Now it is time to discuss my favorite part of the wedding, all the little details that can really make a wedding “your” unique event. We can start with napkins. There are of course the linen napkins we discussed early that you can order in any color to dress up your tablescape. There are also the paper napkins that have been around for generations. These can go on the bar and on the cake table. They can be white, ivory or any color that matches your scheme. They can be printed with your name and the date, your monogram, your logo, or even the ever popular “Eat, Drink & Be Married”. Now if you are on a budget, skip these all together, no one will even notice. If you really, really want them, but the budget is tight, get them printed with just your names on them and no date. This way you can use any leftovers at your first dinner party in your new home and nothing goes to waste, giving you more bang for your buck.
Menus, I think are another nice touch. If you are having a sit down dinner they help your guests know what they are going to be eating and drinking. They also can add so much to your table in the way of color. Making them yourself is easy or you can have them printed, if money is no object. Just be sure your caterer reviews them before you have them printed to make sure everything is correct. If you are having a buffet, you might want to place one or two on the tables, so guests know what to look for in line. They can be on the guest tables, on the bar, on the buffet itself or even just one large menu placed on an easel at the start of the buffet line.
Table numbers are another place to let your creativity show. Of course, you can go just about anywhere and buy numbers and holders or ask your site, some provide them. But with a little creativity, you can really use this as an area to show your uniqueness. You can scan pictures of the two of you at different ages, print them out with a number and you have a table number like no one else’s. Maybe take pictures at different places that are special to you and your groom and use these. I’ve even seen pictures of a pet (great way to include your beloved dog in your wedding) posed in different ways with a number, printed and used as table numbers. The sky is definitely the limit here. Whatever says “you”. The same is true with what you use as place cards or escort cards for your guests. You can use votives with the guest’s name and table number; you can use sand dollars, painted with the name and number for a beach themed wedding. Simple cards can be done in your wedding colors. (Hint * if you are serving a choice of entrees at your reception, use your place cards to let the waiter know what choice that guest has made. Pink lettering could mean beef, silver lettering chicken.).
Now let’s talk about favors. Favors run the gamut from the ridiculously expensive to the cheap and everywhere in between. I’ve seen picture frames, cookies, M&M’s in the wedding colors, candles, soap, salt & pepper shakers, wine glasses, coffee mugs, bottle openers, lottery tickets and on and on. Now, from my experience it appears nothing beats food or candy. These are never left behind by guests. Face it, not too many people, besides your mother, want wine glasses with your name on them or coffee mugs with your monogram on it. They may love you dearly, but they don’t want to drink their morning coffee out of a mug with your name on it. So stay away from the monogramming. This is an extra expense that just does not pay off. A new trend that I’m seeing a lot is donating to charity in your guests name. Be careful here, picking a charity that all your guests support is not that easy. I DO Foundation is a good place to start.
There is also the choice of a sign in book. The small guest book with lines for all your guest to
sign use to be the way it was done. Now days, you have the sign in mat, the sign in platter, sign in picture book (pictures of the bride and groom printed in book form with blank spaces for guest to sign in on), check out Shutterfly. I personality love the mats. Have your guests sign in and after the wedding place it around a great wedding picture and hang on the wall for everyone to enjoy. During the reception display your engagement picture in the center for guest’s to see while they are signing.
Some other special touch ideas for your wedding are wedding coloring books for the kids that you design and print out yourselves so that they represent your wedding. Set up a children’s area at the reception with the coloring books, a sign in stuff animal that they can write their signatures on and crayons.
For beautiful pictures when leaving, provide your guests with bubbles, rose petals or sparklers (check with your venue and be sure what they allow).
Bathroom baskets are another hit with guests. Now this is something that you can skip if the budget is tight, but they are not that expensive to do. Just go to your drugstore and get sample sizes of anything your guest might need that night, mouthwash, deodorant, sewing kit, hairspray, etc. Place them in a pretty basket (in your colors) in the restroom for guests to use in case of emergency. Brings your theme into the restroom and shows your guests that you were thinking of them.
By now you should be full of ideas of how to make your wedding your own. It’s not that hard it just takes a little imagination and good guidance. That’s where I come in!
Menus, I think are another nice touch. If you are having a sit down dinner they help your guests know what they are going to be eating and drinking. They also can add so much to your table in the way of color. Making them yourself is easy or you can have them printed, if money is no object. Just be sure your caterer reviews them before you have them printed to make sure everything is correct. If you are having a buffet, you might want to place one or two on the tables, so guests know what to look for in line. They can be on the guest tables, on the bar, on the buffet itself or even just one large menu placed on an easel at the start of the buffet line.
Table numbers are another place to let your creativity show. Of course, you can go just about anywhere and buy numbers and holders or ask your site, some provide them. But with a little creativity, you can really use this as an area to show your uniqueness. You can scan pictures of the two of you at different ages, print them out with a number and you have a table number like no one else’s. Maybe take pictures at different places that are special to you and your groom and use these. I’ve even seen pictures of a pet (great way to include your beloved dog in your wedding) posed in different ways with a number, printed and used as table numbers. The sky is definitely the limit here. Whatever says “you”. The same is true with what you use as place cards or escort cards for your guests. You can use votives with the guest’s name and table number; you can use sand dollars, painted with the name and number for a beach themed wedding. Simple cards can be done in your wedding colors. (Hint * if you are serving a choice of entrees at your reception, use your place cards to let the waiter know what choice that guest has made. Pink lettering could mean beef, silver lettering chicken.).
Now let’s talk about favors. Favors run the gamut from the ridiculously expensive to the cheap and everywhere in between. I’ve seen picture frames, cookies, M&M’s in the wedding colors, candles, soap, salt & pepper shakers, wine glasses, coffee mugs, bottle openers, lottery tickets and on and on. Now, from my experience it appears nothing beats food or candy. These are never left behind by guests. Face it, not too many people, besides your mother, want wine glasses with your name on them or coffee mugs with your monogram on it. They may love you dearly, but they don’t want to drink their morning coffee out of a mug with your name on it. So stay away from the monogramming. This is an extra expense that just does not pay off. A new trend that I’m seeing a lot is donating to charity in your guests name. Be careful here, picking a charity that all your guests support is not that easy. I DO Foundation is a good place to start.
There is also the choice of a sign in book. The small guest book with lines for all your guest to
sign use to be the way it was done. Now days, you have the sign in mat, the sign in platter, sign in picture book (pictures of the bride and groom printed in book form with blank spaces for guest to sign in on), check out Shutterfly. I personality love the mats. Have your guests sign in and after the wedding place it around a great wedding picture and hang on the wall for everyone to enjoy. During the reception display your engagement picture in the center for guest’s to see while they are signing.Some other special touch ideas for your wedding are wedding coloring books for the kids that you design and print out yourselves so that they represent your wedding. Set up a children’s area at the reception with the coloring books, a sign in stuff animal that they can write their signatures on and crayons.
For beautiful pictures when leaving, provide your guests with bubbles, rose petals or sparklers (check with your venue and be sure what they allow).
Bathroom baskets are another hit with guests. Now this is something that you can skip if the budget is tight, but they are not that expensive to do. Just go to your drugstore and get sample sizes of anything your guest might need that night, mouthwash, deodorant, sewing kit, hairspray, etc. Place them in a pretty basket (in your colors) in the restroom for guests to use in case of emergency. Brings your theme into the restroom and shows your guests that you were thinking of them.
By now you should be full of ideas of how to make your wedding your own. It’s not that hard it just takes a little imagination and good guidance. That’s where I come in!
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