I Met You When...

So I had an amazing time vacationing in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina....so much so that it's hard to be back. I did happen to steal the Charleston Weddings magazine out of my hotel room (the Andrew Pinckney Inn-so nice!), so if I get a second to actually look at it, I'll see if there's anything worth sharing in there. As is typical since I started my new job, my life is a bit hectic, so my posts have been far and few between, but I hope you'll stick with me, in hopes that I gain a little more free time eventually.

For today, I found a great little idea on Martha Stewart Wedding that is sure to keep your guests busy during the cocktail hour. It's called I Met You When...

First download these how-to instructions and the design template. You'll then be able to create a large poster (which you'll mount to foam board) which displays every year from the year the oldest of you was born to the year of your wedding.

Then the instructions tell you how to make little pins for each guest. You can pre-write their names if you want them to look a specific way (say if you want to have them all professionally calligraphied) or let each guest write their own name on the back of their flag. Then each guest takes a moment to pin their flag to the year that they met you.

By the end of the night you'll get a 3-D art display of those people who mean the most to you and when they came into your life. An idea I think might be great, is to not only have them write their name on one side of the flag, but also where or how they met you on the other. For example, if my best friend Courtney had done this when she got married, I would write my name "Amber Olson" on one side and "Mrs. Wright's 3rd Grade Class" on the other, while sticking the pin in the year 1992. To add an extra level to this I might do one color of flags for guests/friends of the groom, one color for guests/friends of the bride, and one color for those who truly consider themselves friends of both.

If you don't like the attached template, create one yourself or find an artistic friend who'd be willing to paint or draw one for you. As far as making the flags, get your friends and family in on the action to help you or use the time creating them as a moment of monotonous peace and quiet alone.

If you have a great idea you'd like to share on the blog, just email it to me at triedandtrueweddings@gmail.com. Also, don't forget that you can ask me any wedding or event related question (we feature those as Just Ask Amber posts afterward) or you can request an inspiration board made to fit the theme of your wedding as well.

Happy Planning!

~A