by Guest Blogger, Kim Choy, WPICC
Personalizing your wedding is more than just putting your initials on everything in sight. Put some thought behind the elements you choose to incorporate into your big day, and then enhance the sentimental value to give each aspect a deeper meaning.
Think of ways to incorporate the guests into your wedding and make them feel as if they are in it instead of just attending it.
The last thing you want is for your guests to remember your wedding as dull and boring and the same as John and Mary Smith’s last June.
The first thing a guest sees when they arrive at your reception is the place cards. Where will they be sitting? How will this be displayed? This is your chance to be as creative and personalized as possible.
Nicknames and Memories
Instead of having the guest’s name and table number, try to add sayings or nicknames to each card to make the guest smile or to touch them in some way.
For example;
Front of Card
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Back of Card
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Doing something like this will make your guests think “Wow, they really took a lot of time to make me feel welcome at their wedding.”
A Little ‘Bout Me
Photo & Idea Credit:
http://www.karenscards.co.uk/name-meaning-place-cards-p783.html?osCsid=ebe69b3eaaa2b5d876a839f905a5ffb7
Truth is everyone loves learning about themselves. Why not tell them the meaning behind their first name?
This place card is unique to each guest and is something they can take home with them. This website is from the UK, but these cards can simply be made yourself.
Shaken or Stirred?
Photo & Idea Credit: http://downthegreenaisle.com/blog/
wpcontent/uploads/2009/05/marker.jpg
Another way to make your guests feel absolutely special and appreciated at your wedding is to prepare their “favourite” drink for them in their own personalized glass.
Instead of using place cards, buy stemware (can be purchased at the Dollar Store if you are on a budget) and prepare the guests' favourite drink, attach their name on the glass (like a wine marker) and line the drinks up as you would a regular place card table.
Examples: Mixed Drinks, Martinis, Beers & Wines
This is definitely an idea for a much smaller wedding.
Make The Guests Speak Up!
Turn the tables on your guests and allow them to help personalize your special day. At each place setting have a blank note card for each guest to fill out and write down their well wishes, prayers and thoughts. Once completed before they leave the reception, have a drop box they can put them in. Open the box after your honeymoon, then on your anniversaries. Hand written notes are the most cherished gifts one can receive. These notes can later be put in wedding albums.
A Picture is Worth A 1000 Words
I heard this idea through a friend and absolutely loved it!
For each couple attending the reception the couple took a picture together with something that represented the guest(s). Also in the picture was the table number they were sitting at.
For example;
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Two guests owned a Baskin Robbins, so the bride and groom took picture outside a Baskin Robbins, holding ice cream and holding a giant number 8.
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Another 2 guests were from out of town. The bride and groom put on Chicago Cub Baseball Jerseys and the jersey number was the number of the table the guests sat at.
After developing the pictures, the names of each guest(s) was written on the front of the picture so it was easy to differentiate which picture was for whom. The pictures were put into Dollar Store picture frames in alphabetical order.
Something like this, will take a lot of work and thinking, but it pays off in the end to have the guest think how much time and effort you put into making them feel special.
Of course personalizing your wedding to each guest does take time and needs to be thought out carefully. Personalization in great detail is often better used for smaller weddings.
Take the time, be creative and really think how you can make your wedding special and memorable for you and your guests.
You don’t want your guests talking a few months down the road “Oooh was that the wedding where the bride wore the….. white dress with the fancy embroidery on it…? And they had…..candles on all the tables right? Is that the one you’re talking about?”
Make people remember your wedding for the rest of their lives.
Our Guest Blogger, Kim Choy, is a WPIC Certified Wedding Coordinator and works with us in the WPIC Inc. Offices.
I think the place card idea is so great. I’ve never seen that before and think guests would be blown away to see that. So often guests can feel as if they are forgotten at a wedding, but this lets everyone feel as if they are a part of the wedding.