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Behind the Scenes: Creating a Dream Wedding Guest Book

When it comes to capturing the essence of a wedding, few things hold as much sentimental value as a beautifully crafted Wedding Guest Book. Kristin, a proud Artifact Uprising Wedding Party Partner, recently collaborated with our Design Services team to create a guest book that would forever capture the heartfelt messages and meaningful moments from her wedding day. In this interview, Kristin reveals the inspiration behind her book and the seamless process of working with our dedicated team to bring it to fruition. Here’s a glimpse into how our Design Services helped bring her vision to life.

Hi Kristin, Tell us a little bit about yourself!

My name is Kristen and I was born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I am an oncology nurse and absolutely love what I do. I am an energetic, friendly, outgoing girl who loves her dog, the beach, and making others laugh. I am the “group influencer” my friends would say and am always willing to help give advice when asked. 

“My fiancé Will and I met freshman year of college and when we found each other it was almost love at first sight.”

My fiancé Will and I met freshman year of college and when we found each other it was almost love at first sight. We both were college athletes and graduated college in 2021. We have been together for six years, and we’re getting married this October at the same place we met. We plan on spending two weeks in St. Lucia following the wedding, and we are beyond excited!

What made you want to work with our Design Services team to create your dream wedding guest book?

My dad is a photographer, so I grew up loving photos. My family has so many memory books, and when I came across Artifact Uprising—seeing the quality of the book and reading reviews—it was a no brainer that I needed to use this company for my guest book. I wanted to work with the Design Services team in order to make my dream book a reality. With all the stress of planning a wedding, it was hard to decide on what photos to use and how to lay them all out. I knew they had an eye for design… so I knew they would do their best to make the photo book flow, while also leaving enough space for guests to sign.

“It was honestly everything I could ask for.”

What was your experience like working with Design Services?

Oh my goodness! They made this process SO easy, it honestly could not have gone any smoother. All I had to do was simply upload my photos, and they did the rest. They gave me the opportunity to view the proof and make changes as needed. Their proofing process was so simple, and the communication with the team is A+. Their expertise helped me not to worry about creating a beautiful book—they put me at ease and truly blew me away with the results!

Can you describe what it was like to see your album for the first time?

It was honestly everything I could ask for. The packaging was beautiful and simple, and the detailing and linen fabric color are so classy. It made me beyond excited to set it out on our wedding day… because it is just beautiful. I didn’t think I could love it more until I saw it in person. It brought back all the memories of the day we took those engagement photos in downtown Chicago. This book will be a coffee table book after the wedding so it can get all the love it deserves.

We love your style. How would you describe your style as a bride?

My wedding style is classy, moody, and romantic. 

Do you have any advice for other brides going through the planning process?

Enjoy it. There is so much to stress about, but take it one step at a time and give yourself time to enjoy this moment in life. Working with Artifact Uprising will allow you not to second guess if it will be good enough, because no matter what... it will be. The quality photos and the thick, crisp paper make this book 10/10. Using quality companies to help you create your special moments for your wedding is worth the money. You will not regret working with AU, especially the Design Services... they will turn your guest book dreams into a reality without the stress of choosing photos and layouts, they truly do it all. Enjoy this moment in the wedding process and allow yourself to fully take in these precious moments in life.

Now let’s meet the designer! Tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m Angeline! I am an artistic nature lover and San Diego native. My design style is clean and modern, but with a playful sense of humor! When I'm not designing, you can find me doing yoga, hiking, camping, sewing, painting, cooking, or roaming around with my husband in our converted bus.

I’m Angeline! I am an artistic nature lover and San Diego native working as a Lead Designer on the Artifact Uprising Design Services team.

How did you take the bride's vision and make it come together?

The bride expressed that she wanted the book to be clean, simple, and classic, while also having a moody and romantic feel. In order to achieve all of these things, I kept the layouts simple and chose just 2-3 photos per spread for the majority of spreads! I focused on selecting photos that conveyed a very romantic feel and brought the drama. I love the juxtaposition we created, and it all came together in a way that felt very modern, unique, and striking—just like the gorgeous couple!

Curating photos into a final gallery can be so personal. How do you help people sift through and prioritize the photos and moments that are most important to them?

It is so helpful when clients can tell us what was most important to them about their wedding or event, or what it is they most want to convey. With wedding albums specifically, some like to prioritize photos of friends and family, others want to showcase those beautiful couple shots, and some are so proud of the handmade details of the day! Knowing what is most important to each individual couple is so helpful and also gives me a sense of who they are, allowing me to select photos that showcase that. I think there is also something to say about having a designer sift through photos with totally fresh eyes, not having attended the event. A picture is worth a thousand words, and sometimes it takes an outside party to see the beauty in moments that clients may take for granted or may have forgotten.

What is your favorite part of working with brides and grooms to create heirloom pieces for their big day?

I just love how each couple is so unique. No two weddings are exactly the same—from the details, the venue, the traditions, and the candid moments. It is so fun to recognize and highlight that special thing that makes you, you! That uniqueness is timeless, and it's what creates an heirloom.

“A picture is worth a thousand words, and sometimes it takes an outside party to see the beauty in moments that clients may take for granted or may have forgotten.”

Feeling inspired? Work with Design Services to create your own project.

Our albums are the perfect way to showcase your special day from start to finish, but how special to put your wedding on display for all to see? We love creating custom gallery walls for our clients' spaces that paint a picture of their own unique story.
Explore Design Services
Take a Peek Inside Kristen's Book