Product Spotlight: Personalized Gray Crosshatch Convertible Garment Bag

It can be difficult to buy gifts for people you care about. You need something personal, and it should be something they’ll love, but it will be even more special if it’s something they will use, too. This convertible garment bag is an incredible gift – for your husband-to-be, his groomsmen, or even just as a birthday gift. It is perfect for everyone, from gym-goers to travelers, whether they’re taking a family weekend getaway or visiting another country for work.

This polyester and faux leather duffel bag opens up and expands into a garment bag with hanging capabilities. It even has separate compartments on the inside for shoes. The two strap options let you carry the bag over your shoulder or in your hands. The bag offers two outer pockets on either end, and one wider pocket on the front as well.

The beautiful gray material with black accents is stylish without being too flashy, and the bold monogram stands out enough to ensure you’ll never get it mixed up with someone else’s on a baggage carousel in an airport. As an added bonus, this bag is also an airline approved carry on bag, so your traveling just got a whole lot easier if you prefer not waiting around a baggage carousel at all.

If you’re having a destination wedding (or even if you just have to travel a few hours away), these bags are the best gifts for your groomsmen and family members. Fill the bag with travel necessities, fun surprises, their favorite treats, and a thank you note and give them to the recipients when they arrive at the hotel.

• Snacks
• Drinks
• Bottle opener
• Hat and gloves (winter wedding)
• Sandals and sunglasses (summer wedding)
• Advil
• Cuff links or pocket square or other matching accessory for the wedding day
• A travel toiletries bag
• Flask or coffee mug

The groom would love one too – just be sure to include honeymoon-specific items in his bag, too.
The wedding party will always travel in style and be sure to get tons of compliments on their personalized bags.

Elizabeth graduated from The University of Findlay with a Master of Arts in Rhetoric and Writing. She now resides in Portland, Oregon where she is employed in the real estate business and is particularly enjoying the local cuisine. As a writer, Elizabeth believes in a quote from one of her favorite TV shows: "We have only two jobs on this Earth. The first: to learn. The second: to cope." A deep desire to learn struck Elizabeth when she was young, and now she hopes to help you cope by sharing information, and helping you apply the knowledge. Weddings and event planning can be overwhelming; sometimes it's okay to take a little advice from a stranger on the internet.

Wedding Guest Signature Puzzle Guest Book Alternative

Brides are getting more and more creative with their wedding guest books - using something meaningful to the couple to collect names and well wishes from friends and family attending their wedding. Outside of the traditional keepsake book there are so many options! One of our favorites is this personalized wooden puzzle, pieced together with memories of those closest to you.  

Assemble the puzzle before your wedding day to display on the guest receiving table. On the big day, place a sign next to the puzzle encouraging guests to sign a puzzle piece or pieces. The bridal party can sign it first, crossing puzzle piece lines in various ways as an example for guests to follow.

If you know you have some puzzle enthusiasts in your family, consider leaving the smaller puzzle pieces in the box with only the large center puzzle piece on the table next to the pen. Place a sign on the table encouraging guests to take a piece from the box and add it to the center piece and sign. This method is a bit more complicated as guests will have to find and match coordinating puzzle piece, working from the center outward.

After the wedding, the puzzle can be glued together and framed to hang on a wall in your home or disassembled and placed back in the box for a lifelong wedding keepsake. Make a tradition out of putting it together on your anniversary every year and sharing a memory of the person who signed the piece you just fit into place. 

A unique guest book alternative and wedding keepsake all wrapped into one, this all-wood, 113 piece jigsaw puzzle and puzzle box is personalized with your choice of three letter monogram or 2 lines of custom print on both the large puzzle centerpiece and the puzzle box lid. Adding to the cuteness factor, each of the 112 interlocking wood puzzle pieces feature heart-shape tabs and blanks. Guests will love it, and you and your spouse will treasure it always.

Happy puzzling!

The Wedding Souvenir You Never Knew You Needed

There are two things a party always has, it seems: people and drinks. You don’t always have decorations or gifts or even food, but there is always something to drink and always someone there to drink it. 

At weddings, it is customary to give your guests favors. If this is something you plan on doing, then you know for certain you will need people, drinks, and gifts for those people. Favors are the trickiest factor in that equation and can be a difficult choice for a bride and groom. Food is common because it is easy and it is cheap. But do you know if any of your guests have allergies? Are they vegan? What about their plus 1? And what happens to the personalized wrappers after the food is eaten? They get thrown away and the favor you put so much time and energy into is soon forgotten.

