September 21st, 2011
Have a nice trip? See you next fall! Now is the perfect time to share photos from your summer vacation. But instead of driving everyone out of your living room and into their cars, here are some tips for making the “vacation slide show” enjoyable for everyone.
Rent a Projector
When you rent a slide show projector, it just makes everything more fun. Share your best (and funniest) photos in larger than life color, projected onto a blank wall or a solid light-colored sheet. Renting a projector is more affordable than you may think, and you’ll find plenty of other uses for it during your rental period.
Keep It Short
The shorter the slide show, the better. Remember, some images are just funnier or more special because you were there – the guests watching your slide show were not. Choose only the best slides and keep your slide show short. Anything over 10-12 minutes will quickly bore your guests and could even make them regret coming over to see your pictures.
Focus on Quality
Do not include slide that were “nearly good.” Only include images that are in focus, easy to discern, and well-cropped. Avoid the obligatory “photo of the driver from inside the car” shots and stick to quality photos that everyone can enjoy.
Mix Entertainment with Education
Don’t be afraid to slip a bit of educational material into your slide show – for example, what exactly causes Old Faithful to erupt? Why is the Grand Canyon there? But mix in some entertainment and keep the teaching to bullet points only – your guests will appreciate the info without feeling like they’re back in school.
Skip the Embarrassing Stuff
This tip speaks for itself!
Click here now to rent a projector from Projector123.com today.
July 13th, 2011
If you’re planning to assemble a slide show for your upcoming family reunion this summer, here are our best tips for collecting photos.
Tip #1 – Start early
It’s no secret that most people tend to procrastinate – especially when it comes to something that could potentially require some time and effort, like finding old photographs for a family reunion slideshow. The earlier you start asking family members for pictures, the better the response you’ll get.
Tip #2 – Ask for more than you think you need
It’s always better to have too many photos, and be able to be selective about which ones to use, rather than feel as though you have to use everything you received. Some family members will send you dozens and dozens of images, while others may only send one or two, so it pays to ask everyone in the family to send images. Additionally, you’ll want the slideshow to represent the entire family, not just a small part of it, so be sure to include each family within the family, encouraging them to send in photos, even if they can only send a few.
 Tip #3 – Follow through
You might feel as though you’re nagging people, but that may be exactly what it takes to get the job done. Continue following up until you get what you need. Here are some sample expressions you can use by phone or in an email:
“I know you might think I’m bugging you, but I just want to make sure your family is well-represented in our slide show. We’re starting to receive photos from other family members, and I don’t want you all to be left out.”
“I know it might seem early to be thinking of this, but it’s going to take me quite a bit of time to put it all together – if you can get me your photos this week, it will really help me out a lot. Thanks in advance and please let me know if I can help in any way.”
Tip #4 – Scan and return quickly
Sometimes, people are reluctant to send photos because they are afraid the pictures will get lost, or won’t be returned. This is an especially sensitive issue for older photos (where the negatives are missing or unavailable, and the photograph is the only copy in existence), or for images of deceased loved ones. The more quickly you can scan and return original photos, the better.
Tip #5 – Make the process as simple as possible
Older folks in your family may not know how to scan photos (or may not have the equipment to do so) and they may wish to avoid the expense of paying a local photo shop to scan their photos. The easier you can make it, the more willing people will be to contribute. Offer to come help them look, to bring your scanner, to return the photos by the very next day, or whatever will help them to say “yes” and provide you with the images you need.
Remember to rent a projector from Projector123.com for your family reunion slide show. Our versatile and reliable rental projectors are ideal for any environment, from bright sunlight outdoors to dimly lit banquet halls and more. Reserve your rental projector from Projector123.com today.
July 26th, 2010
We hope you are enjoying this three-part series on coordinating a successful family reunion. In this final installment, we’ll look at planning food options and making the event memorable for all who attend.
Step 5: The Food
There are many different options available for this aspect of your family reunion. If you’re hosting just a one- or two-day event, it might be easiest to ask each family to bring a few prepared dishes to share. If so, you’ll want to make sure that everyone doesn’t bring repeats of the same dish, and that there are ways to heat up food or keep it cool (as appropriate). One fundraiser idea might be to create a family cookbook from each person’s favorite family recipe. It seems to work best to have just one person in charge of the cookbook project.
