Congratulations! If you made it here, it means that you’ve most likely already booked one of the most memorable additions to your big event. We’re so unbelievably excited for you to experience the magic of our little rotary phone. 😍

With your audio guestbook order all squared away (p.s. if it’s not, you can book your voicemail guest book here), it’s time to start thinking about how you want to make your phone the star of the show. That way, you’ll be sure to squeeze every last drop out of your audio guest book experience. 

As your rotary phone aficionados here at After The Tone, trust us when we say we've seen it all, and we're spilling the tea on how to make those voicemails really sing. Check out our tips below!

Tip #1: Make Alllllll The Announcements

AKA: Get the crowd hyped! In our humble opinion, you can never make too many announcements about the audio guestbook table at your wedding or special event. The DJ is a great resource for this (and the obvious one), but you can also have the officiant say a little something before they begin the wedding ceremony (or whenever it makes the most sense). The happy couple can even spread the word themselves before speeches, assign “guest book duty” to one of the bridesmaids, etc! 

The opportunities are endless, but one thing is for certain: The more voices promoting your voicemail guest book, the merrier the messages!

Tip #2: Leave the Phone by the Bar 

At the heart of every good party lies some strong cocktails, right? Placing your audio guest book phone by the bar invites your loved ones to leave you a voicemail directly after pumping them with a little truth serum and a healthy splash of liquid courage. Guests are more likely to get chatty after a couple of drinks, and we all know tipsy voicemails are the best voicemails!

Fun fact: This tip was actually recommended by one of our previous couples, Quynh and Phong, and we couldn’t love it more. They gathered some serious audio gems using this technique. Check out their full story here. 

Tip #3: Avoid Loud Speakers (if possible)

We’ll be the first to say we love a good beat. But, when it comes to collecting heartfelt voicemails at your wedding, it’s best to optimize the sound quality by avoiding booming speakers. After all, you want clear, crisp recordings, not muffled memories! 

On the flip side, if you do hear noise in the background, don’t panic. Not to toot our own horn, but our audio quality is… 🔥. Plus, our in-house editors are pretty stellar, and most of the time, a song playing in the background of a message will only add to the sentimentality of it all, as long as it’s not directly blaring into the receiver. 

Tip #4: Rehearse at the Rehearsal Dinner

Practice makes perfect, right? Bring your voicemail guestbook to the rehearsal dinner the night before the main event. It's a great icebreaker, and it gives your closest guests an opportunity to try out the phone in a more intimate setting before the big day. You never know the kind of messages you’ll get when you spread out the time frame and capitalize on more moments!

Tip #5: Custom Signage Saves the Day

Not everyone is familiar with the concept of an audio guest book. Set up some cute signage next to the phone to let guests know what's up. 

Lucky for you, we’re a one-stop shop! We’ve recently partnered with premium design company Wildhouse Ink to introduce a new line of custom, elevated signage that quickly educates guests about After the Tone and inspires them to leave unforgettable voicemails. Not only is the signage helpful for guests to understand what the heck a vintage rotary phone is doing at your wedding or event, it also makes the overall aesthetic really pop and draws guests into your audio guest book table.

Tip #6: Hold the Phone (Literally, for at least 3 mins)

Lastly, let’s make sure every single voicemail is saved properly, shall we? To do so, we typically recommend waiting just a few minutes after the last voicemail is recorded before turning off the phone. This gives the phone a chance to ensure all those precious voicemails are safely saved for future trips down memory lane.

You can tell that the phone is on or off in two ways: the light right underneath the receiver (when it’s hung up), and the LED button on the very bottom of the phone. When both of these are on, you’re good to start recording! Then, after your last voicemail, wait three minutes with both lights on, then go ahead and turn the phone off via the bottom button.

And there you have it, guys! Our foolproof tips to rack up the best mix of voicemails you could ever dream of. The most important tip throughout the whole experience? HAVE FUN. And remember that your love deserves to be heard. If you haven’t yet, book an audio guest book for your wedding today. 

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