave their mark to show that they had been there, making their identity known and highlighting their status. 

In more recent years books tended to be very formal with narrow lines where your name, address, phone number and email address where requested. Covers were often synthetic and cheaply bound unless you were in a luxury hotel where the guestbook might be hand-bound and leather with a price tag to match.  

Fast forward a few years and I don’t know about you but I’m not that keen to share personal contact details with all and sundry who stay after me so I would tend to leave my name, city and a review of the place or tips on our favourite local place to visit. The narrow lines are never user friendly so the pages often end up a mess of messages all over the place as guests aren’t sure where to write. 

We decided our visitors books were going to be more user friendly, have gorgeous paper inside and have the option to be personalised on the cover. 

Our pages allow guests a bit more freedom to be creative. More room to write how much they loved their stay or write a poem or sketch in that’s what they want to do. We love plain pages but we can print custom pages with some lines if you prefer. Whatever style you choose the paper will be tactile and gorgeous  to impress your guests. 

Who doesn’t love to read a visitors book to see what people have written over the years and see where people have travelled from. As you turn the pages all is revealed, from Auckland to Alaska and everywhere in between maybe!

We loved making this visitors book for Kokotuku Sanctuary in the Bay of Islands. This amazing four bedroom farmhouse has stunning views from the top boundary over the Te Puna Inlet. 

The A4 visitors book was hand-bound with black book cloth and gold Chicgao screws. We laser engraved the cover to make it bespoke. 

If you love coastal holidays, fishing trips with the boys or girls with their horses, this stunning lifestyle block in Kerikeri is like no other. See for yourself as it’s available to book on Airbnb and Holiday Houses 

It's definitely on my list to visit! See why through the links below:

Airbnb

Holiday Houses Listing 

I started My Canvas, way back in 2007 making canvas prints. The business grew from our kitchen table, to the spare room, then to our garage and finally my very own studio in the forest (I still pinch myself every day that I have this space). It's been quite a ride over the years but I've loved every minute of it.

The plan was never to go into mass production or have a big team so I focussed on quality and personal service. I have always used archival canvas and fine art papers that would stand the test of time and frames handmade in New Zealand. 

My Guestbook came along in 2014. 

The two brands have always had their own identity for many years but behind the scenes it’s just one studio and one person - me! I wear all the hats, with Steven and Daniel rolling up their sleeves when life gets busy and I need more hands. 

So earlier this year I decided that updating two websites, two Facebook pages and two Instagram accounts was bonkers, so I’ve combined them into one! 

This means my hands are free to make more things and you get to browse all my guestbooks and fine art photo prints in one place. 

It has been a labour of love, lots of late nights and lots of expert help from the amazingly talented Louisa from Redhead Digital.

So stay tuned for the launch of the new website that will bring together My Guestbook and My Canvas ‘all under one roof’. 

We think you’ll love our two sisters companies coming of age! 

When it comes to holiday accommodation, it's the personal touches that create memorable stays. A thoughtful host will want to create a space with guest experience in mind, from the decor and styling, to what's in the kitchen cupboards, it's the little things that leave big impressions. 

One of my favorite holiday home guest book ideas is a simple book where guests can share positive reviews and stories from their stay. A handmade book with gorgeous tactile paper for the pages and ample room for writing, your guests will feel the quality and love writing about their experience. 

Travelling around NZ with my family, staying in a variety of places such as Airbnb, Hotels, Motels and Bach’s, I was often shocked at the lack of quality guestbooks. I found some had guestbooks available but they often didn’t really reflect how lovely our accommodation was or inspire me to want to write in them. Lots of off the shelf corporate looking books that didn't really match the beachy decor or a book with pages falling out of it hidden away in a drawer. Another pet hate, I know I'm biased, but heavily lined pages with lots of columns for all my personal details (no thanks) but no white space for me to write how much I loved staying. Give guests room for creative flair to write lots of rave comments.

I love reading other guest comments and love giving feedback, especially when it’s deserved. After a great stay give your guests a book that they will want to read and want to write in. Put it in a place where they can see it, read it and write in it.

Not all special Valentine’s Day gifts need to be over the top or come with flowers and expensive gifts. Sometimes the simple ones from the heart are the best. 

Expressing your love in words with our free printable download could be just what you are looking for. 

Print this on an A4 printer at home and pop it in a frame. It will last longer than flowers and chocolates and will be a romantic gesture that will last all year. 

Download and print our free Valentine’s Day quote. It is in a print-ready format PDF waiting for you HERE to make a lovely gift you can display all year round!

Let the happy couple know how much they mean to you. A heartfelt and personal message will make the book even more memorable. Stick to something simple or get creative with one of your favourite memories. The newlyweds are sure to share and reread your message time and time again over the years so make your wedding guest book message unique, personal and sincere!

Another tip would be go prepared with a quote. Quotes are always life savers and appropriate for almost every occasion. Have your favourite quote (or google one) and use that. You need only add something like: this quote makes me think of you two, best wishes……

Above all else, have fun with it!

Photo by Álvaro Serrano on Unsplash

What an extraordinary backdrop for a photoshoot. But it’s more than that, it’s what it represents. The tree has not only survived extreme weather conditions but it continues to flourish and grow - against all the odds.

So, what has the Wanaka tree got to do with My Guestbook?

Well, it just so happens that we have a Wanaka Tree Fingerprint Tree. With so many clients telling us they were getting married in Wanaka we decided to add that very famous little tree to our ever growing collection of fingerprint tree guestbooks.

Our Wanaka Tree Fingerprint Guestbook is the perfect gift for any kind of celebration with a connection to Wanaka. It doesn’t matter where you are in the world, we can send it to you flat packed and before you know it, you will have a little taste of a very special New Zealand icon at your event or celebration.

Wanaka Tree landscape Photo by Ken Cheung from Pexels

If you’re a subscriber, you’ll no doubt have read it cover to cover already. Perhaps you’re new to the Bride & Groom Magazine, check it out as there are always free gift with subscription offers. The free gift in this issue might just be a gorgeous gift set from Karen Murrell

This issue is packed full of wedding season inspiration, loads of real weddings (which we love), hints, tips and advice. Swoon over the amazing photographs, stunning dresses and more!

Our feature is on page 12 right up near the front, woohoo. There is a photo of one of our Fingerprint Tree Guestbooks in my favourite frame. we have ripped the edge of the paper on this guestbook to create a deckled edge. The print is then raised and floated in the frame. This style of framing is a custom order so give us a call if you want to know more.

Ok, I’m off to have another read!

Tracey x