Our Wedding Tree

One of the things I had the hardest time trying to figure out was the guestbook. It wasn't that I didn't have any ideas... it's that I had too many. We eventually decided to go with a wedding tree.

(photo credit Jonas Peterson)

But I didn't think people would want to dirty-up their fingers, so I had another idea!

(photo credit The Observatory)

We made a poster, cut out a bunch of leaves, and asked people to "leaf" us a note! 

(photo credit The Observatory)

It was a big hit!

(photo credit The Observatory)

And now it's framed in our living room.

So how'd we do it?

Pretty simple really.

I purchased some clip art from istockphoto.com

Created a 24"-36"-sized document in Adobe Illustrator and added some text.

(fonts used: BlairMdITC TT Medium and Burgess Script)

Took the file to Staples and had it printed on a poster.

(I think it was about $25)

Then I picked up a pack of cardstock in various shades of blue and cut out leaves. No pattern, just freehand. I added a small piece of double-stick tape to the back of each. I made sure to use those little scrapbook tape squares so that the tape wouldn't be exposed, but would have a little tab of paper that guests could pull off when they were ready to add their leaf to the poster.

The venue had an easel and put the poster up outside the reception hall and set up a table with the leaves and various blue markers.

And all our guests started writing sweet notes!

See the big "I love you"? That's from my husband's cousin (aka the little boy in the photo above). Too cute!

However, the best one is from Jay's Grandma/our friend "Kennedy." 

I guess that, because his signature was so light, she didn't see it.

Bless your heart, Grandma. :)