Making your wedding personal is sometimes the biggest challenge. So many services are designed to take the work out of wedding planning. There are package deals at hotels, resorts, country clubs and almost anywhere weddings are commonly held. These deals often include, with your booking of the venue, cocktails, a dinner menu, a wedding cake and in most cases, an in-house wedding planner to assist you. With all the legwork cut out, all that remains to be done is selecting package A, B or C. It’s definitely an appealing alternative if you are someone who may not have time to design her own event from scratch, interview dozens of vendors and then comparison shop. But even if you have to take a few shortcuts on the big decisions, don’t let your wedding be “cookie cutter” and therefore, forgettable. Take the simple elements into your own hands, and infuse as much of your personalities into them as possible.
For instance, as your guests arrive, instead of having the traditional guest book sign-in routine, why not get their attention by doing something different. Rent a photo booth where each guest can have his picture taken. The picture then goes into an album and serves as his “signature”. Instant photo guest book kits are a great alternative. The polaroids do the same trick without the hassle of getting the booth, and the albums are designed for guests to write messages to the bride and groom. Another simple way to add flavor to your reception is through your wedding favors. I really believe it can be one of the most personal pieces in the wedding planning process. As you choose your favors, don’t be restricted to single item favors that have to mean something. In other words, there may not be that one perfect favor that sums up you, your fiancé and your relationship. If you’re both dentists who love to travel, then maybe a traveler’s toothbrush set is the perfect favor. But it’s not always that easy. Luckily, you can create your favors by purchasing things a la carte and putting together little packages that really show you spent some time thinking. Start by browsing through the themed favors, get some ideas, and then go to the packaging section to figure out how you’ll present it. One recent client is hosting a tea reception by the beach, and she wants to serve the whole leaf tea sachets on the ceramic trays. But she also wants to incorporate the ocean theme, so she found the bag of sea creature charms, and will be including 2-3 charms for each guest. She’s packaging the tea, tray, and charms in organza bags that match her color theme. This way, she has a practical favor that ties in to her reception, and that her guests will be able to take home as a souvenir.