UPDATE: All new featured RV tours will be posted on my other website, Wanderful RV Interiors. Existing tours will slowly be moved to the new website, and anything already moved will automatically redirect.

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning, if you click through and make a purchase we (or those featured in this post) may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. View our full-disclosure here.

There are so many creative wedding guestbook ideas that it can be difficult to narrow it down. The idea behind our guestbook was that guests would write us notes on the back of romantic, vintage postcards and then place them in our “time capsule box” to be opened on our 1 year anniversary.

DIY Time Capsule Wedding Guestbook. Have your guests write notes on postcards then place in time capsule to be opened later. MountainModernLife.com

DIY Time Capsule Wedding Guestbook

I scoured the web for both real and replication vintage postcards that I liked and then displayed a mixture of them for guests to pick out. Most of the vintage postcards I purchased were sold in “lots” which meant some of them were already written on. I really enjoyed reading the love notes on the back of them which were dated as far back as 1907!

DIY Time Capsule Wedding Guestbook. Have your guests write notes on postcards then place in time capsule to be opened later. MountainModernLife.com

Although we originally planned on making our own box to use, time was running out so we headed over to Hobby Lobby a WEEK before the wedding to grab an unfinished box that I could personalize. I used a coupon for 50% off which meant my box was only $10. Not too shabby.

Here are a couple before photos of the box, sorry they are so bad but they were taken at night on my phone.

DIY Time Capsule Wedding Guestbook. Have your guests write notes on postcards then place in time capsule to be opened later. MountainModernLife.com

DIY Time Capsule Wedding Guestbook. Have your guests write notes on postcards then place in time capsule to be opened later. MountainModernLife.com

The first thing I did was “stain” my box using my favorite method of steel wool/vinegar/tea/coffee grounds {you can read that tutorial here}.

I stained a crate and some favor boxes at the same time I did this wooden box. Now when I stain multiple things at once, or have larger projects I toss them in a large plastic bin or even my bathtub with the “homemade stain” mixture. {Just to be sure to clean your tub right away! Mine was fine but I would never use real stain in there.}

DIY Time Capsule Wedding Guestbook. Have your guests write notes on postcards then place in time capsule to be opened later. MountainModernLife.com

After my wooden box was stained and dry I actually did a whitewash on top of it to create an even more weathered effect, forgot to get a photo of that step, woops!

DIY Time Capsule Wedding Guestbook. Have your guests write notes on postcards then place in time capsule to be opened later. MountainModernLife.com

I then created a design with our initials and our wedding date that I could transfer to the top of the box. Your design has to be printed in reverse in order to transfer over properly. You can read the tutorial on this technique here. Yes, I know that technically my initial should have gone first but what can I say, I’m a rebel….or maybe I didn’t know that when I made it, ha.

DIY Time Capsule Wedding Guestbook. Have your guests write notes on postcards then place in time capsule to be opened later. MountainModernLife.com

DIY Time Capsule Wedding Guestbook. Have your guests write notes on postcards then place in time capsule to be opened later. MountainModernLife.com

And this is what the time capsule wedding guestbook looked like all finished up:

DIY Time Capsule Wedding Guestbook. Have your guests write notes on postcards then place in time capsule to be opened later. MountainModernLife.com

I even made flag straws that matched the box. The other side of the straw flag said E & K.

DIY Time Capsule Wedding Guestbook. Have your guests write notes on postcards then place in time capsule to be opened later. MountainModernLife.com

Here are some photos of our time capsule wedding guestbook table:

DIY Time Capsule Wedding Guestbook. Have your guests write notes on postcards then place in time capsule to be opened later. MountainModernLife.com

DIY Time Capsule Wedding Guestbook. Have your guests write notes on postcards then place in time capsule to be opened later. MountainModernLife.com

DIY Time Capsule Wedding Guestbook. Have your guests write notes on postcards then place in time capsule to be opened later. MountainModernLife.com

DIY Time Capsule Wedding Guestbook. Have your guests write notes on postcards then place in time capsule to be opened later. MountainModernLife.com

DIY Time Capsule Wedding Guestbook. Have your guests write notes on postcards then place in time capsule to be opened later. MountainModernLife.com

DIY Time Capsule Wedding Guestbook. Have your guests write notes on postcards then place in time capsule to be opened later. MountainModernLife.com

Where I purchased our vintage postcards:

Since a lot of people have asked where I purchased our vintage postcards I wanted to mention that here as well. I purchased most of the postcards on eBay by searching “vintage postcards lot” or “lot of vintage postcards”, “romantic postcards”, etc. I am pretty sure I used about 20 different keywords, haha. I then emailed the sellers because some of the “lots” being sold had some blank postcards mixed in with some that were written on. So I would ask about how many were blank.

I also wound up buying some vintage reproduction cards too off eBay just because I wanted to make sure I had more than enough and a wide variety to choose from. I still have some left, including the ones that were written on and actually really enjoyed reading the notes on the back – crazy to think most of them were written in the early 1900′s! You can also search Etsy or local antique shops, but I found eBay to be less expensive and have more options available – you just may need to keep an eye out for a week or 2. 

DIY Time Capsule Wedding Guestbook. Have your guests write notes on postcards then place in time capsule to be opened later. MountainModernLife.com

I love the way it turned out and am really surprised I haven’t peaked at the postcards inside yet. I can’t wait until our 1 year anniversary to read all of the special notes our guests left for us!

Not only does this rustic time capsule wedding guestbook make for a great guestbook, but it would be a great personalized gift too!

4 Comments

  1. Where do you get/how did you make the frame with the clothes pins to hang your postcards? I am gathering vintage Illinois postcards for our Guestbook and would love a frame like that!

    Thanks!

  2. I just found this from google and it is exactly what I have been looking for! I loved the tutorial for the wood sign too because that is what I want to do for this box and possibly a ring bearer sign as well.

Comments are closed.