by Beth Witten
Nostalgia meets modern making weddings in 2025 more sustainable. When planning a wedding, the memories are often made in the details and special moments. Photography is one avenue that captures those moments of the day. Think past photographs and think voicemail. Traditionally, guests make their attendance known in a written guestbook. One company has taken guestbooks and the guest experience to a level that is new and retro.
After The Tone is a company that rents and refurbishes vintage rotary phones from the 60s and 70s to give new purpose to old devices that would have otherwise become electronic waste. The phones record voicemails from loved ones at weddings and special events to put a unique twist on the traditional guestbook and give couples the opportunity to relive their big day through the voices of their loved ones.
The phones come in 11 colors and are totally wireless and rechargeable. While every phone guestbook comes with a free digital download of attendees’ voicemails, couples have the option to add on a USB or even a custom vinyl record. The vinyl center label and jacket is totally customizable with photos from your event.
After The Tone is the perfect, sustainable way to create and cherish forever memories from the biggest day of your life. After The Tone is the #1 audio guestbook company with more than 4,000 5-star reviews from happy couples. To learn more, visit afterthetone.co or @afterthetone on Instagram.
Another way weddings incorporate the new with the old is through vintage place settings and glassware. Trending is the practice of mixing elaborate and simple patterns that tie in the color palate of the big day. Robin Wilhelm, owner of Tea and Old Roses, has had a passion for a perfectly set table since she was young. With a love of fine English china, Robin has created a business that provides vintage fine china, glassware, chargers, and napkins for weddings and special events. Tea and Old Roses, based in Alabaster, Ala., rents specialty tableware. Brides can customize settings that coordinate with their vision. To learn more, visit teaandoldroses.com or @teaandoldroses on Instagram.
In an industry that celebrates hospitality, the trend in 2025 is to be even more hospitable. Couples are opting for more intimate venues and smaller yet more tailored experiences for the guests. Welcome parties and welcome bags are centered on the guest feeling loved and pampered. Expand the generosity further.
One specific trend that is emerging is hosting a green room for guests, not just the wedding party. This is a unique way to create an intimate experience away from the hustle of a wedding. Green rooms may be set up at host hotels or during the reception at the wedding venue. Have a guest list that includes a large number of teens? Set up a green room equipped with gaming, sodas, and teen-favored foods. This is a great way to ensure the parents know they will have just as much fun as the adults dancing to their favorite oldie but goodie.
Another green room concept is for the grandparents. Often outdoor wedding venues can create uncertain conditions and serve to be too much for older generations over a long period of time. Set up a green room with comfortable seating and a more tempered environment with screens streaming the reception. This enables them to be part of the event and just may be the ticket to their hearts.
2025 is the year to honor the guests and to incorporate more sustainable aspects. Wedding favors are an easy way to achieve this trend. Bypass the novel trinkets and offer gifts that show you care. Leaning into the vintage tableware trend, offer vintage glassware that the guest can enjoy during and after the reception. Have a green thumb that you want to share with your guests? Offer potted herbs with a handwritten note with care tips.
Digital guestbooks, specialty tableware, green rooms, and sustainable favors are a few ideas to elevate the guest experience during your wedding in thoughtful and unexpected ways.
