A newlywed couple has revealed the creative and heartfelt gift they gave to each of their wedding guests.

Instead of a traditional printed table plan, Nadia Howard and Ashley Smith, who married on July 30, 2024, welcomed their friends and family with something much more personal – an individual book for each person in attendance.

“We wanted to give each guest something personal,” said Howard Newsweek. “Although it may sound like a cliché, each guest has played an important role in getting us to where we are today. And this was our way of acknowledging them and showing them how grateful we are for the role they have played in our history.”

In a video now shared on TikTok that has been viewed more than 100,000 times, guests reacted to the beautiful, custom-designed bookshelf with wrapped books labeled with each guest’s name and a table number.

The couple had chosen the perfect book for each wedding guest and placed a small note inside the cover explaining the reason for the book and expressing special thanks.

“I know wedding days can sometimes seem endless. I was worried we wouldn’t be able to say everything we wanted to to each guest, so we included a little note in the folded paper envelope to make sure we did,” said Howard.

“I was so glad we did. The day really was a whirlwind – in the best way – and the books and messages were a great way to show our appreciation.”

The thoughtful gesture brought great joy to the guests, who all received a souvenir of the day and something special from the newlywed couple.

To find the perfect book for each guest, the couple searched through their personal collections, charity shops and second-hand sales. “Finding the perfect book for each guest was really fun and we planned some amazing date nights,” said Howard.

The couple also built the bookcase themselves, using old wood from Howard’s dad’s garage and writing each guest’s name and table number on the spines with vinyl. Thanks to these clever DIY ideas, the book gifts didn’t cost the couple much more than traditional wedding gifts.

On TikTok, people reacted to the unique wedding idea. “I love this so much,” said viewer Steph, while Gill wrote: “What a wonderful idea. Looks like everyone loved the idea too.”

“I have never seen anything so beautiful,” wrote viewer Kelly.

Viewer Artbymariama commented: “This is the most beautiful thing.”

“Our guests were absolutely delighted; they were so surprised that we had this set up in the background, and the room was buzzing when the doors opened and the seating plan was revealed,” Howard said.

The books also served as icebreakers and gave the guests who did not know each other very well something to talk about.

“If I could go back in time, I would definitely do our book table plan again. We loved shopping for books and building the shelf so this was perfect for us, but I can imagine it would be a big task for other couples,” said Howard. “Many people find wedding planning very stressful and if you don’t like that, it’s not worth adding to the wedding pressure.”

She suggested an alternative for those looking for a less labor-intensive way to implement the idea: a bookshelf where guests could choose a book they liked, accompanied by a personalized note explaining the couple’s choice.