Sign Here. Initial There. Date Here. Retina Scan There. Thumbprint Optional.

A tree arrived at the house the other day, packaged in a long brown tube.

It's the happy couple's guest book.

When I asked the bride, "what kind of guest book would you like to have?" I thought she might say, ""oh, you know, one with nice binding and a pretty silver pen."

Nope. "I want a tree!"

What the bride meant was yes, she did want a tree, but a tree printed on a large sheet of paper with lots and lots of leaves for the happy couple's guests to sign. So we went to our laptops and the search began...

And I was surprised to find so many different options, not only trees but lots of other unusual items people are now selling as "guest book alternatives"...

You can buy clothes pins stamped with the happy couple's name and then your guests hang their well wishes on a small clothes line set up near the bridal party table. In addition to leaving well wishes, your guests can also get same day service on 5 pieces of dry cleaning if it's left before the hor douves are served.

Another idea is pebble notes or wishing stones. Each guest receives a small smooth stone in which they write their fondest wish for the happy couple. These also come in handy if there's a line for wedding cake. Just a couple of well placed throws across the room and you've got the distraction you need to cut in line.

There are signing platters, signing dishes, signing cards, signing hearts, and finally signing puzzles. Each guest signs a puzzle piece and then on the honeymoon the happy couple puts the puzzle together to see who came to the wedding...yep...on the honeymoon...

Our happy couple decided to go with the tree but then they also wanted a traditional option and so a guestbook with nice binding and a pretty silver pen was also purchased. And then a 16 x 20 mat with one of their engagement pictures mounted in it was also needed for guests to sign well wishes.

It's going take people an hour to get from the foyer to their seats...