Help with MP3/Music Favors

ChrissyC84

Hi !

I'm a newbie to the message board, so I apologize in advance for any silly questions...I would like to do an inexpensive favor that represents something my fiance' and I love: Music.  Instead of CDs, I want to create a link to a playlist in itunes or a similar program and then print that link on an ipod shaped card so the guests can download and listen to it at home.  Does anyone know how to do this?  Will the guests have to purchase the playlist?  If this idea is too costly, I will probably just do candy instead, but it would be great to share our music with others.  Thanks for any answers!  

cmp1986

I have no idea about the download. I just wanted to say that unless all your guests are really computer savy or hopefully all of them have a computer. This idea might not be a very good idea. I think you should do candy. You can try and find some music related candy (candy in the shape of musical notes). Then package it up and on the labels you can write the titles of your and FI's favorite songs. Hope this helps you!

CassieeK

I don't like this idea at all.  Not everyone has the same taste in music, and I just would never bother to do it, and you would have wasted your money.  Go with the candy instead.  You can buy music shaped candies online, and that would work your love of music into your favor.

mpatt2122

I have to agree with pp I'm not a big fan of your idea. I just don't think guests would take the time to find the link and listen to the music. I would do an edible favor or skip them all together and save money.

ChrissyC84

Well, I cut out the part that this favor is in addition to charity favors because I know how strongly people feel about them and the charity thing is all my fiance's idea.  Personally, I think charity favors are tacky, so I wanted to do something a little extra and our crowd is very young; even grandma has a cell phone!  I guess I am just looking for a modern alternative to CD favors...
 
 I see what people mean though; I don't think the guests will actually use the link but I am having a hard time thinking of creative favors that represent us as a couple and are inexpensive enough to do the charity favor as well.  It's a good thing I have some time on this one.  Candy is great, but so uninspired, and most favors I've received at weddings are either predictable or useless to be honest, so my finace and I want to be unique.  Thanks for the feedback; I do appreciate it.

CassieeK

I agree with you that candy is uninspired, BUT I think it becomes somewhat reinspired when it's creative, like musical shapes!  My cousin had Hershey's Kisses, and I was like, yawn, but I would think the music shaped candy was cool.  We are having a lot of river rocks in our decor, so we are doing chocolate river rocks, which I had never seen or heard of before coming here, and I think they are so cool!

arrabelle

there are music hosting sites that can do what you're asking, but i also think the logistics would be a hassle, and a lot of people would forget or not bother to go download the music afterwards.  personally- music sharing is big in our circle, and i would be jazzed to pop a new CD into the car dash for at least a half-listen.  but, not everybody is into that.  so i think it's kind of a know-your-audience thing.

you could also do regular (inexpensive!) candies packaged in a music-related way- like wrapped in sheet music or something.  we are toying with the idea of a popcorn bar and might use something like this:

http://www.projectwedding.com/post/list/diy-sheet-music-cones

ChrissyC84

Thanks arrabelle for the link!  I will definitely look into something like this. 

I came across an adorable ipod shaped craft too that we could maybe print the download link on and make out of chocolate.  I think it might be too juvenile though and it's a lot of work, but my sister (my maid-of-honor) and I love crafts.  What do you think of this?  Hope the link works:

http://www.thepartyanimal-blog.org/how-to-make-an-ipod-party-favor/

jafflerbach

Chrissy,
I think your idea is cool! I'm so tired of candy, no one cares! My fiance and I love music too, and we were brainstorming about making CDs (even though thats almost outdated at this point, I would still love to get one!) People can just go home and take them from the Cd and add the songs into their itunes library, anyway.  Keep thinking, don't give in the candy!

ChrissyC84

Thanks Jafflerbach! 

Yeah, we can always do CDs, but I feel the same way; they are almost outdated eventhough I still use them...Did you see the ipod craft link I posted?  Maybe you would like something like that too.  I thought it was really unique and you could write the download link on the "screen" part and make it out of candy instead of crackers so guests can actually eat the ipod once they download, haha.  I am just not sure if it's too kiddie since I got it from a party site for children...

By the way, I am getting married the weekend before Halloween, so candy would definitely fit our main theme (Fall- Black and Orange colors) but would probably be sooo predictable!

arrabelle

chrissy, i checked out the ipod DIY candy favor.  that's a super cool idea.  agree with you though i'm not sure i love it for a wedding.  maybe if you used gold or black paper instead of the bright colors and wrapped it around a chocolate bar instead of cheese crackers it might work?

or what about cookies decorated like records?  a bit labor intensive, but if you get the icing patterns down you could even use edible pens to label them with the names of your favorite bands.  check these out:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sweetsbyzoe/2869545281/

i still think the music sharing depends on your crowd, and your connection to music.  if you or FI met at a concert, or if one of you works/dabbles in music, i think it makes more sense.  we have some pretty deep roots to music in our daily life.  we're sending out CDs as save the dates, inspired by the picture below.  if some people don't want to listen to it that's fine, they don't have to.  i'm sure some people choose not to put magnets on their fridge too, and since we're designing them ourselves, the price is about the same as a magnet.

ETA: for the actual FAVORS though, we're just going with edibles b/c let's face it, most people like treats.

ChrissyC84

Thanks Arrabelle,

Our colors are actually Black and Orange (for Halloween) so maybe the ipod craft would look a little better?  I like the cookie idea but agree that might be too much work, and to order them from a bakery would be expensive (also, in NY the reception is a packaged deal, so I'm not sure if outside caterers are allowed.)

Your save-the dates- are so cute!  I never thought of doing CDs for that! 

My fiance and I do, indeed, have a musical connection.  We both love rock music and go to many concerts a year; it's our favorite activity.  We actually got engaged at a concert festival during my favorite song!  I also worked in the radio industry up until recently, so in theory I  should know how to do some of this stuff.  I was never interested in the techy production side of things though, which explains my questions...

RikaAndLoran

Be careful of hosting music anywhere for your guests to download. That unfortunately counts as music piracy, and we wouldn't want you getting sued millions of dollars over wedding favors. Even though you may have bought the songs, you can't really spread them legally like that (even though with physical CDs no one can stop you). =/

Perhaps you can include music into your favor container deisgn. Music notes, trebble cleffs, or iPod-esque designs could look very cute!

ChrissyC84

Thanks Luinorne,

I did think of the piracy issues as well, but I figured there had to be some updated version of distributing music.  I wouldn't mind making CDs, but my FI is pretty dead set on the charity favors as the main favor, so anything else has to be very inexpensive, and I think he would feel I am trying to downplay his big contribution to the wedding (the charity idea.)