Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Wedding Reception Photo Scavenger Hunt!

So for those of you who don't know, I got married recently. My wedding was awesome. Not just because I got married during it, but because my friends and family are hilarious. Knowing this, I decided that to make best use of their hilarity, I would design a photo scavenger hunt for them to do at the reception. They could post them on Instagram with a certain hashtag, and the pictures would pop up on a large television at the reception almost immediately. These were the categories from the photo scavenger hunt:

1.       Best photobomb
2.       Most ridiculous dance move
3.       Best impression of your own photo on your namecard
4.       Someone with food on their face/a food mustache
5.       Two guys from your table wearing women’s shoes
6.       Best message and/or photo on the digital guestbook!
7.       Most creative use of any prop
8.       Best selfie
9.       Biggest age difference between dance partners
10.    Someone from your table hugging someone they met for the first time today
11.    ‘Whitest’ dancer
12.    Person having the most fun
13.    Picture most likely to make it into the wedding photo album
14.    Best use of censorship bar!
15.  Best photo with the bobbleheads!

By the time Chris and I got to the reception, people had already taken dozens of photos for these.  It was glorious and I was so excited.  I'm now going to go through each category and name the winners! *Applause sign flashes* 

There will be winners for individual people for each category (the people in the pictures), and then at the end I will score for each of the tables, based on the number of categories entered total plus the number of winning pics that table received.  The table number should be under each picture on here.  There will be a winning table (!!!).  I know you're excited, the both of you who were actually competing over this!


BTW, these aren't in order, because some of the categories turned out better than others.  And save the best for last, amirite?  That's a comforting thing I say to myself when I come in last at things.


1.       Best photobomb - Okay, this one I thought would turn out better. My friend/coworker did photobomb Chris and I cutting the cake, when tons of people were taking pictures, but no one seems to have that picture and I haven't gotten the professional ones back yet.  We had one real submission for this one...

Table 3

And then this, which I thought was a good use of photoshop 'talent' on a phone.  This one is brilliant and terrible at the same time:


Table 9

I also photobombed Shawn and Sandra while they were trying to take a nice picture at the Photo Booth.

Table 1
Yes, that's a Jamaican wig that I made stick out as armpit hair.  I'm not the one who thought of that, my mom was.  It was seriously one of the first things she did when she saw it, when we were setting up for the reception.

And then after that it was all just my mom and my Aunt Renae (all from Table 2).

Mom

Nae

Mom


Nae (that crazy arm over my shoulder)

Mom

Nae

Mom and Nae. "Winners!  Most Prolific Photobombers!"

9.       Biggest age difference between dance partners- Yeah, I don't know what I expected with this one.  This was the only picture I got, but at least it's super cute!

Table 5

So I decided to submit this one to mess with my brother.  This is him dancing with his girlfriend, who is 8 years younger than he is.  And that's a dancing Frenchman next to him.  Oh, and my mom of course happened to photobomb this one as well.



5.       Two guys from your table wearing women’s shoes - I was very proud of this category and I'm pleased with the submissions we got.  I am disappointed that more guys didn't take advantage of this opportunity (to wear women's shoes when they know they've always been curious).  Five out of the six guys who did this just made faces as if it were an everyday thing for them.  

Table 4
When I first saw this picture, I just thought it was a picture of these two talking.  I like Randy's face on the right, it seems to say, "That's right, my peep toe pumps are gangsta, what now?"  Benjamin on the left looks like he's trying to keep his face from showing how much he is enjoying the feel of that shoe.
  
 Table 10
Shawn on the right is the only one out of all of these who is aware of how ridiculous he looks.  Marc on the left looks like, "Why are you interrupting our conversation about alligator wrestling just to take our picture?"


I thought I would add this picture here since this category is obviously really just about men who are comfortable with their sexuality.  This was posted to the wedding Instagram during the reception.

Tight, short, pink shorts.  Thanks for this, Damian.        Table 6

The winner of this category though is this picture.  I put words on it and everything, so you two can post it on your Facebook pages or the Twitter:

Table 7
These two are really hamming it up.  Also, Isaiah is the only one who switched out both of his shoes, so well done there!  He's also the only one who I later saw dancing in them... hmm.



8.       Best selfie - There were several submissions for this one.  We have a cute one here with JJ and Tiara:


Table 8

Two adorable little girls:

Table 5

These three went for "Holy crap, it's a camera!" faces.

