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.
June 20th, 2011
As we ramp up into summer, more and more of the fun moves outdoors into the fresh air and warm summer weather. If you’re thinking of planning a summer classic – the block party – here are our best tips for ensuring your collaborative event is a smashing success.
Solicit Some Help
Talk to your neighbors and find out who else is willing to share in the planning. You probably could plan a block party by yourself, but the more neighbors you get involved, the better the turnout will be.
Create Some Structure
Do you want to have a classic block party, where the street is blocked off? If so, be prepared to file for a permit, and you may be restricted with regards to permitted dates and starting and ending times. Alternatively, you can ask several neighbors to host in their front yards, which avoids the need for a permit altogether. For an even greater deviation from the classic block party, set a separate location, such as a nearby park, public trail or open space.
Set the Scale
How big will your block party be, just your one block, or several blocks in the neighborhood? The bigger the party, the more details to coordinate (but also, the more the merrier).
Decide on the Food
Once you have set the scale and scope of your party, it’s time to talk food. How will you pay for the party? What food will be provided, or is it completely potluck? Will alcohol be permitted, encouraged or discouraged?
Plan Some Activities
Generally speaking, food, music and people are the only basic requirements for a great party, but a few well-planned activities can go a long way toward keeping kids in the neighborhood entertained and out of trouble (which ultimately means more fun for the adults, too). For starters, plan to rent a projector and show family-friendly movies on a large outdoor screen or a hung white sheet. Next, you might consider having neighbors set up lawn games such as croquet, lawn bowling, badminton, volleyball, etc. Some neighbors with small children may be willing to volunteer their sandbox and toys, while others can play host to a basketball hoop.
/>Remember to invite people (at least with a “save the date” card) well in advance to ensure that your party is well attended. Additionally, ask for cleanup volunteers in advance so that after the party, your neighborhood returns to its former splendor.
Have fun planning your block party and remember to rent the LCD projector from Projector123.com. Projector123.com is fast, easy, reliable and more affordable than you may think. Click here now to learn more.
June 1st, 2011
Welcome to wedding season! In the United States, June is the busiest month for scheduled nuptials and related events. Even if your big day is coming up in just a few weeks, you still have plenty of time to create a showstopping (yet tasteful) wedding photo montage. These practical tips will help ensure that you have an elegant and classy montage of memories at your wedding.
Keep It Short
This is the most common rookie mistake in the creation of photo slide shows. And why shouldn’t it be? It can often be difficult to edit down the lives of two extraordinary people into just a few minutes’ worth of images. However, if it’s a truly tasteful slide show you’re after, the shorter, the better. Ideally, you’ll want to keep your slide show to an absolute maximum of ten minutes (although seven minutes is truly perfect). Any longer, and your family will merely feign interest while your friends wonder why they aren’t included in more of the photos (after all, there’s a snapshot featuring every pet you’ve owned since the third grade). Keep it short and sweet.
/>Stick to the Topic
Yes, we know how much you love the maid of honor, how she’s stood by you through think and thin, and how much you appreciate and value her friendship. But she’s not the one you’re marrying! Keep your photos relevant, which means the majority of the photos should be of the bride and groom, with a sprinkling of photos including parents, grandparents (if you’re close to them), milestone events, and a smattering of siblings and very close friends. Remember, the more people you include, the more likely you are to leave someone out and have to deal with hurt feelings.
Skip the Embarrassing Stuff
The easiest way to make your video montage tasteful is to choose appropriate photos. That means no drunken binges, no pictures of you-know-who with what’s-his-face, no ex’s, and no childhood photos of the bride or groom in the bathtub. Anything incriminating should be omitted. When in doubt, leave it out.
Choose Classic Music
This is not the optimal time to showcase the Billboard top five, or your favorite hip hop ditty. Your wedding slide show should be classic, so choose a classic love song or two, the song you will dance to at your wedding (for your first dance together as husband and wife), or “your” song that’s stuck with you since you first began dating. After all, you don’t want to look back years from now while watching your slide show and say, “What on earth were we thinking?”
