I started with the idea of a leather-bound, expandable post-bound, scrapbook. I began filling it with 4'x6' cards (in case you weren't aware a lot of the images and collages on the blog are 4'x6' - easy to print on our Canon Selphy). And less than two months into the real planning (two months after we actually set a date), I abandoned that idea. Why? There's just too much to keep track of or organize while you're in the midst of planning.
You're probably wondering why I bring up my scrapbook in a post about gifts for Our Moms. Well I had this idea that we'd give them an electronic version of that scrapbook for their gifts. Our Moms have almost everything under the sun. Our Moms would appreciate a sentimental gift. And here's the dilemma. We have a lot of content. Not everyone cares about all the planning minutia. So how do we keep this tome from being a sleep aid?
The thought is that our manuscript tells how we met and fell in love and then chronicles the crazy seven to eight months of planning. The programs pick up from there - a quick recap of Our Story So Far through to the details of our 10/10/10 ceremony and reception. Cover design will be similar to our programs. Typography and design elements will be consistent with the programs as well.
We know we're going to use Blurb to produce the keepsake - it'll be a combination of photography and text. Our manuscript will be laid out in Adobe InDesign and then printed to PDF for proofing and finally uploading to Blurb. That's the easy part.
The challenging part? How do you structure the story? The manuscript needs a beginning, a middle, and an ending. It needs suspense, drama, and comedy. It needs to be personable and reflect "us." How do we balance the manuscript? I tend towards cheesy and sappy. cubes tends towards matter-of-fact wit with a smattering of sarcasm.
If you were writing the story of how you met, fell in love, and planned - and survived - a wedding, how would you organize the story? Chronological - start to finish as it happened? Topical? A She Said, He Said? Or would you just take your blog as is and create a book?
Here's what I'm thinking so far for organization:
- Colophon
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Body
- Special Insert: The Fireflies Say "I Do"
- Conclusion: Just Married
As you can see, I'm struggling with what to do with the body of the book. (In case you're wondering not all of the blog will be published. We're starting with the posts labeled "us" and whittling down from there.)
Send me your suggestions, please! Now that we're happily married I'd like to get the first part of our story tied up with a pretty little bow.
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