A super trendy way to record custom messages from your guests, with retro style, and new technology. While audio guest book rental is predominately a wedding trend, it can be used for other events such as memorials, celebration of life, and truly any other event you want to capture audio message memories for.
What is an Audio Guest Book Rental?
Leave a message after the tone! Audio guestbook rental is an excellent way to spice up your wedding (or event) and add a fun addition for guests to use while also giving you (the couple) a keepsake loaded with memories ranging from beautiful messages from family at the beginning of the night to the drunk end-of-the-night messages that will have you ROFL (Rolling on the floor laughing).
Audio guest books come in a variety of styles and colors, and can include a number of different features from dial in options that don’t require a physical guestbook, to battery powered wedding audio guestbooks that can go anywhere, anytime. The basic premise of a wedding audio guestbook is an antique phone with a digital recorder inside to capture messages that guests leave by picking up the phone, with the couple receiving the messages after the wedding. The format and inclusions in the actual audio guestbook rental are based on the company you rent from.
What is included after the tone?
You may have heard audio guestbooks referred to as “after the tone”. After the tone is actually a provider of this service, which we will discuss shortly. Wedding audio guestbooks are commonly referred to as “after the tone” because their answering message generally ends with “leave a message after the tone”. For the next few points, we will discuss common features you can request with an “after the tone” audio book rental, most of which we offer.
Custom Greeting Message (Before the Tone)
Some audio guestbook rental companies (including IT’S LIT Weddings and Events; rentals department) allow you to customize the greeting message to the individual wedding or event. Some may charge additionally for this part of the service, especially depending on how they handle that recording and adding it to the phone. We include (at the time of writing this), the option of a custom message, with any audio guest book rental we offer.
Wireless Operation
One question we get asked frequently is if our wedding guestbook rentals require power, at this time, all our phones are battery powered and can record for up to a day (24 hours) continuously. This allows your wedding phone guestbook to be placed virtually anywhere.
Dial in (Virtual) Audio Guest Book
A virtual (or dial in) wedding audio guestbook rental allows users to dial into the guestbook gallery via their own phone instead of a physical phone at the event. Sometimes the two can be combined so guests who cannot attend the event still have a way to leave a message. We offer this as an upgrade service for our phones.
Digital Online Audio Guestbook message gallery
“Where do you get the messages?” Is a question we frequently receive on our wedding audio guestbook rentals. We deliver every client a digital online gallery that is available for 6 months (at least) following their wedding. They are free to share or download the gallery. Some companies will share messages via a zip file, Google drive folders or other methods, however, the key difference with a true gallery is the ability to go through and play the messages back in a web player. Sorry Google, you just are better suited for documents than audio files. Additionally, our digital gallery is what allows the dial in option, and all those messages are automatically added to that gallery.
Physical Audio message delivery
Different companies offer different ways to receive your wedding audio messages in physical form. The most common way to receive them is a physical flash drive which is mailed to you. We offer this to our clients as an upgrade. Sending this does take longer than a digital gallery, and includes higher risk as the package could get lost or damaged, we always have a backup when we send a flash/thumb drive. Some companies (mainly larger ones like After The Tone) offer the ability to have your messages cut into vinyl record form, this is absolutely a novel and retro idea, but lets face it, who actually has the ability to play a vinyl record back.
The Phone Itself
The audio guestbook telephone may be included if you rent a physical phone, (as we do). Phones come in a variety of styles, shapes, formats, and colors. The most popular colors are white and black. Currently we only offer a white audio guestbook, as that is most popular with weddings, but we are always adding new offerings so check our updated blogs frequently!
Delivery, Setup, Pickup
Depending on where you rent your audio guest book from, the guest book may need to be shipped to you (After The Tone is a “shipper”), setup for you (by a local company), or picked up by you or your planner. We will discuss these options in the next section on where to get an audio guestbook for your wedding or event.
Where to get a wedding audio guestbook?
A variety of different vendors offer audio guestbooks for your wedding, the one you choose will depend on the vendors you hire and your individual needs.
DJ/Photo Booth/Etc Add on
Some DJ’s, photo booth companies, or other vendors you hire that already have to bring physical equipment to your wedding may offer audio guestbook rental. Generally this is an add on to their existing service, however, depending on who you book, the delivery of the messages may be limited to less intricate types such as a zip file only. Did you know we offer wedding DJ’s, and photo booths for weddings that you can add your audio guest book on to?
Event Rental Company
Some event rental companies, specifically those that provide decor, will offer this as an add-on to their services. One example of this is flower wall companies sometimes offer the combination. They may offer it as a package or add on only. Some may offer it as a stand alone rental as we do, however its generally a higher price or minimum charge that needs to be met.
Online Rental Company
Online rental companies ship an audio guestbook to you, which you have to set up (or have someone do for you), then you have to ship it back after. This can be expensive and a hassle, but these are the kinds of companies you will see most on Instagram advertising their services.
Wedding Planner
Your wedding planner themself may not offer audio guestbook rental, but they may be know someone who does, or be able to pick one up from a rental company and deliver and return it for you.
Which should I choose?
We suggest talking with all your vendors and getting 3 quotes and comparing the services provided besides just the guestbook (delivery, pickup, custom message, etc) and the add-on offerings you may want to add, before booking. The cheapest price may not always be the best option, but online rental companies, from our experience, seem to be the most expensive option for the least level of service.
What does an audio guestbook rental cost?
After the tone rentals range in cost, After the tone is generally $400-$500, our price ranges from $250-$500, but that is with a “never have to touch it”, so considerably more value booking with us. Some vendors may offer it as a free perk of booking with them, but remember, nothing is free!
Need a Wedding audio guestbook “Leave a message after the tone” rental in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, or Eastern CT?
We offer multiple options and some of the most affordable rental rates on our audio guestbook for the area. Contact us today to get information. Our Audio Guestbook rates range from $250-$500 and are full service. Book now by contacting us on the contact page.
