Big Head Custom Cutouts - Party Decorations by a Pro

the idea

Decorate large spaces by hanging or lining the walls with custom head cutouts of the guest of honor at different stages of their life

wedding guests holding up big head custom cutouts in front of their faces

crowd of fans holding up big head custom cutouts

the how

For best results, choose at least 3 different photos of the guest of honor; some as an adult, some as a teenager / young adult, and some as a child / baby
Once printed, punch a hole and attach string or ribbon
Hang from the ceiling if space permits
Alternatively, fix to the perimeter walls around the room / venue

group of young women on a beach holding up big head custom cutouts in front of their faces

sports fans holding up big head custom cutouts

the why

overhead decorations

Visibility; overhead decorations remain visible when the room is full of people
Intimacy; lowers the ceiling, reduces empty space, and makes large rooms and cavernous venues feel more full, which helps create a buzzy atmosphere
Focal points; decorations above bars, food stations, dance floors, or activities helps identify their location in large or crowded rooms and encourages mingling by creating destinations for guests to explore

group of shirtless men holding up big head custom cutouts in front of their faces

the why

Perimeter / wall decorations

Transformative; helps transform a domestic space or empty venue into a party environment
Masking; helps hide existing or incompatible room décor
Value; can help dress large areas
Atmospheric; perimeter decorations are important early on, before the room fills up, to help create a party atmosphere and ensure it feels like a special occasion
Economical; can be used sparingly if majority of decorations are clustered around a main feature wall / display area, such as a dessert table and backdrop
Intimacy; helps define the party space and envelope guests to create an intimate atmosphere

group of friends holding up big head custom cutout of their own faces in graduation caps

group of friends holding up big head custom cutouts on one of the men

the why

this idea

Special occasions should feel special; generic ‘off the shelf’ decorations are lazy and unimaginative
Personalized; customized decorations are more special and show you made an effort
Custom photo; opportunity to show the guest of honor at different ages ‘through the years’
Funny; quirky, lighthearted, or self-deprecating decorations will make guests smile
Entertaining; guests may not have seen funny or embarrassing old photos of the guest of honor
Memorable; guests remember creative, unusual, or unexpected decorations
Photo-worthy; a great photo-op for guests to share and tag on social media
Surprise; a great way to surprise the guest of honor
Bestseller; an idea that’s proved popular with my site’s visitors

man holding big head custom cutout of his own face

ADVICE FROM A PRO

Matt’s tip

“These always work best when you a use of variety of photos of the guest of honor from different stages of their life. Guests love seeing embarrassing old photos.

If you’re hanging from the ceiling, just remember the image is only printed on one side.

Personally I don’t think this matters because they tend to rotate gently when hung and will be viewed from all different angles.

Alternatively, if budget permits, you could stick two back to back. But I’d suggest inserting an inch or two thick foam block between them before sticking together to leave a little space. Because one will be a reflection of the other, when put back to back they won’t align perfectly, so leaving a gap between them will make any white background overlapping from the the one behind less noticeable.”