What is an Audio Guestbook and Why You Will Love 'After The Tone'

Remember the good ol’ fashioned wedding guestbook? The hardcover keepsake your loved ones left sweet notes in that you couldn’t wait to reread in 10 years? The book meant to spark some of the best memories of your life? Well, After The Tone co-founders, Jacob and Bailey, thought of a better way to make sure their best memories weren’t left on a dusty shelf or rarely opened cabinet: the audio guestbook. 

Let’s rewind back to 2019, when Jacob and Bailey were knee-deep planning their wedding, constantly brainstorming unique ideas to better remember their day. Amidst the chaos that inevitably accompanies weddings, they wanted a way to truly connect with their friends and family. 

Bailey then remembered her childhood habit of saving voicemails from her loved ones, and that was the exact moment the lightbulb first flickered—she thought having audible well-wishes saved for her and Jacob on their wedding day would be so special. There was just one problem: How would it be possible for people to call in with no wifi or power in the middle of a greenhouse? And as quickly as that, her idea was put to rest (or so she thought). 

When their wedding day finally arrived, Jacob surprised his new wife with the first-ever After The Tone audio guestbook. It was a vintage rotary phone that gave guests a chance to leave a message for the bride and groom at the wedding reception. To Bailey, that vintage phone guestbook held more meaning than the typical cell phone or voice recorder. Her grandparents literally got married over the phone back in 1965, after years of doing long distance between Argentina and California. The telephone made it possible for Juan and Fernanda to get married and stay connected through their first year of marriage before Bailey’s grandfather could save enough money to buy his wife a one-way ticket to him forever. That story stuck with Bailey, and so it meant the world to her to include that piece of her family history in her big day. 

Jacob and Bailey took the messages from their phone guestbook, transferred them to vinyl, and now listen to them every year on their anniversary, along with their first dance song, allowing the couple to truly experience the magic of their wedding (and their love) again.

What's an Audio Guestbook

Jacob and Bailey’s idea of leaving voicemails for loved ones, instead of the traditional handwritten note, is how After The Tone was first created. Now, friends and families get to capture their best memories through a voicemail guestbook. Whether it’s a newly married couple, a birthday girl, a graduate, a mom-to-be, or just a sentimental superstar who loves to reminisce, you can use an audio guestbook experience as a sort of time capsule to help you cherish those moments. 

So, what is an audio guestbook? Short answer: It’s a way to remember your past through the voices of your favorite people. It’s a perfectly cut and mastered audio file, a USB, a vinyl. It’s a voicemail you’ll want to keep for a lifetime. It’s After The Tone.

Why Audio Guestbooks Are Perfect for Remembering Events

The problem with traditional guestbooks is that they fail to fully depict the emotion, the energy, and the essence of the event they’re tied to. Trust us when we say we completely understand the power of words on a page (shoutout to Colleen Hoover). But, there’s simply something special about hearing your best friend’s, your grandfather’s, your mom’s, and your baby niece’s voice that shoots you back to a specific place and time—and evokes a feeling of nostalgia. 

A study from The Star Tribune explains how the sound of your voice reveals your age because your vocal cords adapt and then weaken with time—which means, of course, the way your 3-year-old niece sounds now is going to change drastically by the time she turns 30. The audio guestbook is the perfect way to stick those voices in your back pocket, exactly as they are, to take you back to big moments in life that really count.  

Needless to say, the most touching moments are often fleeting. For example, a few of our couples have reached out to our team after their events with the devastating news of one of their close family members passing. The message their loved one left on our phone was one of the last recordings the couple had of their voice. We are profoundly grateful that After the Tone can provide these lasting memories of loved ones, and we don’t take this role we play in your special day for granted.

This is the power a guestbook phone holds over a traditional one. When friends and family leave messages, you can hear the excitement, the emotion (maybe even the famous pop song from that era bumping in the background), and of course, the love. It’s a keepsake you’ll have forever, no matter what twists and turns come your way in life. Think of it as an answering machine filled with voicemails, but also, again, a time capsule involving your favorite people.

Not only that, but many couples or party hosts can have trouble getting guests to actually stop and sign a book. The rotary telephone serves as an inviting and interactive way for people to leave a quick message for someone they care about as if the person is listening on the other side. It’s a fun, vintage-feeling activity that folks will want to participate in. And if you don’t want to leave the party, you can bring the phone on the dance floor—it’s completely wireless!

Unique Wedding Guest Book Ideas from After the Tone

One of the best things about wedding guestbook alternatives such as the After the Tone guestbook is the level of creativity and flexibility you’ll have at your fingertips, so have fun with it! Check out our post on why influencer Squid Westra booked After the Tone audio guestbook for her big day! 

If you’re in need of a little inspiration, check out these guest book ideas to ensure you capture the best memories possible!

Get Started with Your After the Tone Guestbook

If you’re still unconvinced, check out our customer reviews page to truly get a feel of the impact our unique wedding guestbook can have (and the fun!). We also put together a helpful FAQ page and helpful tips, complete with unique guestbook ideas for a wedding to set you up for success!

From customer conversations to reviews to Jacob and Bailey’s personal experience with an audio guestbook, the feedback is clear: Voicemails from your favorite people are the best way to re-capture all those feels from your biggest days. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll understand why we’re saying #RIP to the standard, old guestbook. Book your After the Tone audio guestbook for your next event!