Table 5

Then we have the Frenchman Selfie.  Even if you didn't know him, I bet you could tell he was French just from this picture.

Table 11
Like he's smelling himself or something.

These last three are my favorites, for different reasons.  Therefore, they are all winners! 

Table 6 
Best background ever.  Adrian, you were smart about this.  Way to play to our egos!  "Winner: Best Background in a Selfie!"


I love this next one because it's so straight-faced.  A selfie with a straight face and a pink napkin up the nose.

"Winner: Selfie Most Likely to Make the Wait Staff Cringe."          Table 10


And this one, because of the role reversal and the fact that it made me laugh the most.

Uela was really getting into the idea of the selfie.  Cielo is all serious about it, but all the while trying to poke Uela in the tongue.  "Winner: Best Selfie of Someone Who Had Never Heard of a Selfie Before Tonight."   Table 3



2.       Most ridiculous dance move - I thought this one might be able to be combined with Whitest Dancer, but some of them could really only go in one category:


Table 3
Yeah, I married this guy.  

Table 10
I hope you didn't dance like this for long, Rob.

While others could be in either one:


Table 10
I was hoping that this was during the Chicken Dance, but no one else is dancing.  Marc, what is going on here?


This one wins because it is my favorite.  Look at all the lovely slow dancing behind them.  And look at the sixth grade mixer dancing going on with them.  Also, Steve's face is great.

"Winner: Most Chaste Dancers!"        Table 10


11.    ‘Whitest’ dancer - We might as well look at this one next.  I know that for this category, my family and friends had the unfair advantage of actually being white.  However, surprisingly, not all votes in this category were for white people.

Such as my husband.  The glow shoelaces and cufflinks, as well as the awkward clapping (when no one else appears to be clapping) make Chris a candidate for Whitest Dancer.

Table 8

Pointing while dancing?  Definitely a candidate.

Table 7

I feel like this is a Thriller attempt, but Katie is the only one with her arms that high, and her fiance next to her does not help her dancing look any less white.  Their poor future kids.

Table 8

This is my father and me doing the Chicken Dance.  Katie, Steve, and I were getting ready to do the Photo Booth,

 
 so we were all decked out and then the DJ called us to the floor, after my dad requested the Chicken Dance.  So here are the whitest dancers doing the whitest dance. 

Table 8

Table 8

And here we have Mike in his suspenders.  He is actually a pretty good dancer, but the second picture doesn't really prove that point.

Table 7
Here's Jen being politically correct.  Caucasianest Dancer.


Table 9
I believe this photo sequence was taken by a member of Chris's side of the family. This is my brother Ben, taking center stage during his dance off with my coworker, Adam. This was basically what Ben did the entire night. I might be biased, but this photo to me is the winner of Whitest Dancer, and better yet, Whitest Dance-off.

"Winner: Whitest Dance-Off!"         Table 4 (Good job, Jalene!)


7.       Most creative use of any prop (besides the censorship bar, of course) - The props were a big hit, which was awesome.  People were just wearing them around throughout the night.  

Table 5
I know this is one of Chris's relatives.  Whoever you are, would you please claim your butt?  Jalene's in the background looking a little shocked, so maybe this is her grandfather?


Table 8
My father, enjoying himself in bright pink and blue.


Table 8
Is it strange that I think this wig could work for him?

Table 4
I just love the amount of props going on in this picture.  And the fact that the anonymous man in the middle did not want anyone to know he was with these weirdos.

Table 5
It's Ms. Thor, her Jamaican friend, and a little girl who is wearing sunglasses inside because she is too cool for that bonnet.

Table 8
Chris wore this during the Chicken Dance.



Table 9
Mike the feather face.


Table 10
The tie looks like a nose and the belt looks like it's smiling, with a gold tooth.

And the winner is:  Angel, Mari, and Isaiah.  This picture gets even better (or worse?) when you know that Angel and Mari are Isaiah's parents.


I think they're Jamaican and therefore trying to smoke Isaiah's head, but it looks to me like Isaiah's head is being inflated through those horns.  "Winner: Best, Yet Most Concerning Use of Props!"     Table 7

4.       Someone with food on their face/a food mustache - Okay, I was picturing people going all out on this one, thinking they might go something like this:

Okay, well I took a picture of me with whipped cream smeared on my face with blueberries stuck in it, but Chris said it looked very inappropriate.  But just so you know, I did have something here.


