Pic by Powers Studios

The phenomenon began with the fingerprint (or thumbprint) tree, where guests leave their print as a leaf on the tree. A lot more fun than the usual guest book that will probably end up on a shelf gathering dust. When your fingerprint guest book is finished it becomes a beautiful piece of art to hang on your wall. The peacock is a stunning alternative - guests leave their fingerprint to act as the eye of a feather. It's also a great option if you don't like the idea of using ink, friends and family can sign inside a feather instead.

Pics Cage and Aquarium and Alexi Shields Photography

Ink and pens
Fine art and scrapbooking pens are best for guests to sign with, try Faber Castell and Memory Marker. To leave their print guests just press their finger onto a coloured ink pad then inside a feather. There are plenty of cute ink pads available from art shops and craft stores. We prefer moment dew drop inks which can be purchased here. Other brands to try include colour box. Go crazy with colour or just have one or two shades, it's up to you but you might want to consider where you will be displaying the peacock after the wedding and pick something that will work with your decor.

Is it messy? 
No, just have a pack of wet wipes and a towel handy so guests can quickly clean up after and be more inclined to participate. A bin or basket nearby is good for the used wipes too. Or use it as a signature peacock only.

How much will it cost? 
A print ready file from the 'i do' it yourself shop personalised with your names, date and colour choice only costs $20, then you just need to have it printed. Printing costs will depend on the size you need, paper and print method but here are a few examples*:
Officeworks •Small $2 •Medium $15 •Large $26
But of course the small sizes can just be printed at home on a sheet of nice thick paper. Ink and pens are only a couple of dollars.

Where to print?
For paper we recommend using a fairly thick stock, art or matte is good rather than high gloss.
Flat and digital printing is better than colour copying or laser printing, try to avoid any printing method that uses toner. We have had many customers successfully print onto canvas too, it is a more expensive printing option, but it will be ready to hang. Remember to choose 'not' to wrap the image around the edges of the canvas, or it will zoom in on the print giving you less room for your fingerprints and possibly even chop the feathers off. You can use an online PDF to JPG converter if your printer only accepts JPGs, such as convert-my-image.com/PdfToJpg or pdf2jpg.net selecting 300dpi.

For worldwide shipping up to 16x20" and A2 sizes try www.creative-monsoon.com


How quickly can I get one? Turn around time for a design on 'i do' it yourself is only a couple of working days, more often than not you can get it the same day! Your local printer will be able to whip the final thing up in a few days, some will even offer a same day service, so it's great for that last minute wedding idea.

Pics: Remington Photography and customer photo

1. Use quality paper. Ink is wet and we all know what liquid does to a sheet of normal paper, it bubbles. So make sure you have it printed onto quality thick paper or cardstock. 
2. Test it first. If you can, get a sample of the paper you plan to print on and test it with your ink. Make sure you like the effect before getting your peacock printed, and check it after an hour or two to make sure the ink has dried properly on the paper. If you don't like the look or the ink and paper react funny, just change your paper stock or even try a different brand of ink. 
3. Ask your bridal party or family to start things off or do it yourself as Ricky and Sarah did above. A big empty peacock might be a bit confusing and no one likes to go first. Once a few people have had a go it will be easy for others to follow. 
4. Always have an ample supply of pens. If you want guests to sign make sure you have back ups. Nibs can clog up with ink if people write over fingerprints when they aren't dry enough, run out or run away with a forgetful guest - so have plenty of spares. 
5. Display instructions. Let guests know the process or just that it's your guest book alternative with a sign. There are loads of free signs to download from the FREEBIES section on the creative monsoon website. 

*Please note print prices are an example of research we have done and are subject to change