If your event is longer, or your family members aren’t much for cooking, then you can make arrangements with restaurants, or bring in a local catering service to provide meals. No matter which option you choose for feeding your reunion participants, this will likely factor into the budget in a significant way.
Step 6: The Memories
Can you picture it? Tender moments shared between great-grandma and the newest family member, just a few months old…All the cousins playing volleyball in the sun…Nana and her sisters laughing right out loud…these are the images that we love to remember and cherish from family gatherings, and what better way to preserve the moments than with a photo montage at the event?
Every family reunion deserves to have a nostalgic journey down memory lane, complete with photos of key events, family members, and memories of days gone by. You can put one of two committee members in charge of creating the video montage, and they it’s easy to arrange for a rental projector to showcase the images at your event.
You can either set your videos to music, or let the band or DJ play throughout the showing.
If you’re feeling extra-creative (or you have a technically savvy person on your planning committee), they can easily create a photo montage from images captured during the reunion itself. Schedule a showing towards the end of the event, and be sure to include candid shots as well as composed images.
If you want to take it a step further, burn the montage to DVD and sell extra copies at cost (or build it into the cost of admission and send each adult home with a copy). It’s a simple way to help the memories last a lifetime.
Ready to rent a projector for your family reunion? It’s as easy as 1-2-3 when you choose Projector123.com for all your rental projector needs. We’ll even ship your LCD projector to the exact place you need it. Just click here to get started now.
July 23rd, 2010
In the prior installment, we looked at considerations for crafting the guest list, as well as choosing a committee to assist you in planning this event. In this next installment, we’ll cover two key factors: choosing a location and setting a budget.
 Step 3: The Location, Date and Time
This is where it really pays to poll some of your family members before selecting a location. Consider where most of your family members live, how easy it is for them to travel, and be sure to consider the size of your event before selecting a location.
The venue chosen may dictate available times for your event, but when choosing a date, be sure to pick a weekend when the children are off of school (if travel is required). If all of your family members live within fairly close proximity of each other (less than a day’s drive, for example), any weekend should be fine. Keep in mind that major holiday weekends like Labor Day typically mean higher travel expenses for folks (with increased lodging costs and fuel prices), as well as a likelihood of a venue booking up early.
One easy way to poll your family members is by using a free tool called SurveyMonkey.com. Alternatively, your committee co-members can call or email family members directly to gauge interest in the venue as well as the date / time.
Once a firm date is selected and the venue is booked, you can send out a “save the date” announcement, to help your out-of-town family members begin planning their trip and making necessary arrangements for traveling to the reunion. This also helps to build interest, and you may discover that new committee members volunteer themselves once the “save the date” card is received.
Step 4: The Budget
Consider the majority of your family here (not just your own financial situation). Can folks afford to pay for admission to the reunion, and if so, how much? Again, this is a step where it would be important to poll family members rather than making assumptions. Once you have a general idea how much folks are willing and able to pay for their participation, you can begin to form a budget, to ensure that you plan an appropriate event. If it’s going to be a high-ticket event (for example, a family cruise), be sure to give people plenty of time to plan for the added expense, and to begin saving.
Remember that unless you use an email invitation service like evite.com and a free internet calling service like Skype, you will likely have administrative expenses for postage, invitation, save-the-date postcards, nametags, decorations, and long distance fees. Some families hold fundraising events for such expenses, while others simply build it into the cost of participation.
In our next and final installment, we’ll look at two things everyone remembers from any major gathering: the food, and the memories made there.
In the meantime, as soon as you’ve set the time and date for your reunion, be sure to visit Projector123.com to reserve your rental projector for your event. There’s no need to lug it around during travel, because Projector123 can ship your projector rental directly to the location of your event (or even to the home of the closest relative). Click here to get started now.
July 21st, 2010
If you’ve decided to take the reigns and plan a family reunion this year, here are some simple steps to help you get started and to ensure that your gathering is a raging success.
 Step 1: The Guest List
Essentially, this part of the planning process is all about how big you envision the reunion to be. Will you include just 3 generations of a single family (grandparents, parents, children), or will you extend the reach to both sides of the family (grandparents and their siblings, parents and their children and grandchildren; and parents’ siblings, children and grandchildren)?
In planning your guest list, you might consider how often the families get together currently. Has it been awhile since the last wedding (or funeral) where all the cousins got together? Does it seem like the family is “due” for another get-together, with nothing on the books as of yet?