Once you begin coordinating your slide show, the next item to check off your list is the projector rental. Don’t pay more than necessary for outdated and questionable equipment at the hotel or reception hall – instead, trust the projector rental professionals at Projector123.com. From outdoor weddings to indoor events, Projector123.com rents only top-notch equipment at surprisingly affordable prices. Best of all, we’ll ship your rental projector to any location you specify, so you won’t need to transport the rental projector from location to location. Click here now to make your reservation.
May 20th, 2011
Celebrating the graduation of a loved one this month? Why not give them a full weekend of fun with a rental projector from Projector123.com? From gaming competitions to movie marathons to home movies, rental projectors offer hours of endless fun and entertainment. Click here now to reserve a rental projector and let the games begin.
May 18th, 2011
Gone are the days of stuffy, boring garden parties. Today’s outdoor events are warm, welcoming and casual — if you’d like to add a true “wow” factor to your next outdoor gathering, rent a projector and let the fireworks begin.
As we enter into warmer, more pleasant weather, entertaining slowly but surely begins to move outdoors. The term “garden party” may conjure up images of refined ladies in wide brimmed hats demurely sipping iced tea or lemonade while nibbling on cucumber sandwiches. But this needn’t be the theme for your garden party. Put simply, a garden party is any gathering held outdoors, with light refreshments served.
/>Best of all, there’s no “occasion” necessary for a garden party – you can simply invite some friends and neighbors over for snacks and conversation, and there’s no need to fuss over your home being immaculate, since the group plans to gather outdoors. Today, some ladies prefer to host garden parties to get to know new neighbors, or to collect together for some “girl time.”
Whatever the reason, it’s fun and easy to incorporate a rental projector into your garden party plans. High-lumen LCD projectors function quite well in bright sunlight, or you can always choose a shaded wall or corner of the garden for your display.
If you’re wondering what to showcase with a rental projector, consider that the possibilities are endless. You might want to gather the girls for an outdoor movie with cocktails, or plan a fun and ice-breaking game, such as “guess whose baby picture this is.” Alternatively, if you’re planning to gather with friends you’ve known for some time, you can create a fast and memorable slide show featuring photos of you and all your friends.
Another great reason for a garden party is to share photographs from high school (or earlier), from one of the gal’s weddings (whether recent or not), or from a recent trip or vacation you’ve all taken together.
Likewise, a rental projector and a garden party offer a fun and unique way to pitch an idea – such as an upcoming trip or cruise together, a business venture, or a scrapbooking club. Once you begin to consider the possibilities available with a rental projector, you’ll find an endless supply of potential ideas.
When you’re ready to start planning your garden party, remember to include Projector123.com in the early planning stages. We rent only the highest quality LCD rental projectors, suitable for use in a diverse array of environments, ranging from dimly lit rooms to bright sunlight and outdoor venues. Click here to rent a projector from Projector123.com today.
May 13th, 2011
As we near the peak of summertime wedding season, you may find yourself in a position to plan a wedding shower for a relative or close friend in the near future. Here are our best tips for making it memorable.
 Surprise! (Or Is It?)
One of the most basic questions to answer while planning a bridal shower is whether or not you want it to be a surprise. Be sure to consider the bride and her personality and wishes, not just your own! Some people absolutely love surprises, while others most certainly do not. Additionally, some people are downright impossible to surprise. Another factor to consider is the additional work that goes into creating a surprise shower – you’ll most likely have to involve the groom, create a diversion, and remind everyone to keep it under wraps.
To Theme or Not to Theme?
Next, think about whether or not you’d like to create a theme to the shower. A theme is not necessary, but it can be a fun way to tie things all together. Some sample bridal shower themes are: his and hers; around the clock; lingerie; barware; kitchen shower; linens and things; garden party; etc.
Couples, or Just Girls?
More and more couples are experiencing joint showers, where couples are invited and the groom gets to participate in the fun. This type of shower is most appropriate when the couple’s friends are mainly comprised of other couples.
Make It Special
The more personal touches you can add to a bridal shower the better. Don’t think she won’t notice that the ink on the invitation envelopes was her favorite color, or that the centerpiece was made from her favorite flower. For a true wow-factor element, rent a projector and display a custom made slide show of the bride and her courtship with the groom. Remember to include pictures of her with her family members, because the mother of the bride deserves a little recognition, too!
When you’ve set the date for the wedding shower, the next step is to reserve an LCD projector for rent from Projector123.com. Discover why so many people choose Projector123.com for all their projector rental needs. Click here to get started now.
