How an Audio Guestbook Connected This Bride’s Grandma To Her Wedding Day

This couple's love story began over the phone, so it was only fitting that their guests left heartfelt voicemails on an After the Tone audio guestbook! 📞💕

Nicole and Ian Tatum's whimsical Texas wedding was filled with unique additions - including a Mexican snack cart, a Mariachi band, and a memorable bridal party entrance to "Jupiter" by Holst. To top it off, the bride walked down the aisle to "Across The Stars" from the famed Star Wars franchise.

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The story of how the couple met 

But before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s talk a little about how the bride and groom met. A tale as old as…the digital age, Nicole and Ian met through Tinder, an online dating app. 📱

Nicole explains “I had sworn off of Tinder until one random and fateful day where I was hanging out with my best friend (who actually left one of my favorite voicemails). We were making games of finding HIM a match on tinder, which led me to re-install the app. When he got up to use the bathroom, I bet before he got back I would have made a match- and I sure did! I matched with Ian and to prove it, took a screenshot! So that’s a cool little relationship fun fact!” ‍

Nicole’s best friend Collin leaving her a voicemail! 

Instagram saves the day on wedding guestbooks

When it came time to plan a wedding, Nicole reflected that choosing a guestbook for her wedding day became an easy one after coming across an After the Tone Instagram post stating “What a win for the algorithm” and we couldn't agree more! 🏆

Family is everything to Nicole and Ian. So, when Nicole's grandmother, her beloved 'bobe,' couldn't attend the wedding in person, After the Tone ensured she was part of the celebration with an additional voicemail recording. Sometimes life happens! Grandparents get too old to travel, your sister moves across the world, your childhood friend gets...dare we say it... double-booked. 🙄 Our team works one-on-one with you to go the extra mile and seamlessly incorporate any additional voicemails into the recordings your guests left at your physical event. “It made it feel like she truly was right there with us. That one really hit me in my heart strings.”

After the Tone not only provides personalized editing for each customer's voicemails, ensuring they're edited to your exact preferences, but they also offer a virtual dial-in option!

The virtual dial in option is perfect for those who can’t attend your wedding or special event in person but still want to leave you a sweet message that you can add to your mix of voicemails later. For this option, there is no rotary phone needed! People can simply dial in and leave a message on their personal cell phone or home phone. We include them with all other messages left at your event, so it genuinely feels like everyone was there! 🫶 Years down the line, as you listen to your guestbook voicemails, you'll almost completely forget that your loved one wasn’t physically in attendance. If you’re curious and need more information about our virtual dial-in, check out our blog here.

When listening back to their voicemails, Nicole and Ian felt like they were reliving their big day. Nicole said: “It’s kind of like hearing a song come on that jogs an old memory. It gave a lot of people the opportunity to show their personality in a way that writing in a guest book ‘Congratulations!’ can’t really express. It was really special!”

‍Nicole’s top guestbook tips 

As for tips and tricks on how to get the most voicemails from your After the Tone audio guestbook, brides know best! Nicole had this tip for those out there trying to get more voicemails from their event: “Make sure you have a good space for your audio guestbook, plus a sign or announcement from the DJ! Thankfully though, the process is pretty self-explanatory, it should go without a hitch! (God bless my wedding planner and coordinator!)” 

Nicole’s right! Don’t forget to add our custom tabletop signage to your cart. This way, your guests will know exactly what to do when they spot an After the Tone audio guestbook. Choose from our 5 unique signage options and personalize it with your last name, wedding date, and more! We also provide free signage templates on Canva for those who want even more customization! You can view them here. At After the Tone, we're here for you every step of the way. Ready to checkout? Shop signage here.

Bride @nicoco11 

Groom @Ian_tatum