Longer-lasting favors are difficult, too, though. It’s hard to find something that everyone will like. Plants and seeds are popular favors, but not everyone likes gardening, and some of the people who do (like me) can’t keep a plant alive no matter what. Matches are a classic favor too, but just like the food, eventually they’ll be used up and the container will be thrown away. Not to mention favors like these can be expensive. Beyond these, the long-term favors get expensive. If there’s room in your budget, you can definitely figure out a very thoughtful, useful, and memorable favor.

For those who have a smaller budget or just want to be frugal and/or practical, there are other options! My family started using these personalized cups at all of our events a few years ago—birthdays, anniversary parties, graduation parties, and so on. We get compliments on them every time. With all the different styles and options to personalize text, font, and images/designs, your cups will be unique and useful – a beautiful combination. Not to mention there is a whole range of styles to choose from, so whether your wedding reception involves a bonfire in your backyard (maybe you need a classic solo cup!) or an upscale soiree at The Biltmore Estate (pilsner glass, anyone?), you’ll find a cup to match.

Source: Solo Cups, Plastic Pilsner Glasses

You can design your cups basically however you want them. If you order in smaller quantities, you can get multile designs so your guests can pick their favorite. These frosted plastic cups are especially cute for summer weddings. If you’re serving hot drinks, you can get Styrofoam cups, too.

Source: Frosted Plastic Cups

If you love the personalized cups but for whatever reason, they’re not practical for general use at your wedding, consider using these champagne flutes just for the toasts!

These small, clear cups are perfect for a signature food item - such as an hors d'oeuvre or a dessert!  They come in different sizes, so you can even pick your serving size. Plus, they double as a carrying container, so if you put a dessert in them, your guests can take a second cup home (if there’s any left over!)

Source: Mini Milkshake Cups

If you think a cup doesn’t feel like enough of a favor, you can add goodie bags of candies or chocolates inside them, or baggies of plant seeds, or another small favor you’d had on your mind. You could make a miniature gift basket in them. For the adults, a small liquor bottle and a piece of chocolate. For the kids, a bottle of bubbles and a glow stick. 

Source: The Hunt is Over Stadium Cup, Dessert Tumbler, Frosted Plastic Cups, Paper Cups, Monogram Cup, Wine Goblets

Whether you just can’t decide on a souvenir for your guests, are sticking to a strict budget, or love to be frugal, these cups are the perfect addition to your wedding. Give your guests a gift they can use to celebrate your wedding for years to come. You, too, can save any leftover cups for a toast on your anniversary.

Cheers!

Elizabeth graduated from The University of Findlay with a Master of Arts in Rhetoric and Writing. She now resides in Portland, Oregon where she is employed in the real estate business and is particularly enjoying the local cuisine. As a writer, Elizabeth believes in a quote from one of her favorite TV shows: "We have only two jobs on this Earth. The first: to learn. The second: to cope." A deep desire to learn struck Elizabeth when she was young, and now she hopes to help you cope by sharing information, and helping you apply the knowledge. Weddings and event planning can be overwhelming; sometimes it's okay to take a little advice from a stranger on the internet.

6 Guest Books That Aren't Actually Books

How many books do you have sitting on a shelf right now? How many have you read? How many do you look at regularly? Probably not very many. What about photo albums—how often do you look through those? In a world as busy as ours, it’s easy for books of all types to get left behind.

Source: Traditional Guest Book

The same thing happens to guest books. At my high school graduation party, my mom put out a notebook for people to sign and leave me advice. I read one piece of advice in it the night of my party, put it in a stack of books and notebooks, and forgot about it until after my first year of graduate school. On the other hand, I used my card bucket every day for years after my party. The party was Dr. Seuss-themed, and the card bucket was one of those giant cheese ball containers that we had painted in colorful stripes to mimic Oh, the Places You’ll Go! I took that bucket to college with me and used it every day. As a trash can, sure, but I still looked at it every day.

No matter how much we cherish the printed word, traditional books are being left behind. But that’s okay, because it means we get to update our idea of what “book” means – and find new options for guest books. Luckily, there are tons of options – the hard part is picking which modern guest book will work best for your wedding, engagement party, bridal shower, or other event.

Let’s think long-term. You want something that will be beautiful or fun or hands-on; something you’ll be able to use over and over again after the event but won’t look quite so practical at the event. I have a few ideas for you.

