I was searching for menu styles online, and found one where it's in a book. This got me thinking...
We make our own little books (using blurb or something). with the menu in the first few pages (appetizers on one, main course on the next, etc). The rest of the pages (probably at least 25) would be quotes, poems, very short stories that we really like, centered around love and life. Working title: "Food and Other Thoughts."
On the front inner cover, I can write "For [guest's name]" and on the back inner cover we can have a "thank you!" I definitely want to personalize each menu.
The nicest version would be hardcover, but that's so expensive, so we'll probably do paperback. It'd be about $3 per book, and I think there are discounts for bulk orders. FYI we're having about 50 guests, all close relatives and friends.
What would be really cool is if in the RSVP cards, guests could tell me what their favorite poem/quote is and I could include that. not sure if that'd work out.
I know this is SO extravagant. But I really like the idea. There's not a literary theme to our wedding, but both me and FI love writing (I'm minoring in creative writing and he's attempting to write a book)...I also love poems.
Thoughts? Advice?
Re: I have a kinda crazy idea for wedding favors
The rest will probably be left behind or tossed once your guests get home. Also, I have seen those guestbooks where you are supposed to write some kind of advice or whatnot. . . and I never do >< I usually just sign my name and then move on into cocktail hour.
"Love is the one thing we're capable of perceiving that transcends time and space."
If you are really set on a book idea, I might consider something more practical, that might have some use for your guests, like a cookbook of your favorite or sentimental recipes. That might be something your guests would use again. However, if the book is not set in stone, I'd definitely consider a consumable favor.
ETA: paragraphs
1) Read it once, maybe, back in my hotel room assuming I don't pass out right away or didn't bring my kindle and then leave it in the room when I check out in the morning,
2) Take it with me when checking out of the hotel, but leave it in the bottom of my overnight bag/suitcase where it will remain until I need the bag the next time and then I'll toss it while packing for the next trip,
3) Leave it on the seat/floor or in the glove box of my car where I'll promptly forget about it until I clean my car out six months later and then toss it with whatever pop bottles and McDonald's wrappers also accumulated in my car, or
4) Bring it home and keep it in a drawer (because I just donated my bookcase and all my books except cookbooks because I read nearly everything on my kindle) out of guilt for a few months and then toss it the next time I clean out the drawer.
I know this sounds harsh, but I'm not interested in keeping a collection of quotes and poems that you like or in remembering your wedding menu for all eternity. And I just have enough..."stuff" in my life without accumulating more - it's kind of the literary equivalent of a knickknack and I'm all knickknacked out. Plus, the collection of quotes thing kind of smacks of high school yearbook (another thing I never cracked open once I left high school) or those Facebook posts where people post song lyrics to seem all deep and meaningful and convey their innermost feelings instead of using their own words.
What about saving the quotes or stories for other things (and then thank me with chocolate)? Use a quote on your invitations or save the dates (though I'm kind of anti-save the date). Or on your escort cards. Put a poem on your program if you're having one. Have a reading in your ceremony of a short story or poem. Make your table number markers each with a different quote or incorporate it into your centerpieces.
Favor: Done en masse as a thank you to guests. As we all know you can't please everyone with what you choose for a favor but hopefully a lot of people get enjoyment out of it.
Gift: Selected specially for the recipient because you know it is something they will like.
A menu is not a favor (unless it is made out of chocolate). A favor is not a gift if you go by the definitions above.
For your favor you should go with something that you think a lot of people will enjoy. It is possible a lot of people would enjoy the book (but not with a menu in it); you know your crowd and you seem to think this is a possibility. And by making it more personal to that specific person they may actually feel like it is kind of nice like a gift.
But if each and every person is not someone that you would say to yourself, "yeah this person will love reading a quote book," then those people will not think of is as something nice to keep. Those people will throw it out like they do with other non edible favors. And yes, they will throw it out because unlike a generic quote book it is personalized and people will not want to donate it to a book sale or pass it on to someone else.