Think I have a great idea... a Slideshow presentation during reception. - The PASH Wedding Forums and Message Boards

MarthaA562 · #1 10-22-2006, 06:34 AM

So, we are having mainly family and close friends to our wedding. I really want to add something sentimental and as a dedication to our parents. Joe knows how to use Powerpoint and my step-mom (also our marrying minister) has a projector and screen. I want to do a slide show with pictures of Joe and myself growing up. Kind of a sum of our life stories, and then when we met. I can download templates for powerpoint and make it really nice looking (with Joe's help). Has anyone attended a wedding where this was used? Everyone that I have talked to about it thinks it is a great idea. What do you all think? Anyone have any ideas about how we should set it up? Like, showing pictures of one of us growing up first, and then the other, or flipflopping between us? We are having a sit down dinner... when should it take place? I know that it will probably be a tearjerker for the parents, but it would add a personal touch. We want both cute and embarrassing pictures ( I have one when I had a mullet at the age of five with thick red glasses, and his mom says she has some good ones on him too).

maroki13 · #2 10-22-2006, 06:49 AM

I've never been to a wedding with a slideshow. I think it is a great idea!!

Are you having a cocktail or appetizer hour? I would say that would be a good time to have the slideshow, since it would probably spark some interesting conversation.

MarthaA562 · #3 10-22-2006, 06:56 AM

I am having a cocktail hour... but that time will be spent doing photos. I was thinking of doing it either before or after the toast.... Get the sentimental stuff out of the way, then let the party begin!!!

Robyn Lynn · #4 10-22-2006, 04:12 PM

I went to a reception with a slideshow and it was very nice. They just had it playing in the corner of the gym at church continuously(no audio) because the reception was more of an Open House. I would suggest doing yours at dinner while everyone is sitting and eating and relaxed.

Heather · #5 10-22-2006, 04:14 PM

We did a slideshow at our rehearsal dinner and it went over really well.

breezy · #6 10-22-2006, 04:42 PM

I like the idea of flipflopping between pics of you. I think I'd play it during dinner when everything is calmer.
We had a slideshow of pics taken that day played twd the end of our reception.

Leslee&Jake · #7 10-22-2006, 05:10 PM

I have been to a few weddings where this was done. I think it is a great idea and it will bring back memories for almost everyone at the reception. Especially if you have pictures that just arent of you two only but the pictures might include you and a few of your friends that you have grown up with. I agree about doing it at dinner and the flip floping pictures of your then him and so on. In power point he can add songs and make a theme song for your photo slide show. So while the guests are eating the music will be taken care of. I think it will be a wonderful idea. I would also ask your guests if they have any pictures of you they would like to submit to the slide show. Kinda gets everyone involved!!

ljeagle · #8 10-22-2006, 05:22 PM

I helped with a wedding a few years back and they introduced the bridal party to come in. The came in from behind the screen. I'm just going to type it out how I remember it happened.
First was a BM and a gm and it had pictures of them with the bride and groom when they was little. It showed the BM first then the gm then the couple walked in. Then it came to the next BM and gm.... For the MOH they showed a few pictures of the bride and her growing up together and then showed the BM and the groom growing up then it showed a wedding picture of the MOH and the BM and then they came in. (They was married a few years b-4 this wedding) For the FG it was so cute the bride was there when she was born so they showed a picture of her holding the baby and a few others. then there was a 5 min show of the bride and groom flip flopping from when they was born. They was High school sweet hearts so there was a lot of pictures. It took about 5 min to do there part. But at the time of the slide they had a man who talk through it all. Then at the end of the show there was a engagement picture and then they introduced them and they walked around the screen and had there first dance. It was really special and I think it went really well. I had never been to another wedding that had a slide show. At my mother and fathers 25th anv. I remember us doing a slide show but it just played through out the party.

AngelRoseFyre · #9 10-22-2006, 06:20 PM

I was a t a reception recently witha slide show, but they made it it's own event. Everyone had to stop whet they were doing to watch the show. All-in-all that wouldn't be bad, but it was REALLY LONG, an people just started to loose intrest.