May 11th, 2011
Welcome back to part two of our two-part series on planning audiovisuals for your upcoming wedding and/or associated festivities. In our prior installment, we looked at when to rent a projector, how to create the outcome you desire, and the pros and cons of soliciting help with your project. In today’s installment, we’ll address the logistics of putting it all together for the main event.
Step 4: Creating a Video Montage
This step may be somewhat time consuming, but it is often easier than it sounds. Even a person with no experience in this arena can create a stylish and sophisticated slide show relatively quickly and easily. First, gather all the images you’d like to use. If you plan to use baby photos and other older images, you will need to scan photos to gain digital images. Once you have all your images gathered, begin to put them in the sequence you desire. You may prefer to start with childhood and work your way forward to present day, but this is not absolutely necessary. Once you’ve got the sequence selected, consider what music you’d like to associate with the slide show, and gather those songs or soundtracks. Now you’re ready to begin assembling your slide show, so you’ll need some kind of software, which can be as simple as Microsoft PowerPoint. Add the images, ensure the order is correct, create an opening and closing slide, add transitions, and insert the music. Once you’ve reviewed your slide show and it meets with your satisfaction, burn it to a DVD (it’s a good idea to make at least one backup copy, though you may want a few extra copies for parents and other loved ones) and you are ready to go!
Step 5: Decide on the “When”
Next, it’s time to decide when is the most optimal time to showcase your slide show. For a slightly less formal wedding reception, you might consider letting the images run on a loop throughout the reception. Or, you may prefer to attract everyone’s attention and fun the montage just once during your rehearsal dinner. Depending on who is attending what event, it may be appropriate to run your slideshow more than once during the different festivities. Whatever you decide, it’s a good idea to make some notes about which events and at what point during the events (after the toasts, continuously, during dessert, etc.) you’d like it shown.
Step 6: Inform the Players
The last step is to inform the appropriate personnel about what you’ve decided. For example, tell the banquet coordinator at the restaurant where your rehearsal dinner will be held (and explain that you’ve already arranged for a rental projector, but you’ll need a screen or blank wall), the reception hall, the maid of honor, etc. Lastly, remember to bring the DVD (and a backup, just in case) or entrust this task to your most responsible friend or family member.
Your wedding is the most special time of your life, and when you choose to celebrate the occasion with images and visual memories, trust Projector123.com to supply your rental projector. You can rest assured that you will receive the highest quality rental projector, with easy 1-2-3 setup instructions in ample time for your event. Click here to reserve a rental projector for your special day right now.
May 9th, 2011
In the U.S., summer months are by far the most popular season for wedding celebrations. If you’re planning a wedding in the upcoming weeks and months, it’s not too late to add a dramatic and tasteful slide show or photo montage to your nuptial celebration. Here are our best tips (in a two-part segment) for audiovisual support during wedding season.
Step 1: Get Started Now
Once you decide to create a photo or video slideshow, go ahead and reseve your rental projector immediately. After all, the only reason to delay this step would be if you were awaiting confirmation on a date, and most folks set their wedding date nearly a year in advance. Reserving a rental projector now means one more to-do item crossed off your massive list.
 Step 2: Imagine the Outcome
One of the best ways to create audiovisual support that suits you personally and fits in with your celebration is to begin by thinking about how you’d like it to appear. Does your rehearsal dinner need a slide show to enliven the mood? Does the family of your betrothed wish to get to know everyone better? Do you need some kind of dramatic display at the reception, or the morning-after brunch? A montage can be just the ticket for adding drama, deepening rapport, filling in backstory, or providing a lively focal point.
Step 3: To Help or Not to Help?
Next, consider whether or not you’d like to delegate all or part of this responsibility (or simply collaborate with a partner or two) or handle it yourself. Odds are, there is someone in your family or close circle of friends who has a knack for (and love of) this kind of creation, and they would almost certainly be delighted to assist. Then again, you might prefer to hold the content a surprise and therefore keep it under tight wraps. The choice is entirely up to you, but be sure to consider your skill set – are you capable of putting together the kind of slide show you’ve been envisioning?
In the next segment, we’ll look at logistics of putting it all together and pulling it off. Be sure to return next time for the conclusion of this wedding audiovisual planning series.
