Wed Recap: Videos and fun pages from our Guest Book

As I mentioned, I wanted to finish up the last 4 or so wedding recaps I had.  So you all know that the guest book was like one of the best parts of our wedding because it involved the photobooth.  I knew I wanted photos of every single guest (as many as we could collect) from our actual wedding day.  So we incorporated the idea of using a photobooth to offer a fun entertaining activity for the guests as well as an extra favor for them to remember our wedding by.  And the second set of photos that they took would be placed on a page from our guest book. 

Here's some video of some of the guests in the photobooth throughout the night:

Rather than using the typical scrapbook with blank pages for our guest book, I found a company called the Guestbook Store online and ordered a book and customized pages for our guests to complete.  The pages have a place for a 4 x 6 photo of the guests - perfect since that was the size our photobooth printed out.

Here are some of my favorite pages of our guest book.  (Please note that the pages are double sided but the photo only goes on one side)  :)

This couple color coded their answers so we would know which came from each of them :)

I love how Kristin even colored in the page in our wedding colors on this page:

I love how our neighbors mentioned the video from our ceremony with such enthusiasm:

I think the best 'real' advice I got from anyone was from Mr Fix It's mother who wrote the following:

I particularly liked that my aesthetician/masseuse wrote under "How do you know Stacey & John?" :  "I make Stacey feel good with my hands." 

And I thought it was pretty profound when one of Jordan's friends wrote under the 'advice' section 'Not to fight because it scares kids.'  :)

Share time:   What did/are you doing for your guest book?  Did you incorporate photos of the guests? 

TODAY'S WEDDING TIP:  If you incorporate a photobooth or guest book that may not be too self explanatory at your wedding, it's a good idea to put up a bunch of clear signs with instructions or even better, have an attendant to direct your guests on what to do and how to use the equipment. 

A blog post filled with photos!

So I've visited my venue a total of 4 times in the past year:  1)  First time in Nov, 2008 Mr Fix It and I went on the appointment to check it out and ask the questions.  2)  Second time in Jan, 2009 when I took my mom and sis to see it after we had booked it.  3)  Third time on April 16th, 2009 at 5 pm (the exact day and time in 2010 that our wedding ceremony will take place) with my daughter and coordinator so I could get pics of the place at the same time of day and year that we'll be there.  4)  Fourth time in August when I took my future MIL and SIL to see it.

I get to go again on January 7th when I take another future SIL to see it while she is in town taking 2 of our 4 little ring bearers to Disneyland.  While I was there on April 16th last year I took lots of photos of the different areas so I could plan accordingly for lighting, weather, sunset, etc.  All the pics below are mostly my personal shots from that day.

The coolest thing about this place - the private zoo on the premises that guests can walk the trail before the ceremony or during the cocktail hour to see 4 tigers, llamas, zebras, wild cats, exotic birds and more! Check it out - what do you think?

The entrance where guests walk along the trellis to the gathering/cocktail area when they first arrive.

The Cocktail area by a fountain pool (we will have a strolling magician during our cocktail hour to entertain the guests)

Look at how all the flowers are in full bloom in April!  Love it!

Another shot of cocktail area from above (to the left is the outdoor bar area, in the distance is the outdoor teatro where the ceremony is held)

The outdoor teatro where the ceremony is held (the bridal party make their entrance across that bridge)

Another shot of the outdoor ceremony area with chairs set up

A shot from the teatro looking up at Rick's Cafe. The balcony is a very popular photo op location. (This is also how the guests get down to the ceremony site from the cocktail/reception area...it is also where we are setting up a 'kids corner' area with babysitters for younger children to play games and watch DVD's and even let younger babies sleep in small pack n plays)

The reception area with a stone fireplace in the center where our sweetheart table will be set up in front of (It also has another bar area available and an alcove behind the fireplace where we can set up the buffet and keep it out of sight of the guests dining tables)

The alcove behind the fireplace where the buffet and chocolate fountain will be set up.

The patio off the reception room (Grand Salon) where our photobooth and guestbook table will be set up.

Some shots of inside Rick's Cafe where the kids corner will be set up...it's very cool, there are different table/bar areas for guests as well as another fireplace for ambience

 

The bride's cottage / preparation area.  To the right of that bridge is a patio area and the bride's cottage is the door on that patio.  The bridesmaids and I will exit that cottage and walk across the bridge to the ceremony (aisle).

