Custom Face Banners

the idea

Personalize your party decorations with custom face banners using photos of the guest of honor

60th birthday custom face garland banner of mans face decorating an office

custom face garland banner of a man's face at different ages in party hats

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
Hang from mantelpieces, curtain rails, above bars / dessert / buffet tables, or around the perimeter of the room above head height
Combine with a text banner, as shown in the main image above, to create a larger display

man standing next to a custom face garland banner of his own face

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 can identify their location in large or crowded rooms and encourage mingling by creating destinations for guests to explore

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

custom face garland banner of a man's face wearing different hats

man giving thumbs up next to a custom face garland banner of his own face

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
Inexpensive; a cost-effective party idea that won’t blow your budget
Bestseller; an idea that’s proved popular with my site’s visitors

38th birthday custom face garland banner of a woman's face in party hats

couple standing next to an 80th birthday custom face garland banner of a woman's face in party hats

ADVICE FROM A PRO

Matt’s tip

“These are more entertaining when you use a selection of different photos showing the guest of honor at different stages of their life e.g now, as a younger adult, a teenager, child, and baby. Guests will love seeing embarrassing old photos and many might not have seen how they looked when they were younger.

If you want to include old photos that you only have as prints, these can be transferred to a digital format very inexpensively nowadays ($20-$30 for 100 photos, link below) and it’s a great opportunity to preserve them for years to come.

Remember to hang the banners above head height, so they’re still visible once the rooms fills with people.

To create a larger display, combine the face banners with a custom text banner or funny / rude text banner, and hang one above the other (as shown in the main photo above).