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The Crazy Quilt
Quilts have long been a symbol of love and comfort. With many colorful pieces stitched together into a single piece, the quilt can also be a symbol of the family and friends united on one special day to bless the union of two people. The quilt can be included as a personal touch and kept as a lasting memento.
Think about asking friends and family members to supply you with one square each for a quilt. Give exact measurements so that everyone's square is the same size. Guests can supply an unadorned piece of fabric, or better yet come up with a lovingly designed square (two appliquéd oars crossed over each other, to remember a canoeing weekend you shared, for example). Later, all the squares can be stitched together to make a fabulous wall hanging in your new home.
If a large quilt seems too ambitious, think about a smaller, more manageable quilting project, such as a pillow case cover, or for a Christmas wedding, a quilted Christmas tree skirt that could be passed down for generations.
A simple quilt that involves little advance preparation can be created during the reception itself. Leave pieces of fabric out on a table, allowing each guest to choose his or her own. With indelible ink pens in a variety of colors, guests can sign their names or add a goodwill message. These squares can later be stitched together to form a lovely collection of memories. For more about quilting ideas and practical advice, read The Complete Idiot's Guide to Quilting by Laura Ehrlich (Alpha Books, 1998).
 | Creative Corner
The quilt can do double duty as a huppah (a Jewish wedding canopy). One bride plans to use a quilt made by friends and family to create a huppah for her wedding ceremony. She and her fiancé look forward to a warm and intimate ceremony under the shelter of these expressions of love. Later they can put the quilt on their bed, display it as art on the wall, or put it away as a treasured family heirloom. Another bride used as her wedding canopy the quilt she had on her bed since childhood. For her it represented her past and her family home.
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Guess Who's Signing the Guest Book?
What makes your wedding different from anyone else's? The guests, of course. The guest book is one time-honored tradition you may wish to incorporate into your creative wedding. A guest book can lovingly record who is in attendance, and their wishes for you. It makes a charming and sentimental keepsake.
Begin by purchasing a beautiful guest book in white satiny fabric or leather—or decorate the cover of a hardbound blank book, if that's your style. Place the book where it is accessible to all your guests. You might even post a couple of teenagers nearby to remind guests to "please sign in."
| Something True
The guest book originated in the eighteenth century. From its place of honor on a table by the front door, it kept track of who had visited in the days when exchanging social calls was de rigueur for members of the well-to-do classes. Some pretty impressive lists could be built up in the old days at homes of great social standing! At a wedding, the guest book is less of a "who's who" and more of a "we were there."
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Have a little fun with the book, if you wish. A straightforward list of names, one right after the other, while "historically accurate," is less interesting than asking each person to contribute something of themselves. One Connecticut family I read about asks visitors to their home to sign their names in the guest book, then shut their eyes and draw a pig without peeking. You could try a variation on this theme by asking guests to sign in, then close their eyes and draw a heart with an arrow through it. After all, they say love is blind!
| Creative Corner
Do you want guests to get wordy? People often have trouble thinking of anything more profound to say than "Best Wishes!" Help them to get a little more personal by giving them a topic to write about. For example, you could ask guests to "Tell us where you think we'll be in 10 years." Or suggest that they answer, "What are your wishes for us today?" You could even say, "Please leave us your definition of love." You'll get remarks that are sentimental, witty, ribald, intimate, and meaningful. What fun this guest book will be to read later! Be sure to give guests clear instructions related to the guest book. Type or print these directions neatly on a heavy white card and place them next to the guest book.
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