Don't forget about your memories: Six tips for making events more memorable using photographs and keepsakes

When you’re planning a celebration of a life milestone event – a wedding, bar mitzvah, bat mitzvah, first anniversary, 25th anniversary, or other special occasion – you want to do everything you can to make the event memorable and meaningful.

Everyone knows that looking at photographs is a wonderful way to bring back memories. So photographs that show the growth of a child or a relationship over time can be used to enhance your event.

Here are some ideas for using old memories when you’re making new ones:

1. Present a group of photographs on a photo board.
These can be simple – a few photographs pasted on a poster board. Or they can be more elaborate, done scrapbook-style using paper, stickers and other elements to enhance the photos and tie them together visually.
You can do this yourself or hire someone to do it for you –
yes, there are professional scrapbook artists out there, and some event planners provide this as a service.
If you’re going to make a scrapbook-style photo board, you might want to learn how to use some basic scrapbooking supplies and techniques. Check out the websites of Simple Scrapbooks magazine (www.simplescrapbooksmag.com) for basic ideas, and Memory Makers magazine (www.memorymakersmagazine.com) for some more elaborate examples.




A sample from a scrapbook-style bat mitzvah photo board - see Tip #1

2. Go digital
Many online photo services, such as the Kodak Gallery (www.kodakgallery.com) or Shutterfly (www.shutterfly.com) will create digital collages of your photographs. This is especially convenient if you already have uploaded your photos to one of these websites.
Digitized photos also can be turned into multimedia slideshows with music, titles, and other effects. This can be done by some online photo services, as well as by many local businesses that process digital photographs. Many software programs (such as Apple’s iLife software) are available to help you do this on your own.

3. Incorporate photographs into your favors
The range of products that can be personalized with a favorite photograph is almost unlimited – everything from mugs to playing cards to T-shirts, key rings, and puzzles. Start with the online photo services for ideas.

4. Use photographs in your table decorations
Photos can be used instead of table numbers – imagine people sitting at the “First Grade” table for a bar/bat mitzvah or a “First House” table at a wedding. A photo tree could be used to display a group of photos as part of a centerpiece.

5. Make a photograph the focal point of your sign-in board.
Sign-in boards make great keepsakes and give your guests a chance to create a unique personalized memento. Make an enlargement of a favorite photo, have it dry mounted on foam core and let your guests use it as a sign-in board. You also can buy sign-in boards that come framed and formatted to include a photo.

6. Display a keepsake collage that uses photographs
Show off a wedding photo with the original wedding invitation at a 25th anniversary party. Use a newborn photograph and a recent photograph for a milestone birthday. These collages could incorporate memorabilia from a past event; they also can be made to celebrate the current event, using the invitation from your special occasion. Purple Raincoat will be happy to create one for you.



This invitation keepsake collage was created for the couple's 20th wedding anniversary, using an original invitation and photograph from their wedding day, which we restored and reprinted.

When your event is over, be sure to preserve the memories with a personalized gift from Purple Raincoat. We're the expert in showcasing your memories. Visit www.purpleraincoat.com to see what we can do to help celebrate your special occasion.