| A souvenir book can help to make your family | | | | There are a number of ways to organize your |
| reunion a more memorable experience. Here are | | | | book. You can either go by age, family group, or |
| some ideas you can use to get you started. | | | | geographical region. Do what ever works best for |
| A souvenir book can help to make your family | | | | you, and what ever you believe your audience will |
| reunion a more memorable experience. Here are | | | | find the most entertaining. |
| some ideas you can use to get started. | | | | When it comes to laying the book out, if you |
| Theme and Preparation: | | | | have, and are able to use, such software |
| Your first plan of attack when creating your | | | | programs as InDesign, Illustrator, or QuarkXpress, |
| family reunion book is to contact all the members | | | | you are ahead of the pack. If you don't, but |
| of your family who will be attending the event | | | | know someone who does, and might be willing to |
| ahead of time. Before you do that, though, you | | | | help, that is a bonus too. That being said, you |
| may want to put some time into coming up with | | | | should be able to get away with creating your |
| a theme for your book. You could create a book | | | | book in MS Word, or in any word processing |
| that simply features a short bio of each family | | | | program that allows you to work with photos. |
| along with all the photos they want to provide, or | | | | Have your cover and title match your theme, and |
| you could come up with a theme that is more | | | | find a good template or design it yourself, if you |
| specific. For instance, each family member could | | | | are so inclined. |
| be featured by way of a shirt bio along with both | | | | Printing and Binding: |
| a current photo and perhaps a photo from the | | | | Your options here are many as well. If you are |
| awkward teenage years. It might be fun, for | | | | going to use color photographs, and you can |
| instance, to see a representation of Uncle Harry | | | | afford to go whole hog, you may want to go for |
| back when he was the king of the disco roller | | | | a four color digital printing process. If you are |
| rink, just to gain a little perspective on the portly, | | | | looking to save a few bucks or desire to keep to |
| sartorially challenged guy sitting over by the | | | | black and white, you can still get great quality |
| cooler. | | | | laser prints. |
| The key is to get as much participation as | | | | As far as binding, one option to consider is to |
| possible, and to that end, you'll have to lay the | | | | order your own binding machine and do the books |
| groundwork early. Contact all of your family and | | | | yourself. The machines that are meant for home |
| let them know what kind of photos you need. If | | | | and small office use can be had for less that $100 |
| you are going for the historical and embarrassing, | | | | brand new, and are very easy and fun to use. If |
| you might get more eager participation from | | | | you have a mind to do any or these sorts of |
| siblings and spouses that you will from the people | | | | projects on a regular basis, you really should |
| themselves. Nothing wrong with that, and | | | | consider having your own machine on hand, as |
| turnabout is fair play, two can play at that game, | | | | you will save money right off the bat, and will |
| etc. etc. | | | | have the ability to create a book at a moment's |
| Organization and Layout: | | | | notice. |