Polaroid guest books: how they work, film costs and tips
How an instant-camera guest book works, which camera and film to choose, how much film you need, and a digital alternative.
Updated · 6 min read·By the DropSnaps team
Quick answer
In a Polaroid guest book, guests take an instant photo of themselves, stick it into an album and write a message beside it. You need an instant camera, enough film for about one photo per couple or group plus spares, an album with plenty of space, pens and someone to keep the camera loaded.
Questions people ask
How much film do I need for a Polaroid guest book?
Plan on one photo per couple or group of guests rather than one per person, plus about a quarter extra for retakes and the odd blank. Count the packs from the shots per pack of the film you buy.
Do Polaroid guest books work?
Yes, if someone looks after them: keep the camera loaded, show guests where to stick their photo, and put the station somewhere well lit. Without a host, the album fills up with blank pages and stray photos.
A Polaroid guest book is a guest book with faces in it. Each guest, couple or group takes an instant photo of themselves, sticks it into an album and writes a message beside it. Years later you'll remember exactly who came, what they wore and how much they'd had to drink. Here's how to run one, which camera and film to choose, how much film you need and what it costs.
How a Polaroid guest book works
Set up a table with an instant camera, film, an album, pens and something to stick photos in with.
Guests take a photo of themselves: one per couple or group works best.
They wait for it to develop, which takes a few minutes, while they write a message.
They stick the photo in and write beside it.
Instant photos take a few minutes to develop, Polaroid film longer than instax. Leave a spot on the table where they can lie face down while guests write.
Which camera?
The two main choices use different film, so decide before you buy:
instax mini (Fujifilm) makes credit-card-sized photos. The cameras are widely available and the film is the cheaper of the two.
Polaroid makes larger, square photos with the classic white frame. Check which film your camera takes: i-Type and 600 film are not the same.
Whichever you choose, borrow or buy it early and shoot a pack before the day, so you know how it behaves in the light at your venue.
How much film do you need?
Count one photo per couple or group, not one per guest, then add about a quarter for retakes, the odd blank and the photos guests want to keep.
Guests
Photos to plan for
instax mini (20-shot packs)
Polaroid (8-shot packs)
60
About 40
2 packs
5 packs
100
About 65
4 packs
8 packs
150
About 95
5 packs
12 packs
What does the film cost?
Typical UK prices we found on 7 October 2026:
Pack
Price per photo
instax mini
£16.99 for 20 shots
About 85p (up to about £1.20 elsewhere)
Polaroid i-Type
About £13 to £17.50 for 8 shots
About £1.63 to £2.19
Polaroid 600
About £15 to £20 for 8 shots
About £1.88 to £2.50
So for 100 guests, instax mini film costs roughly £68, and Polaroid film roughly £120 to £140. Buying several packs at once is often cheaper per pack.
Tips for running it
Give it a host. Someone to load film, show guests the button and keep the album tidy. Without one, you'll end up with stray photos and blank pages.
Light it well. Instant film struggles in dim rooms: set up near a window or under good light, and use the flash in the evening.
Put out a sign in one line: "Take a photo, stick it in and leave us a message."
Choose the right album. Plenty of space around each photo for a message, and pages thick enough for photo corners, washi tape or glue dots.
Bring the right pens. Fine-tipped pens that won't smudge, and a white or metallic pen if the pages are dark.
Keep spare film and batteries in a box under the table.
The downsides
Film is expensive, and every blank or retake costs the same as a good photo.
One table: guests who never pass it never sign.
It needs looking after all day.
A digital version
If you'd like faces with your messages without the film, a digital guest book does the same job from guests' own phones. With DropSnaps, guests scan a QR code on the table and leave a message in the guest book with a selfie or any photo from their camera roll, and it all sits next to everyone's photos and videos from the day. Many couples do both: a Polaroid book for the keepsake, and a QR code so nobody is left out. See digital wedding guest books and more wedding guest book ideas.
