Guestbook... tell a story

Guestbooks can range from bland and boring to sparkling and interactive - it's your choice. When thinking about how you want to commemmorate who attended your event, consider a few things:

1. Is this something that I can - and want - to display in my home?
2. Is there anything that I want to share with my guests (photos? stories?)?
3. How important is a guestbook to me?

Here are some ideas for creative guestbooks that you and your guests will remember for a long time...

Use a good ol' Polaroid camera and have a guestbook attendant take your guests' photo and place it in a book where the guest(s) can put their well-wishes on the page next to the photo - see photos below.



For the scrapbooker (or recruit a friend who is a scrapbooker), put together a quick album of photos that tell a story. You can then have guests sign small tags with their well-wishes and the scrapbooker can later put them in. This gives your gusests something to enjoy while waiting to sign instead of just standing in line chatting.

Examples:

WEDDING/ANNIVERSARY - Bride & groom from childhood through engagement - see photos.

BIRTHDAY - Birthday girl/boy from birth through present day.

BABY SHOWER - Marriage photos of couple & birth photos through present with story of pregancy, name choices, etc. This should leave room for the birth photos and some baby pictures.



Another popular "guestbook" that will become a beautiful piece of "art" is a signature matte that will frame a photo frome the event.


MAJOR TIP: Do NOT put the matte on an easel to be signed, guests will walk right by it, thinking that it is just decoration. Put it down on a table with multiple pens so more than one guest can sign at a time.

Centerpiece Ideas and Creative Suggestions

When we leave a wedding... do we really remember what the centerpieces look like?! Most of the time, the answer is no. Unless they were really special or really elaborate, right? We aren't in the "elaborate" business but we are all about making your day special (and reasonably priced!). Here are some questions to ask yourself when creating your centerpieces:

1. What is the theme of my event?
2. What is the venue like? On the beach? In the mountains?
3. What is the seating going to be like at the party?
4. What is my budget?
5. Are there any restrictions from my venue?

Here are some suggestions for themes:

A winery wedding... corks in the vases with fresh cut flowers (see photo)
An autumn wedding... fresh veggies and fruits dotted with large sunflowers (think cornucopia)
A spring wedding... planted herbs in flower pots - these can also represent table assignments ("The Rosemary Table", "The Basil Table")


These are all reasonably priced options for DIY planners - especially if you shop online.

Some KEY tips to creating your event centerpieces:

#1 - MAJOR - make sure that your guests can SEE each other when sitting down for conversation. It's a nightmare when you have to bob and weave around the centerpiece all night!

#2 - try to make your centerpiece into something that you or you guests can enjoy for a longer time than just the event (a potted plant, candles, etc.)

#3 - Don't spend a ton on your centerpieces because, as I said, before your guests are more interested in your ceremony, your love for each other, and how good the music was than the stuff on the table.





Resources:

Wine corks for good prices = eBay and widgetco.com

Plant pots = Ikea.com and always check craigslist.com