Though not large, there's even an area behind the teatro for a 'groom's quarters'.  Not many places offer a place for the guys to change and hang in!

The gazebo out at the ceremony area - the guitarist (my friend Charlie) will be set up behind that little arch that juts out into where the guests will be seated.

Where guests will walk in from...that raised brick area will have the gift table on it.

Orchards behind the teatro (ceremony area) where we will have some pretty photo ops

The main entrance that guests turn into the estate off of the road.

The area where guests will exit their vehicles at the valet station...also a wonderful photo op area

The estate has some beautiful lawns, trees and flowers and this vintage red photo booth I can't wait to get some fun shots in!

More pretty walkways for photos

Another shot of the cocktail/fountain and outdoor bar area

A deck (part of the cocktail area) next to Rick's Cafe

Cocktail area lit up at dusk

Cocktail area with lounge chairs and tables set out (we won't have that big round ottoman at our cocktail hour but we will have some cushioned benches and tables up against the fountain pool similar to those brown ones).

Photos courtesy of personal camera, Rancho Las Lomas, www.thebecker.com and Renee Broughton Photography

My Idea for a Unique Guestbook (Part 1)

**  Disclaimer:  If you are using any of the items I refer to in this post, please don't take it as a personal offense in any way.  Every single bride (groom) has their own tastes and style that they just fall in love with and there is nothing wrong with anything you choose to offer, do or display at your wedding.  I am just sharing my own personal style and the things that I appreciate at weddings.  **

Over the past several years, many of my friends have gotten married and one just booked her wedding for the weekend after mine.  One of them worked as a children's director at our church.  She is super smart, sweet and full of energy and great ideas to keep little precious children laughing and active.  She married a youth pastor who (like my own Mr. Fix It) is a huge surf addict.

I expected their wedding to have a beachy theme (the ceremony took place at Salt Creek Beach here in Dana Point), but I also expected it to have some youthfulness and fun little things mixed in, too.  Needless to say, I was a bit disappointed.  In her defense, she was super busy when planning and slightly overwhelmed so she didn't have the time to put a ton of thought into every little detail.  But I thought she'd at least be a little more creative than to offer the small 2x3 sea shell picture frames with an engagement pic of her and her hubby in them.  I mean that is done at most weddings and while you don't have to wow me with something spectacular, I just like to see something with a personal touch (the pic and the beach theme) but with some uniqueness to it.  What am I supposed to do with a 2x3 seashell photo frame?  It's up in a closet somewhere right now because I didn't have the heart to get rid of it.

Source

As we entered the reception, I almost walked right by the little 'guestbook' she had sitting out on a table.  It was seriously the very traditional simple little white guest book with lines in it for the guests to write their name and address.  I signed my name in it only so years from now she can see that I was in fact there, but I really wanted to head straight for the appetizers since I know she has my address - heck, she sits in my house every single Wednesday night during our bible study...and I did get an invitation, didn't I?

Source

Anyway, the point is...the guestbook can be a very fun and simple element of your wedding that helps you stand out from just any other wedding.  And it doesn't have to be super expensive and it doesn't have to be uber creative like this little gem:

Thanks to Kristy from I'm Gonna Marry You Someday for sharing this with us :)

I knew what I wanted for my guestbook...I just had to figure out how to pull it all together - stay tuned.

Things to do at your cocktail hour

Here's a fun thing for you to think about:  While my fiance keeps reminding me that our guests will be at our wedding to celebrate us, I can't help thinking up fun ways to celebrate THEM and to keep them entertained throughout the event.  So I always said that when I get married, I will hire a strolling magician to walk amongst the guests and perform small magic and card tricks for them.

Lo and behold, I was blessed by God when at a Valentine's Day dinner last February, my fiance and I had a chance encounter with Jeff Ezell.  He is an AMAZING magician and through the course of events which I will not bore you with, we were able to secure him for our cocktail hour entertainment.  Check him out here:  http://jeffezell.webs.com/

Granted, he is not one of the more budget friendly entertainers in our area (especially since he is from Los Angeles and has performed for stars the likes of Tom Cruise, Pam Anderson, Lucy Liu and more) but I did some earlier research before we found him.  You can typically find this type of entertainment for around $250 to $500 per hour if you take some time to search.

Here is a little video displaying some of his work. Granted, he won't really be doing a 'show' at our cocktail hour but rather strolling among the guests performing individual card tricks for them and what not.

So what do you think?  Are you doing anything fun and different for your cocktail hour?