Will you sign my... bench?

Adding to my Unconventional Guest Book series:

I was thinking we could make a bench together (take a stab at being handy wood workers) or have one of the men in my family (Grandaddy!) make us a wooden bench. Neither AJR or I have ever constructed quite a project... so it may be wise to have a helping hand :)

But it could also be a really fun thing to do together, so we shall see! (Assuming he likes this idea for the wedding)

I love the idea of doing this because:

a) I like the do-it-yourself model or having something hand-made

b) Amazing keepsake, functional and sentimental!

c) It's unique. Betcha most people have never signed a bench at a wedding!

It would be fun to make design plans and deciding where we would want the bench once the wedding is over. It could be a neat hallway piece in the house (what a conversation starter!) or a cute little spot to sit together in the evenings outside.

And look... tons of info on the web for how-to's!

(images from OnceWed)

Instant Gratification

This summer my sister and her husband had a wedding celebration in my parent's backyard and brought along with them a Polaroid camera to capture some memories they could look at on their flight back home to Kansas City. They came across one at a thrift store and decided to buy some film and see what came of it.

There is something just so hip and vintage about a Polaroid photograph. (Oooh grainy imperfect pictures with bad lighting is somehow romanticized when it is in that little 4 inch white framed square)

I was reading an article today about the history of Polaroid and I thought about making some searches for ideas to incorporate Polaroid into a fun wedding activity.

I had been thinking of some ideas about having a few Polaroid cameras for guests to play around with as opposed to having a photo booth (which I would kill to have at the reception, but know that it would be way too expensive).

Hmmm:

• Provide a few Polaroid cameras at a table and have guests use a silver marker, leaving their well wishes on the back of their mug shot, which we then collect in a nice wooden box
• Have a backdrop where guests can do their own photo shoots and include props and such for them to have fun with (you've probably seen the mustache phenomenon)
• Once guests take Polaroid photos, they can insert them into an instant photo album guest book

Style Me Pretty

This will not be the last you hear about this.... How fun would it be to think of some prop ideas? And pick out a fabric for a back drop? Ohhh I'm excited.

The Wishing Tree

Browsing through some creative ways to let the guests leave their well wishes and good lucks at a wedding, I really liked the “wishing tree”. More “guest book” ideas will be popping up soon, but I thought I’d throw these in here since they fit the rustic theme I so badly want.

The idea is to have branches or a bare miniature tree (a Charlie Brown Christmas Tree if you will) set up at a table with blank tags that the guests can fill out and write their messages to the bride and groom on.

Some twists:

•  You can make the tags in all different patterns that match your wedding colors/theme
•  The tags could be cut out to match your theme (flower, bird, candy, star shapes, etc.)
•  The tree can be used as reception décor (I am all about hitting two birds with one stone)
•  The tree can be outfitted in any way you choose… spray paint it gold or silver or your wedding colors, add glitter, or even make it a Christmas theme and have the guests sign ornaments instead of tags (provided you are getting married in December), etc.

(theknot.com)

(theknot.com)

You can find instructions via Style Me Pretty's Style Circle on how to do this here