By a Pro: 'Through the Years' String Lights Photo Banner

the idea

Create interactive party decorations by asking guests to bring their favorite pictures of the guest of honor to create a ‘Through the Years’ string lights photo banner

woman clipping photograph onto illuminated string lights photo banners to create garland style party decorations

photographs hung on illuminated string lights to create garland decorations

the how

Contact friends and family ahead of the event and ask them to bring some cute, funny, or embarrassing old photos of the guest of honor with them, from all different stages of their life
Decide how many photo clip LED string lights you’ll need to decorate the room and attach these to the walls in advance
On arrival, ask guests to add their photos to the string lights and watch the display grow over time
This interactive moment helps break the ice and gives guests something to do when they arrive

photographs hung on illuminated string lights to create garland decorations on a wall

the why

Perimeter / wall decorations

Transformative; helps transform a domestic space or empty venue into a party environment
Masking; helps distract from 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
Interactive; some perimeter / wall décor can be used to entertain guests, such as ‘Fun Facts’ garland banners or ‘Through the Years’ photo garlands

Polaroid photographs hung on illuminated string lights to create garland decorations on a wall in a home

photographs hung on illuminated string lights to create garland decorations in a home

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
Discovery; guests may not have seen funny or embarrassing old photos of the guest of honor
Conversation-starter; gives guests something to talk about and discuss with one another
Unique; celebrates the person, not just their age
Entertaining; will keep guests entertained during the party
Memorable; guests remember creative, unusual, or unexpected decorations
Collaborative; allows guests to contribute and makes everyone feel included
Surprise; a great way to surprise the guest of honor
Inexpensive; a cost-effective party idea that won’t blow your budget

woman sitting in front of photographs hung on illuminated string lights to create garland decorations on a wall

ADVICE FROM A PRO

Matt’s tip

“Specify how many photos you want each guest to bring, depending on how many are coming and how big the area(s) you want to decorate are (otherwise you know aunt Pam will turn up with an entire box of photos and won’t be able to choose!).

Ask guests to write their full name in pencil on the reverse of each photo (or attach a Post It if they prefer) so that you can return them post-event.

Consider creating these photo garlands on a number of different walls to encourage circulation, which helps keep the atmosphere up.

You might also want use signage to give each display a name, e.g., baby photos / college years, or a theme, e.g. embarrassing moments / crimes of fashion”.

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Through the Years Photo Garlands

the idea

the how