In the meantime, why not take a moment now to reserve your rental projector? It’s easy to do, and just takes a minute when you start by clicking here to access Projector123.com.
April 4th, 2011
It’s that time of year again – when graduation gowns are donned, caps are jubilantly cast upwards into the sky and graduation parties abound. But what if you’re looking to plan a more posh party for your sophisticated graduate? Here are our best tips for planning an upscale graduation party.
For starters, every elegant gathering begins with beautiful invitations. To plan a truly posh graduation party, you can expect to spend a fair amount of money on custom invitations (no evites!) The size of your guest list will most often be determined by the size of your available budget.
Next, you’ll want to consider the venue. If you can afford the spend, a rental location or event hall would make an excellent spot for your swanky soiree. If your budget is a bit tighter, you can certainly still plan a rather refined gathering to be held at your home for a fraction of the cost.
/>The next step is the food. This is where “posh” really comes into play. Unless you’re throwing a college gradation party where guests are all of legal drinking age, champagne is probably not a good idea. However, there are many recipes to be found online for elegant non-alcoholic punch and other such beverages. Finger food should be bite-size, upscale and beautiful.
Some examples may include:
- toast points spread with cream cheese and topped with caviar
- cheese tray with assorted cheeses and crackers
- a cold plate featuring fresh and dried fruits, nuts, pickles and cured meats
- puffed pastry bites stuffed with sweet or savory fillings
Alternatively, you may wish to stick with known crowd pleasers (jambalaya, hearty soups, cocktail meatballs, finger sandwiches), in which case you can easily elevate the appearance by using your finest serving trays on a beautifully set table, complete with a stunning centerpiece.
Above all else, keep in mind the personality and spirit of your graduate – if he/she prefers to dance to rock music, then a posh party probably isn’t the best fit. If your grad is a ballet star, then keep the decorations, the food and the mood as elegant as possible to match.
Of course, no graduation party would be complete without an LCD rental projector, showcasing a photo montage of the most touching and humorous memories from the life of your grad. Click here to rent a projector from Projector123.com – you’re sure to be impressed by our ease of ordering, our professional grade rental projectors, and our outstanding customer service. Discover the Projector123.com difference now.
March 30th, 2011
Do you have a special occasion or milestone celebration coming up, where you’d like to honor someone special with a video montage? There are many reasons why you might want to celebrate someone with a collection of photos or videos from their life – retirement parties, memorial celebrations, the matriarch or patriarch of the family (at family reunions, for example), graduation, golden birthdays or anniversaries, major accomplishments, wedding nuptials, or other significant accomplishments in the person’s life. No matter the reason, this simple guide will give you tips and creative ideas for making the video montage memorable, tasteful, and delightful for the guest of honor as well as all who view your montage.
Begin with the End in Mind
You’ve likely heard this famous saying from bestselling author Stephen Covey, but it certainly holds true when it comes to creating the perfect video montage. Imagine what kind of reaction you’d like to see from the honored guest or from the other participants or attendees. Are you going for surprise? Nostalgia? Would you like them to feel appreciated? Honored? Revered? Appreciated? All of the above? Understanding this desired end result will help you craft the length, style, mood and overall feel of the montage, so it makes sense to start here.
/>Consider the Personality
Next, you’ll want to consider the person and their personality. Is this a fun-loving person, or someone who is easily embarrassed? Are you honoring a modest person, or someone who loves to “ham it up”? The montage should reflect the guest of honor’s personality (not yours) and showcase them personally. This will help you in choosing what photos or video clips to include, and which to omit.
Less Is More
Particularly if the guest of honor is someone near and dear to your heart, you may find that there is a lot that you want to include in their video montage. However, keep in mind that the average person’s attention span is short, and a long or drawn-out video montage will not go over as well as a shorter, more impactful one. Try to keep your video montage to less than ten minutes in length (six minutes, or two songs, would be even better) and you’ll keep your guest and your audience enraptured for sure.
No matter what kind of video montage you create, you’ll certainly want to rent a projector to help you showcase your final masterpiece. An LCD rental projector from Projector123.com is the perfect way to display your montage, whether in bright sunlight or a dimly lit room. Click here to visit Projector123.com online and reserve your rental projector today.
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