I am thinking at my reception I am going to play a slideshow with little cations under the pictures, during dinner, I'm just going to putin on a loop, so people can view it at there own pleasure.

MarthaA562 · #10 10-22-2006, 06:37 PM

I love the idea of doing it when the bridal party enters... I surely would not want it to be too long and bore the guests. A lot of the bridal party is family (my Maitron of Honor is my mother, and bridesmaids are my sisters), so we could tie them in too. Start it with some pictures of us growing up, tie in some pictures of us with our friends and siblings, then end it with pictures of the two of us together. Then, we could start our first dance. That sounds like it would take some logistics... but would be a good way to kick off the reception.

Kim&Bob2004 · #11 10-23-2006, 03:08 AM

A power point presentation was an option I could have done, but I knew time would fail me!

It sounds wonderful!

A friend did use his lap top and took pictures of everything for two whole days while we were getting ready etc., and during the reception play them on a slide show. Everyone loved it!

michandmitch · #12 10-23-2006, 03:28 PM

My cousin did this at her reception. It was very nice. I think they played it during dinner or while the cake was being served.

ohiobride · #13 10-23-2006, 04:22 PM

If you're just having mainly family, a slide show during the dinner time would most likely be nice. Be careful, though -- I was just at a co-worker's reception and they had a slideshow of over 300 slides. It was a giant bore, because we only knew the bride and her immediate family, so sitting through 300+ slides of great-grandma or the groom's 2nd cousins was nearly unbearable.
Perhaps if it's well-done (i.e. set to music, and actually tells a story), that would be a different story. Or, having it at the rehearsal dinner would be nice!

ladedah · #14 10-23-2006, 07:20 PM

We did this....I actually downloaded a program...

www.memoriesontv.com

and we had our slideshow, set to music. We played it at the church.....right before the ceremony was to begin. We kind of made it like a story book....the first screed said "once upon a time...." and then it was pictures of my DH growing up, and then the screen said "...and so the story continues..." pictures of me growing up, "....fate was sealed...", pictures of us together, and then the final screen was "...and theylived happily ever after." It was really fun....plus then we added our wedding pics onto the end.....with our fist dance song. What I really liked about doing it then was that....so many people commented about how everyone was chatting and the lights dimmed and everyone got really quiet...we were sitting outside of the sanctuary waiting and we could hear people oohing and ahhing and giggling....it was really fun.....AND....my DH and I didn't grow up together so it was neat for each side to see us as we were growing up!!

I say do it!!

Sh@ks18 · #15 10-23-2006, 07:50 PM

Ive been to a wedding where they had a slideshow and it was really nice. Probably a few minutes of pictures, nothing too long or boring and I believe it was at dinnertime which was fine because if guests were tired of watching, they were busy eating and vice versa.

I also just went to a wedding where the hall had a flat screen tv up on the wall throughtout the entire hall (4 or 5 on each side) and they had pictures of the couple and family going through the entire time, which was cool cuz the party just kept going and the pictures kept shuffling throughout the night.

Yelycrazygirl · #16 10-23-2006, 09:20 PM

I think is a good idea, and during the dinner time will be great.... I'm not sure about when the bridal party enters the reception place because then is going to be kind of confusing, what I'm going to be looking the presentation of the bridal party..... Go for it... you just have to look where to get it incorporateded.....

AngelRoseFyre · #17 10-23-2006, 11:48 PM

I love the idea of teh slide show telling a story. I think it is much easier to watch that way.

MarthaA562 · #18 10-24-2006, 12:56 AM

We have tons of pictures, and I definetly do not want to bore the guests... plus that takes away from our dancing time!!! What I think I will do is do a short presentation of both of us growing up with our families, and then the pictures we have of eachother on vacations and fun stuff like that. Then, move on to the toasts, but have all of the other pictures on a loop that can run all night and the guests can look if they choose. That way, we can include all the pictures, but select the best ones for each age for the presentation, which should last 5-10 minutes max. Most of our guests are family or long-time friends, so I am sure no one will be bored with 5-10 minutes of a slide show... esp. if we include the funny ones (like me with a mullet and thick red glasses wearing stoned washed jeans and a patchwork shirt!!)