Puzzles

Source: Wooden Puzzle Guest Book

My personal favorite: a blank, wooden puzzle! You can use light-colored wood and just about any color marker to write on the pieces to match your wedding colors. Or, you can use a dark-stained wood and use silver, white, and gold markers. You can write on both sides, so a guest can write a message on one side and sign their name on the other side. The best part is what comes after. If you enjoy puzzles, you can put the puzzle together whenever you want and as many times as you want.

Make a tradition out of putting it together on your anniversary every year and sharing a memory of the person who signed the piece you just fit into place (bonus points if the memory is from the event!) Or, if you prefer the satisfaction of putting together a puzzle only once, you can do so and then glue and seal it, frame it, and hang it on your wall. It’s more decorative than a book and a better talking point because you don’t have to pick up a book and read through it – you can just glance at the puzzle and pick out a name. Another option, if you have young people in your family, is to leave it out for them to play with. It would be a good way for them to learn about family members as well. Check out one of these wooden puzzles here.

Jenga

Source: Jenga Yard Game

If you prefer a more competitive type of puzzle, use Jenga blocks. You can yell at your friends later when you pull your name and they cause the tower to fall, because of course it was their fault! There are different sizes of Jenga games, too, ranging from travel-sized to giant (almost as tall as an adult), which makes for an exciting yard game.

Beer or Wine Growler

Source: Wine Cork Guestbook Growler

Here’s an idea that’s becoming more and more popular: a growler. Sort of like a shadow box, a beer or wine growler is an awesome alternative to a guest book for those who enjoy a good drink. Guests sign a wine cork (or bottle cap!) and drop it inside the jug. Unlike a shadow box, though, the growler can be reused. Take out the signed tokens and make your own wine, cider, or beer! If you’re not interested in investing that much time into a drink, though, it makes a great decorative item as well. A growler is big enough to sit on the floor in a corner but small enough to not overwhelm a coffee or side table, either. Put flowers or seasonal items in the top and use it as a centerpiece. Have a bar in your house (or wish you had one)? This is one of the best decorations you could find.

Sporting Equipment

Source: Surfboard Guestbook

For the more active, sporty couple, use a favorite piece of equipment. A snowboard, surfboard, or ski is a good surface for signing; then you can use it as it was intended, and remember your event every time you use it, or hang it on a wall and be reminded of both your favorite activity and your favorite event when you see it. Maybe you and your significant other met at a sporting event. Get your favorite player’s jersey and have guests sign that. Or, if the two of you argue constantly over which player is better, make a game out of it and get an answer once and for all! Get a jersey for each player and have guests sign their favorite. Later, count the signatures on each jersey. The loser has to wear the winning jersey for the rest of the season!

Shadow Box

Source: Shadow Box Guest Book

Of course, we can’t forget about the shadow box, an item that quickly became a favorite way to show off memorabilia. This shadow box offers cute wooden-shaped hearts as tokens for your guests to sign and drop in the box. The black frame sets off the silver and gold hearts in an elegant way that is sure to draw an eye or two.

Signing Stones

Source: River Rock Signing Stones

Signing stones have also become popular. I love this one because there are so many things you can do with the stones – before and after they’re signed. At the event, you can set them out in a bowl on the gift table so guests can sign as they’re dropping off gifts. Or, use the stones in your centerpieces or scatter them across the tables. Guests can sign them whenever they’re ready throughout the night, and you can leave a vase or bowl near the exit so guests can drop them off before they leave. Afterwards, you have tons of options for the stones. Put them in a vase and use it year-round. Spread them through a stone walkway or scatter them through your flower garden. Create a beautiful incense tray. Line the tray with the stones and succulents and place your incense holder on top.

Nontraditional Guestbook Books

Can’t seem to give up on a book? I get it. And you, book lovers, have some alternatives too.

Use a photo book instead of a journal. Get a polaroid camera and have guests take a quick selfie and write a message on the back.

If you and your significant other have a favorite book, set out a copy. Ask your guests to find a passage or phrase they enjoy and sign their name next to it.

Love to travel as much as you love the feel of a paperback in your hands? Use an atlas! Guests can sign on the page with their favorite place or somewhere they’ve always wanted to go. When you travel to one of these places, make sure you send a postcard to that person!

Source: Polaroid Guest Book, Atlas Guest Book

Your wedding, or any other special event, deserves an incredible memento – one that won’t get lost on a shelf or forgotten in a stack of journals.