Unfortunately, our friends and family were smarter than that.  These are still cute though.

Table 4


Table 5



Table 7


Table 10

This one wins because of the added cigarette to make it French.  Plus the sassy look on Emily's face.  And the awesome cleavage.

"Winner: Most French Food Mustache!"          Table 11


6.       Best message and/or photo on the digital guestbook - There were so many of these.  Some were of the same people doing different things.  The kids apparently really enjoyed it!  And many of the adults had a turn...

Table 1
This next one of Chris's mom and Linda is quite disturbing, and it looks like Linda knows it.  What are you censoring, Abby?  Are there unfortunately-placed holes in your dress?  And it looks like Linda's bird head has taken up nest in Abby's viking hair.


Table 2

This is a lovely family portrait.  I hope you guys frame this one:

Table 7


Tables 1 and 6
I do not get the Dennis Rodman reference, but no matter.  Was there a written memo about sticking your tongues out for the picture, or did you guys all have the same reaction to the camera?  Or maybe you had just caught a glimpse of this in the background:


Then we have my coworker and his wife who wrote "I <3 Cock" on this whiteboard and then wrote "er spaniels" super small and almost illegibly underneath it.  Nice.  The best part is their faces.  Tracy looks truly appalled and Adam looks truly proud.

Table 11

These little girls loved the camera and took all kinds of cute pictures.  Here was the cutest one of the four of them together.  I love Juliana and Ayanna's faces in this one.  Ayanna is sass personified in this!

Tables 3 and 5

Also, my wedding day is when I learned that I have a second brother aka the day when I became even more worried about my gene pool.

Tables 2 and 11

I think my mom shares my concern.

Table 2

I'd want to do that to my husband too if he wore a bowtie and a boa that matched his shirt to a wedding we went to together.

Table 11

I am surprised it took until later in the night for people to start holding the phallic props like penises.  I am not surprised Steve did it first. 

Table 10

This one of Joshua made me laugh.

Table 8

Ha, oh Hector.

Table 3

I put this one in because Jefrie looks rabid.

Table 7

Kids and censorship bars...

Table 8

Aw, this one's sweet, it even has our wedding date and everything.

Table 2

I wonder if there are any more sweet ones?  Um...

Table 4

Murderous faces aren't really sweet...

Tables 3 and 4

Okay, here we go:

Tables 3 and 4
Oh wait, it looks like Nilda is about to hit Margie with a hammer, to maybe get her back for the murderous picture before.

This one might look sweet... kinda... at first glance, but:

Table 10
I feel like it's just a viking role-reversal.

And this next one definitely isn't sweet.  I think it's Shawn?  Or someone else?  I can't tell from the ass, just FYI.  I was only trying to judge from what people were wearing that night:

Table 10?

Here we go.  Two.  Two sweet ones in the bunch.

Tables 3 and 5

 And these are my four favorites:

We have Rob and Pete, who have asked to remain anonymous.

Tables 9 and 10

Haha, this is a random one of my brother, it was between a bunch of others of other people.  I'm trying not to be biased in these, but seriously my brother is just hilarious and does not hide his presence.

 
Table 1

Here we have the Torres Family vs. the Reiser Family in a contest of who dons Jamaican hats and sunglasses the best, while making "okay" signs with their hands.  That's what you were doing, right?


Tables 1 and 6

And again, don't call me biased, but I think this one takes the cake.  My mom and Katie are really playing up their horror as my aunt attacks them with the Plastic Hammer of Thor.  


Tables 1 and 2
"Winner: Best Fear Faces in a Wedding Album!"
Or maybe they just remember where that hammer has been...




10.    Someone from your table hugging someone they met for the first time today.  This one made me happy!  It went from cute, to somehow making you feel like something is slightly inappropriate, to straight up stranger-groping.

Cute:


Table 11

Table 9

Makes you feel like something's slightly inappropriate:

Table 6

And now the straight-up stranger-groping section.

Ah, this picture.  I saw it and went, "Aww!" and then realized that since it's my brother and Steve, something just doesn't feel right...


Yep, there it is.