CMK · #19 11-11-2006, 06:11 PM

We alternated pictures of each other, in chronological order, so it was like watching us grow up together, even though we didn't meet until we were 18. And then it ended in pics of us together. We played it on a loop set to music, and a line of poetry was put on every slide.

We played it in the church (they had a built in projector & screen) before the ceremony started. We decided to do it then because guests start arriving up to a half hour early, & it gives them something to do & makes them want to get seated instead of mill around or wander off. Plus, if they haven't met your FI yet, they get a chance to learn more about him & your relationship before the ceremony. It made people emotional before the wedding even started! Guests loved it!

If you wait until the reception, you risk it distracting from other activities, taking too long, & dampening the mood from a festive celebration to quiet reflection.

555Ann555 · #20 11-11-2006, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ladedah

We did this....I actually downloaded a program...

www.memoriesontv.com

and we had our slideshow, set to music. We played it at the church.....right before the ceremony was to begin. We kind of made it like a story book....the first screed said "once upon a time...." and then it was pictures of my DH growing up, and then the screen said "...and so the story continues..." pictures of me growing up, "....fate was sealed...", pictures of us together, and then the final screen was "...and theylived happily ever after." It was really fun....plus then we added our wedding pics onto the end.....with our fist dance song. What I really liked about doing it then was that....so many people commented about how everyone was chatting and the lights dimmed and everyone got really quiet...we were sitting outside of the sanctuary waiting and we could hear people oohing and ahhing and giggling....it was really fun.....AND....my DH and I didn't grow up together so it was neat for each side to see us as we were growing up!!

I say do it!!

I porobalbly shouldn't say this too loudly... But if anyone is using EMULE they have a crack for this so if you download the demo from thew site you can get the full version without paying

555Ann555 · #21 11-11-2006, 07:26 PM

OK I took my own advice & downloaded this program. I was thinking I might make a slideshow CD for my mum for a Christmas present. I have to say that I've found this a damn sight easier to use than powerpoint! This program is great, thank you Ladeda!!!

I've managed to put together a slide show of my little cruise around Manhattan in half an hour all set to music & everything

ladedah · #22 11-13-2006, 05:34 PM

See....it totally rocks!! The best part is that you can come back later and add to it!! We took our wedding CD and then added wedding pics to it with our first dance song...and gave all of our family one...

555Ann555 · #23 11-20-2006, 06:34 PM

Right.

I'm bumping this thread!

I just finished christmas presents for both of our mums.

For mine I scanned in a stack of old photos... It starts with my grandma growing up & getting married, then my mum growing up & getting married, then me growing up & getting married. It is set to my mum's favourite music

And what is great is that you can put more than one "film" on a CD.

I put together one with all our wedding photos (well, maybe not all of them because we got far too many!) but set them all to music too... So my mum's disc has all our family growing up on one film & all my wedding photos on another. And Mo's mum's disc just has the wedding "film".

For all of you who got a stack of photos from your wedding but didn't bother with a wedding video this would be ideal

(we didn't get a video either, figured the money would be better spent elsewhere...)

You can make a title page & have music running while that is up, you can add subtitles if you want a running commentary, and it isn't too tricky to work out.

I

this programme

I don't have a dvd burner, but I tried it with a normal cd-r & it played perfectly in my dvd player!

wembley · #24 11-20-2006, 07:21 PM

My parents hired a man to put together a slideshow dvd for us. It had me growing up and then DH growing up. Then it had us together. He had fun music that fit each section. People loved it because we picked a wide range of pictures but they went through at a good pace so it didn't drag out.

We had a cocktail hour before dinner, while we finished pictures and such. It was in a different room and so right before it was time to go sit down for food, we pushed play and everyone turned and watched. It worked out great because then everyone was there to watch and enjoy.

janeandreawong · #25 11-23-2006, 02:13 PM

I attended a wedding where they hired photographer/videographer who were offering slideshow in the reception. They used the pictures taken from the church. It was amazing because it was only a matter of minutes and they were able to do that. It was very touching but I heard it was also expensive.

-------------------
bridesmaidtailor.com