5 Things to Help With the Signing Of Your Wedding Signature Platter
Posted: Thursday, January 15, 2009
by Matthew Wood
The Signature Place By Naked Plates
For many people a wedding signature platter or plate is still a new and unique idea. Your wedding may be the first time they see the idea. These 5 tips will help you and your wedding guests to have a smooth and successful signing of your signature platter on your wedding day.
1.) Make sure the reception location staff understands what your wedding signature platter is for. Every reception location has a coordinator in charge the day of your event running things behind the scenes. You are paying for the services and help of this person. Make sure this person understands what the platter is for. Just like your guests, this may be the first time this person has seen a wedding signature platter. Make sure this person understands how the pens work and how the wedding guests should sign. Take the time before the reception to go over this with your coordinator.
2.) Make sure your wedding signature platter is placed in a safe location for signing. A wedding signature platter is just like any piece of ceramic or pottery. If it is dropped, it could break. You want to make sure this will not happen on your wedding day. You will want your platter laying flat and placed on a solid table for signing. Make sure the table does not wobble. Make sure the platter is not displayed in a plate stand where it will tip over if someone tries to sign it. Take the time before your reception to choose a location for the platter with your event coordinator.
3.) Make sure to have a back up signature pen. The signature pens used to sign a wedding signature platter are generally not found in retail stores. These are special pens specifically designed for these platters. When you purchase a signature platter it is always a good idea to purchase some additional pens. Keep an extra pen with your event coordinator during the reception. If a wedding guest damages a pen, leaves the pen cap off and dries out the tip, or simply walks off with it, you will still be able to have all of your guests sign with the back up pen. Most wedding signature platter websites will sell you extra pens for less then $10 each when your purchase your platter.
4.) Have more then one pen out for signing the signature platter. The vast majority of your guests will want to sign the wedding signature platter as they are first walking in to the reception. If the line for signing is too long they may not wait and may forget to come back and sign later. You want all of your guests to have a chance to sign. Most platters are large enough that two people can sign at once. By providing two pens for signing you can cut the waiting line in half and increase the chances of everyone signing. Most weddings should have a total of 3 pens. 1 pen as a back up with your event coordinator and 2 pens out at once for signing. Extremely large weddings may want to add more then 3 pen.
5.) Have your wedding party sign first. Just like you, your wedding party will be very busy the day of the wedding. Make it easy on them by having them sign the wedding signature platter first. A good place is at the rehearsal dinner. The wedding party is able to take their time signing, they don't forget to sign, and this also helps your other wedding guests by already having signatures on the platter the day of the reception.
Great suggestion for lasting memories. I've seen picture frames where the guests write all around where the intended photo of the bride and groom will go, but never a plate.
You can take it one step more. In my studio we can add a photo to the platter and then have your guests sign it. You get the best of both options. A photograph and a functional platter.