Elizabeth graduated from The University of Findlay with a Master of Arts in Rhetoric and Writing. She now resides in Portland, Oregon where she is employed in the real estate business and is particularly enjoying the local cuisine. As a writer, Elizabeth believes in a quote from one of her favorite TV shows: "We have only two jobs on this Earth. The first: to learn. The second: to cope." A deep desire to learn struck Elizabeth when she was young, and now she hopes to help you cope by sharing information, and helping you apply the knowledge. Weddings and event planning can be overwhelming; sometimes it's okay to take a little advice from a stranger on the internet.

Wood Wedding Guest Book Monograms

Your wedding guest book is something that you will want to treasure forever with notes, well wishes, and signatures from your family and friends. The struggle with guestbooks, though, is that they tend to be stored out of sight and out of mind with other family mementos. These trendy wood monograms are the perfect solution, as they can be painted any color to match your wedding theme or home decor, and then displayed in your home for years to come as a reminder of your special day and loved ones.

These monograms are crafted from birchwood, and make a beautiful focal point at your wedding reception where guests can use paint and permanent markers to leave sentiments and warm thoughts. Guests will love the more interactive guest book display, and you will love the timeless keepsake they create. 

Hang your wood monogram as a 'wow' piece in your gallery wall, or above your bed, kitchen table, or sofa as a touching memento and fun conversation starter when you have company. Display your monogram by propping it on a mantle, table, or shelf, or hang using command strips, nails, or ribbon. There are so many options for showing off your custom monogram, you will be sure to treasure it long after your wedding day has passed.

We suggest using a two-in-one paint and primer spray paint, and applying several thin coats for a smooth finish. Paint pens and permanent markers work perfectly for signatures and messages. If you prefer, you can even apply a clear topcoat to preserve the finish for as long as possible.

Wood Monogram Guest Book Alternatives

Fall Wedding Guest Souvenir Ideas

We can't help but get excited when thinking about Fall. What's not to love?  The leaves turn a beautiful color of golden red, the weather is crisp, and pumpkin spice is around every corner. If you are lucky enough to have a fall wedding, you have undoubtedly thought about your wedding favors. Your guest souvenirs are the perfect opportunity to incorporate an element of the Autumn season into your wedding decor.  They don't even have to be difficult or over the top.  Just pick one element of the season that you and your fiance absolutely love such as pumpkins, apples, or leaves and build on that idea.  If it is something you love,  your guests are bound to love it too.  For some sure fire wins, check out some of our top picks for Fall wedding guest souvenir ideas.  To see more ideas visit us here.

Pumpkins

From a "Pick Your Own" pumpkin patch to the gilded variety, pumpkins are the ideal favor idea for Fall weddings. Abundant and relatively inexpensive, pumpkins are festive and can be decorated to match the theme of your wedding.

Source:  Gold Glitter Pumpkins, Gold Pumpkin Place Card Holder, Pumpkin Patch, Personalized Plastic Fall Cups


Acorns, Nuts, and Seeds

Acorns, nuts, an seeds are a cute twist to traditional Fall elements like pumpkins and leaves.  Include a roasted seed and nut buffet at your wedding along with personalized favor bags for guests to fill and take home with them.  If you are feeling especially crafty, make acorn shaped chocolates to set out at each guest place setting.  Items like these acorn shaped measuring spoons make a great addition to bridal showers to tie in the theme of your wedding.

Source:  Acorn Measuring Spoons, Acorn Salt and Pepper Shakers, Roasted Pumpkin Seeds, Chocolate Acorns, Candied Acorns

Apples

Apples are the quintessential fall fruit.  Tie in apples throughout your fall wedding for instant charm and coziness.  For guest souvenirs, give loved ones homemade apple butter, caramel apples, or set out bags for guests to fill with apples and take home.  A hot apple cider bar is a great addition for late in the season outdoor weddings to take the chill off.

Source:  Homemade Apple Butter, Caramel Apple, Apple Cider Mix Tutorial, Fill A Bag Apple Station

Leaves and Trees

For a "Fall in Love" wedding theme, falling leaves and tree favors are a must-have.  Fall shaped souvenirs like bottle openers, bottle stoppers, and even prepackaged maple syrup make cute favor ideas that will tie in your decor.  Personalized fall napkins add an extra special touch to your decor and double as favors for guests to take home as a memento of your special day.

Source: Fall Tree Napkins, Fall Leaf Bottle Openers, Fall Leaf Bottle Stoppers, Maple Syrup Bottles, Rustic Oak Canvas Tote Bags

To view more fall wedding guest souvenir ideas, visit us at https://myweddingreceptionideas.com/fall_wedding_favors.asp