If you need a creative gift idea for the next wedding or bridal shower on your calendar, why not try a signature platter? Signature platters come in a variety of shapes, such as round, oval or heart-shaped. Some are plain, and some are embellished with a variety of underlying designs, such as wedding cakes, happy couples, wedding rings, and romantic sayings. Of course, you can also order them pre-personalized with the couple's own names. Sometimes you can even get them engraved.

What They Are, Exactly

A signature platter (or plate) is a ceramic plate that functions as a guestbook. It comes as a kit, with a porcelain pen that guests can use to write their name and possibly a short, warm message for the wedding couple. If a mistake happens, you can just wipe it off and start again! Once everyone's signed, someone the couple or the shower host bakes the platter in the oven for about half an hour. When it's finished, you have a food-safe, permanent memento you can actually use on a daily basis -- and yes, in most cases it's microwave and dishwasher safe too. (Keep in mind, though, that some manufacturers recommend you avoid re-baking the platter.)

Not only are signature platters wonderful at getting your favorite couple's wedding memories out of the closet and into their daily lives, they fit most budgets as well. A small plate suitable for bridal shower typically starts at around $40, and larger platters range from about $50 to $75.

Variations on a Theme

Virtually every couple knows an artist, and vice versa. If you have a great artistic skills, why not hog the whole signature platter to yourself and create something absolutely unique for a couple you love? Perhaps you can print their names, or a family saying, or a favorite philosophy (for example -- a phrase they chose to engrave inside their wedding rings!) around the rim of the plate. All you need to round out the rest is a selection of colored porcelain markers.

Of course, some people just need to do things a little differently. If you're flush with cash and want to "knock it up a notch," gift your couple with the Fifth Avenue version of the signature platter: the silver signature platter. In this version, guests sign a template instead of the platter itself. You mail the template off to the retailer, and they engrave each signature into ... you guessed it, a silver platter.