Additionally, consider where the potential attendees are located geographically. Perhaps it would be easier to get one side of the family together in one location, and plan a separate, future gathering for the other side of the family in another location. Alternatively, if people in your family love to travel or in good enough health to make a trip, then the more the merrier.
In planning your guest list, it really comes down to what kind of event you (and your family) would most like to attend.
Step 2: The Committee
Planning a family reunion can be an arduous task, and while it’s sure to be well worth the effort, there’s no reason to think you’ve got to plan it alone. Solicit assistance from cousins and other family members who are willing to help create a successful event. In choosing who to approach for assistance, consider these useful attributes:
- enjoys talking on the phone, connecting with family members
- wields influence in the family, especially among other key family members
- possesses resources like free time, extra funds, excellent cooking skills, savvy organizational skills, event planning experience, etc.
- is easy to work with, is reliable, is well-organized and resourceful
If the family is spread far and wide, consider that it’s not necessary for the committee members to gather for a physical, in-person meeting. Much of the planning and legwork can be done via phone or email, and your role as the event coordinator is to delegate tasks and follow up with committee members to ensure they have what they require (and are completing their assigned tasks successfully). Though it’s your duty to ensure follow-through, remember that planning this event should be fun and lighthearted, so don’t become a taskmaster or you might soon find your committee disintegrating! Keep the mood light and bright and remember to acknowledge and appreciate your co-coordinators’ efforts.
Be sure to join us for part 2 of “How to Coordinate a Family Reunion.” In the meantime, it’s not too early to visit Projector123.com and see what kinds of rental projectors are available for your event. Click here to learn more.
July 2nd, 2009
This summer, why not upgrade your family backyard bar-b-que with a new twist on classic flavors and big screen movies at home?
More and more families are looking into “stay-cations” this summer, finding ways to enjoy fun times in each other’s company without the costly expenses of airfare, lodging and fuel.
For significantly less than the price of a single plane ticket, you can plan a fun-filled weekend for the family that is sure to create memories to last a lifetime.
Instead of tossing some store-bought burgers and dogs on the grill, get the whole family involved in making a weekend’s worth of affordable gourmet grilling meals right at home.
The Food Network has a slew of exciting recipes, and Iron Chef Bobby Flay is a grill master in his own right.
Consider some of these delectable Bobby Flay dishes you can easily create and grill in your own backyard (without breaking the bank):
Big screen movies are another welcome addition to BBQ 2.0 — hang a sheet or choose a blank wall inside or outside to enjoy a summer movie fest where YOU get to pick the flicks. Invite some friends if you like and call it a party — it’s up to you!
Projector123.com rents projectors in the most easy, affordable, hassle-free manner imaginable. Weekend rentals start at just $99 and we’ll ship the projector straight to your front door with just a few clicks of your mouse. When the weekend fun comes to an end, just pack it back in it’s shipping/carrying carton and call FedEx for easy prepaid pickup and return delivery.
June 16th, 2009
Summer is the time for parties, and the most frequent reasons for celebrating in June include our Dads and our Grads.
For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow…
 Mark your calendar, because Father’s Day falls on June 21st this year, the perfect time for an outdoor bbq in honor of dad. This year, why not extend the fun well into the evening with movies on the big screen? No, not at a crowded movie theater, but right at home with a projector rental from Projector123.com.
You can rent a screen, or keep things simple by using an indoor or outdoor blank wall as your backdrop for Dad’s big night at the movies. Smooth light-colored walls tend to work best, or you can always hang a white sheet to be used as your screen.
Whether you choose the newest releases from Blockbuster or Netflix, or Dad’s favorite “guy” movies, he’s sure to love your high-tech touch. Best of all, weekend projector rentals are as low as $99, making your dad’s day fun and affordable.
Congratulations to the Graduate!
We’re all proud of our graduates — they’ve worked hard and earned their stripes. Which makes this the perfect time to celebrate their accomplishments with a party — inside or out.
A projector rental is a fun and interactive way to showcase the grad’s personality and share memorable moments with friends and family. Later in the party, you can use your projector rental to show your grad’s favorite movies in vivid detail, dazzling color and larger than life display.
Visit Projector123.com to find out just how easy it is to jazz up your upcoming summer celebrations, including Father’s Day, graduation parties and more!
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