Wedding Scrapbooking For Family History Capture The Way To The Altar And Beyon

[Earl Fehr]

Putting together documentation for family histories has become a very
popular activity. The difference between placing photos in an album
and creating a scrapbook is that the latter combines words and
feelings with photographs and other pieces of memorabilia. It thus
becomes a timeless treasure, a family heirloom.
Today, planning a wedding is no easy feat. There are many details to
attend to, which take time, energy and money.In addition to their
daily responsibilities, brides and grooms are usually so consumed in
creating their dream wedding that they do not think of starting a
journal or better yet a scrapbook. Yet, if one were given them, they
would surely chronicle every step, every experience and every feeling
from their first meeting through their honeymoon.After all, a wedding
scrapbook conveys the romance, joy, sadness, tears, and laughter,
feelings and experiences as it tells the story of the beginning of a
new family, a story to be handed down to the following generations as
a family history book.
A wedding scrapbook is an ideal engagement gift or bridal shower
gift.If you plan to present a loved couple with the most unique,
forever cherished gift of a scrapbook, you have two options.You may
either document special events leading to and including their wedding
day and present them with a completed book upon their return from the
honeymoon, or give them a blank book to record their journey to
becoming a family, just as soon as they announce their engagement. If
they are planning a family wedding, be sure to include the children.
When you shop for a wedding scrapbook, consider its purpose. Think
about longevity and use, years and generations hence. Consider quality
over price. The book should look elegant rather than cute as tastes
change and the book should have a classic, timeless appeal. Purchase a
book that is of library quality, boasts of superior craftsmanship
where the materials used are luxurious and made to last, and the pages
and inks archival quality acid free. It is wise to buy a book that can
be extended with post screws to allow for additional pages. If you can
find a book that comes in a keepsake gift box, all the better as it
makes for a powerful, rich gift presentation and the book and its
contents will be protected.
Following are ideas for inclusion in a wedding scrapbook. In every
category be sure to include text, pictures, mementos and keepsakes.
Bear in mindo remember that elegance and simplicity are not trendy and
will always be appropriate.You may wish to include:
Facts About the Bride & Groom and if you have access to the
information their family trees and a blank tree for their new family.
If this is a family wedding, Facts About the children
The Courtship and Proposal include pictures, special correspondence,
mementos etc...
The proposal
The meeting of the bride and groom's families
The Engagement
Pre-Wedding Activities
Parties: Engagement, showers, rehearsal dinners, etc...
Planning the wedding
The Wedding attendants
The Ceremony
The officiant
A copy Of your Vows
A copy Of your Marriage Certificate
Music & Songs
Important Memories of the Wedding Ceremony and Reception including
toasts and speeches
Wedding Gifts
The Honeymoon
The engagement party, showers, rehearsal dinners, etc... pictures and
keepsakes
pages dedicated important pictures, mementos and keepsakes that have
not been included in the above mentioned.
Creating a scrapbook for others is a true gift of love.
If you plan to document the special events leading to and including
their wedding day, you'll need to gather as much information and as
many details as possible, as well as pictures and mementos about the
couple's journey from the first date through the wedding, chronicled
appropriately.
Try to incorporate the wedding theme and colors and include: pictures,
mementos such as an engagement announcement, newspaper announcement
clipping, save the date note, invitations, wedding program, something
old, something new, something borrowed something blue, a Sixpence
coin, a hankie, place cards, printed ribbons, printed napkins,
brochures about their honeymoon destination (Once you know where the
couple intends to honeymoon, go to ant travel agency and collect
brochures.)etc...You may also consider adding embellishments.Important
pictures to include would be picture from their courting days, their
engagement photo, preparing the bride, the ceremony location, the walk
down the aisle - wedding attendants; flower girl, ring bearer, groom
and bride,the marriage ceremony, the unity candle ceremony, the
children if you have a family wedding, the officiant, the first kiss,
the reception site, the first dance, toasts, cutting the cake, feeding
the cake, etc... Before presenting the scrapbook to the bride and
groom, go over it to ensure that the heirloom you created is all about
them and that when they look through it they should re-live all of the
events associated with their becoming a family.
If you are the bride and groom and either received or purchased a
scrapbook, the following are additional ideas for you.
MemorabiliaFollowing are items only you can add to the scrapbook:
Wedding gown and bridemaid dresses fabric,
receipts,
transportation tickets (plane, train, bus, ship etc...)
bridal registry,
engagement gifts list,
shower gifts list,
wedding gifts list,
wedding checklists,
gift cards and written best wishes.
ContentYou are the bride and groom. As a family history document, the
scrapbook must include your actual experiences and feelings your ups
and downs. You may use the scrapbook almost as a diary and tell it
about all your, trials, tribulations, fun activities, triumphs and
even disappointments you encountered between your first meeting and
your return from the honeymoon.Journal them all and be specific yet
creative.Don' forget to incorporate interesting anecdotes, funny
stories and tips for a successful marriage, given you by friends and
relatives. You do want this heirloom to tell the following generations
about their family don't you? Share your story vividly and with
pictures and mementos so that they can feel as if they witnessed the
creation of their family. Do not forget to tell about your heritage
and religion. You may write about:
Bride's Faith
Groom's Faith If you are Christian you may wish to include:
Favorite Biblical and other readings
Religious hymns played or sung during the ceremony
Prayers & Blessings If you're Jewish you may wish to include:
Beshert: Meant to be Soul Mates
Special Preparations
Chuppah - The Ceremony Canopy
Kiddushin: The Engagement Ceremony
Nissuin: The Marriage Ceremony
Sheva Brachot: The Seven Blessings
Your Ketubah - Jewish Marriage Contract
A Kippah - Yarmulke
The scrapbook will become your gift of love and family legacy.
Everyone who is a part of the new family should participate in its
creation.Therefore, the bride, the groom and if you have children,
should all contribute text, pictures, art and decorations.The more
details you include in your scrapbook the more information you'll
provide for your children and grand children to talk about and share
with their children and grand children.Since the words you write today
are evidence of history to the future generations, when you have
children, you may wish to add a letter from you, dedicated to them.
Now put on your thinking cap, plan the wedding scrapbook and have fun.
Remember that as the bride and groom and their children look through
it years down the road, they'll be thankful for being able to go down
memory lane and re-live the creation of their family.
Article Copyright Nily Glaser, All Rights Reserved 2007 Copyrights ?
2007 All Rights Reserved Nily Glaser of A-wedding Day and Gan
Publishing