Table 1

And here we have the winner.  It wins because not only does the person being groped not realize she is being groped (by another woman, so it's not quiiiiiite as creepy), but that person is actually the bartender.  Great job, Caroline.


"Winner: Grope a Stranger."       Table 9

12.    Person having the most fun - This one was initially called, "Drunkest person" but we decided to maybe avoid pictures of someone puking or groping strangers (I guess you can't plan for everything).  But here are the submissions for this one:

Chris and Selena!  Obviously Chris and I had the most fun of anyone, because seriously, our wedding was filled with awesome people and crazy dancers.  But I like this one because Selena looks so happy!

I don't know who uploaded this, so it's now for Table 8, where Selena sat.

Again, Chris and I were the real winners of this category.  I mean, look at my face!  And not a drop of alcohol the entire night!

Table 3

Best night ever.

My videoographer actually took this, I just found out.

Okay, moving along.  We have my brother.  Once someone has a tie on his head, you know he is having a good night.

Table 7

Right, Wesley?

Table 6

The winners, however, are these two adorable little girls (from Table 3!), which proves that you don't have to drink to have the most fun.  They danced the night away, while also filling the photo booth with adorable pictures of themselves.  Juliana and Ava, you are the winners of the people having the most fun!







"Winners: People Having the Most Fun!"

13.    Picture most likely to make it into the wedding photo album - This one was kind of a grab bag of all of the pictures that did not fit into any other category, but still amused me.

Let me start off with the ones involving me and Chris, because of course these will go in the album.

Chris in his Sixers game gear.      Table 3

My father walking me down the aisle.

Photo credit: Sofija Aponte - Thank you!

My father crying into my shoulder after he walked me down the aisle.

Photo credit: Sofija Aponte


My father poking me in the ear at the end of the night.


Table 8

Then we have my favorite picture that I have seen so far of the reception.  I love this picture.  It was when the DJ had everyone give us a group hug during every chorus of Sweet Caroline.  It was an unbelievable feeling, and I feel like this picture captures it, particularly Chris's face.


Table 3 - Thank you, Hector!

Then we have a picture of one of the lower moments of the day:

The bobbleheads were on top and mine slid off and hit every tier before landing on the table.  This was before the wedding even started, and my dad had to run back to the bakery and get icing to fix it.  He did a decent job considering it looked like this at one point.

Then we have our DJ, who was super lively and I believe he thinks our wedding was one of the most fun he had ever DJ'ed.

Table 4

 Angelina drew a picture of the first dance.  I thought this was great!


Table 8

Here's Piti with a sheepish look, after she was told how pretty she looked in her napkin bow.

Table 5

This one is the winner.  Mostly because we finally got to find out what happened to one of our props.  His sign is not lying.  I hope you are enjoying those sunglasses, Damian!  I'm sure they go well with your pink beach shorts.

"Winner: Best Wedding-Album Mugshot!"       Table 6


14. Best use of censorship bar! This one did get pleasingly inappropriate. So much so, in fact, that I have been asked not to post certain pictures involving it. There were lots and lots of pictures with the censorship bar, but most of them were of people dancing with it or just holding it. You guys just really wanted to be censored without doing the work to actually require censorship (nudity, profanity, needing anonymity). So of the ones that I am allowed to post, here are the best:


Joshua is thrilled to be censored!

Table 8

Pete again wished to be anonymous, and the girls were apparently more than happy to take a picture with the detailed penis drawing.  No one's buying that it's a "butterfly" by the way.
  
Table 9

Selena, I love that this is covering part of the hole in the middle of your dress to make people wonder, "Wow, maybe the censorship bar was actually necessary?"

Table 8

There are two winners for this category.  This first one wins for two reasons.  1.  There are so many people involved, and 2.  There is a napkin penis in the picture, and yet the censorship bar is elsewhere.

"Winner: Most Confused Use of Censorship Bar!"  Even in the bottom right picture, where it appears he may have been trying to censor the napkin penis.   Table 5

And then we have the most inappropriate pictures, which are really the most appropriate use of the censorship bar.  I'm guessing Wesley was happy that he found the only situation in which it comes naturally for him to be appropriate.



Table 6
"Winner: Most Appropriate Inappropriateness!"
Frank Torres has asked that he be given credit for taking these photos.  I never want to leave out credit where credit is due!

