Wonder if guests would enjoy writing down a memory with/involving your DH and you could create a memory box?

At a wedding I was at, in addition to a photographer, they had guests taking selfies with disposable cameras to add to the couple's memories. People had fun doing it.

I make "bride's punch" and it always goes down well...and guests can add a shot of vodka if they want to make it more potent.

I attended a wedding reception w/ disposable cameras @ every table - a fun idea. Since this is a birthday party, maybe you could do a photobooth setup w/ fun props & take everyone's picture as mementos? Tons of ideas for that on the web...

A friend bought small sized (the pictures came out half the size of regular) Polaroid type camera and set up a photobooth. Guests were encouraged to take two pictures- one was dropped into a basket for the birthday boy (40) and one was to take home in an envelope for a souvenir. There was also a blank book for advice for the upcoming decade from the guests. It was a fun activity for guests and I am sure the birthday boy and his wife have enjoyed the advice & snaps.

I agree on the photobooth. There should be someone local to you who does this.

For non-alcoholic drink, perhaps something apple-cider-like. Trader Joe's has a very tasty spiced apple cider, and there are a few craft-like apple ciders at my local grocer.

Photos sound fun--the problem with memory boxes and writing items in general is that it tends to take up more time and effort at a party than people probably want to get into; they have to shift into a more focused mindset and logistically, these days many people never hand write anything anymore so it's actually physically laborious. Go with pictures or video, much easier and more fun for everyone.

For my husband's 50th, we had a golf outing earlier in the day. I had someone take a pic of each foursome with my husband. They received insulated lunch bags, printed with a reference to the event, filled with a water bottle and snacks. By the time they returned from golfing, I had each picture printed, put in a black card/picture frame, and clipped into a little golf ball clip frame holder (hard to explain but I thought it was cute. My husband still has the golf ball picture thingie displayed on a bookshelf.) At the party, I had a picture of him (from the golfing) with a large mat and people wrote a quick comment on the mat. The same photographer took candid pictures throughout the evening.

Nowadays, with everyone having a cell phone camera, I don't think I'd bother with an official photographer (my husband's party was 10 years ago). On the plus side, the photographer did get shots of various groups that wouldn't normally pose together (at the bar and buffet line, competing in yard games) so that was kind of fun to see.

Wedding couples create a hashtag and have every guest post their photos under the hashtag. Maybe you could do that.

Other crazy ideas: do a slide show of his life, like they do a weddings (but they also do it at funerals so maybe that's not the right vibe!). Make the guest arrival like a red carpet event and take their picture then. I've been to parties with a photo-booth and my husband is a very reluctant participant, and he isn't the only guest feeling that way. That could be a big expense with limited payback.

I'd keep it simple. For these kinds of events I like to hire a photographer and make a book. They usually will get much better photos then people doing it for fun, and they won't miss anything. I just call the Photog. Prof at a local U. and get a student.

The best birthday party I have been to recently is one where some of the guests did short speeches on how great the birthday gal is. At that party the woman's daughter also spoke and had half the room in tears with her touching speech. Usually people wait for someone to die. How nice to vocally celebrate a nice person while alive and well.

I think if you want people to give brief speeches, you need to control it by having a few ringers (good speakers, with an actual story not a rambling reminiscence, and who are prepared ahead of time) ready to kick it off. I attended a 75th party and it was torture as a guest: waiting for someone, anyone, to volunteer to share a story, no emcee to get it flowing or move people along, no end in sight to that portion of the evening so it felt like some people just spoke up to avoid the silence and awkwardness. Overall, it can be a fun idea IF you have a handful of people with something entertaining to say.

Yes I agree to have speech givers arranged before hand. That's how it went down at the party I was at. The daughters speech was the best and the added bonus was that the mother was so proud as there was much compliments on how great her daughter was. I was thinking if I had a daughter I would want it to be her.

Also depends on DH. My DH would not like guests giving speeches about him, at all! I would not either.

True. I wouldn't but my husband would.

Thank you for all the ideas. My DH probably would love people talking about him:) but I'm not going to go there at this point in the process. A simple toast and singing Happy Birthday could be fun though just to remind ourselves why we're there.

I really want to do the photographer and the book. We live in a small town so no University but I'm going to call around and find someone. If not, I'll put a couple friends and their iphones on it to at least get something I can make into a book.

I agree that the writing notes and sentiments is something that doesn't get done well on the spot. I remember being at a wedding where the videographer went around and asked that we talk about the bride and groom on camera. That was 20 years ago and I still remember not knowing what to say:)

Thanks for all the thoughts!

I've used the photographer from a local newspaper for some events. You could try contacting the local high school as well- could be an art teacher or student there.

Lego, Just make sure the photog is giving you all the digital images as part of the deal.

There are almost alwys journalism classes at local hight schools- that could be a source for the photog.