15.  Best photo with the Bobbleheads!  So just in case someone reading this hasn't seen them, here are the bobbleheads we had made in our likeness for our cake toppers:


Table 5 - Piti, we love this picture!

And here are all the photos that I have seen from that night of people with our likenesses!

Here are Chris and me telling JJ an apparently disturbing secret.

Table 8

Jonathan on the right does not look happy to have to hold Chris.

Table 8

So I guess he gave Chris to Angelina, and she was happy about it.

Table 8

I love the dancing happening around us!

Table 8

Margie then apparently wanted some alone time with the 'heads.

Table 5

Jayson's caption for this was, "Pssh, this chick."

Table 5

These last two are my favorites, perhaps because they are kinda artsy.  Here's one of us after we apparently devoured a cake that's ten times our size.

Table 8

 And the winner: Jefrie, you did a great job with this.  Here's us on the dance floor, and what's even better is that we didn't get trampled! 

"Winner: Bobbling the Night Away!"          Table 7


3. Best impression of your own photo on your namecard - I saved this one for last because this was my favorite. Each person got a placecard for their table with their picture on it. These are the best re-enactments of those. I know that some people had the advantage of having significantly more ridiculous pictures than others. Just remember, if your picture wasn't particularly ridiculous, you were one of the lucky ones who didn't have a horrible picture of you displayed throughout the night for all to see.

For instance, poor Ali had to have this photo displayed:


But she did a lovely job recreating it.       Table 11


 This is Kevin, Caroline's date, doing quite an accurate impression of himself rowing a canoe.  I don't think a butter knife would get you far in a river, but I realize you had to improvise.

Table 9
  
Sarah said that she would like her hair to look like it did back in sixth grade, and she was happy to do this re-creation of herself from back then.

Table 9

Nice job!  And I would just like to say that I hope you still own shorts like those. 


Table 4

Aww, so this wasn't her picture used for the table place cards, but this re-creation is awesome.  The first one is from her sweet sixteen, and the second one is from his wedding reception.  I thought it was cool.

Table 5

This one of Ashley V. is fantastic!  The viking hat is definitely a better idea.

Table 7


Jayson, I love the face.  Also, I think that fro needs a comeback.  Thoughts anyone?


Table 5

 Margie, this is just lovely.

Table 5

 Nice!  Chris's uncle Ralphie getting in on the action!

Table 5

 This one of Tiara is actually quite adorable.


Table 4

Okay, these next pictures are our four winners (yes four, I liked so many of these)!  This first one wins because it required two people and also because it is honestly the first time I've seen anyone do an impression of a unicorn.

"Winner: Best Photo Re-creation Involving a Unicorn Impression!"  Table 9


This one wins because Nate did a good job re-creating the photo on the right, and then he turned it into Nateception!

"Winner: Best Nateception!"                       Table 10


This next one wins for most accurate re-creation as well as best use of props in a re-creation.  Nice job, Christina!

"Winner: Most Violent Vegan!"               Table 6

Okay, and the winner of "Re-creation That Made Me Laugh the Hardest" is this next picture.  It is my brother.  I'm being biased you say?  I dare you to look at it without laughing, and then being angry that it can't be unseen.  Dare you.  Plus, he did do quite an accurate impression of himself in his picture.



"Winner: Most Likely to Haunt Dreams!"             Table 2
I'm thinking: cover of the wedding album?  At least the back cover.



So that is the end of the photo contestants!  Let's find out who the winning table is!  *Drumroll.... that part of the drumroll where it starts to get awkwardly long and you wonder if she'll ever get to the winner....*

The winner is:  Table 6!!!

Table 6 consisted of these people:

Ashley, Christina, Damian



 Ana, Adrian, Luis


 Wesley, Blanca, Matt

Congratulations!  I made you this certificate of "achievement" on a very fancy program I have on my computer!


I made it all fancy in case you want to post it to Facebook so your friends can see the highlight of your year!

In second place, we have Table 5!!

Margie R., Jake J., Margie M., Ralphie, Piti, Jayson, Ayanna, and Liani!


In third place, Table 10!

Nate, Kim, Steve, Erin, Shawn, Sandra, Rob, Marc, and Heather!


Thank you everyone for participating!  We both had such a great time, and in these pictures, it looks as though we forced you to have a good time as well!