Love Note Writing Events - Helpful Tips

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Thank you for joining me changing the world one love note at a time!

Love note displays are a great addition to events celebrating life transitions (baby showers, baptisms, weddings, retirement, memorials) at work or in the community.  Public displays of affection add an interactive art element to window installations, galas, fairs, waiting rooms, and lobbies.

Love note displays provide brief and meaningful interactions with individual guests AND a public art piece unique to your event. Fabulous photo opportunity with major social media sharing potential.

Select a location that makes sense in relation to foot traffic flow. Locations near refreshments, the entrance or next to a popular attraction are ideal. Get some ideas of how other events have been set up by searching this website for “Live Love Note Writing”. You can also check out other’s blog posts.

You’ll want to also gather:

Worry less about form than function – put the line at a height people can both reach and read. Consider how people will walk under or around the public art display. Add clothespins to the line as an invitation to participate. Write several love notes as examples and hang them on the clothesline. Ribbon and paper clips also work well – I love black ribbon and gold paper clips. A bulletin board with pins, foam core with tape, taping notes to a glass surface such as a mirror or window, will also work.

On your table, spread out a sample of blank love note templates, writing utensils, Hang the instructions as an invitation. Put a few sample love notes on the display to give people the nudge. Don’t put all the blank love notes out at once, it feels overwhelming. Put out a selection to start and refill as participants pass by and write notes.

Make some general suggestions when a person is intrigued, “You can write a note to a person, place or thing. You can even write your wish for the future as an intention to the universe.  You can sign the note or leave it anonymously.” Sometimes a person really wants to write a note but is stumped at where to start. Give them a prompt, “When was the last time you felt like flying? Or received a text message or voicemail that made you laugh out loud? Who makes you feel like there is no one else like you in the world? Write about that.” Or any other prompt related to your event. The love notes serve as a template or prompt and with a little encouragement, most people have something to say.

As the display fills with love notes and your public art piece is born, it becomes the attention grabber and inspires others to participate. Take photos of the love notes as they are written and displayed. Encourage others to take photos. Photos can be posted to your own event or organization page. You can later share the story of your Love Note Writing event with photos to the LoveYou2.org blog.

A live love note writing event can be anywhere from an hour or two to a full day or more, depending on the larger event context. If at all possible, leave the public art display up for several days with extra notes for people to contribute. Encourage photographs and take plenty of your own. Consider how you might use the love note photos as part of a card, newsletter, or video telling the story of your event or organization. The live love note writing experience often lives well beyond the few hours of in-person interactions.

Your role at the event is simply to create the opportunity for others to participate in this “get love. give love.” experience. You do that by offering the space and passing on the love note prompts, the template for the guest to customize. The guest has the note inside them. Your role is to witness, encourage, see bravery. We all want to be seen. Just like you were born to love and be loved, so is each guest who stands at your table. Witnessing is a powerful role for others to share and unfold.

People will ask you questions. Most of which can be answered with one of the following responses:

• Yes! (The bulk of the questions are related to permission. Give it. Every time.)

• Of course. (More permission giving.)

• What do you think? (You don’t have to know the right answer…it is already inside the one asking the question.)

• Aren’t you something! (Nod to boldness or a true story told.)

• What would you like to do? (Expand possibility rather than defining with an answer.)

Are you still wondering if you can do it? I hereby anoint you “chief love note writer & witness of love in action”. Write this on a piece of paper and slip it into your pocket. You’ve got what it takes!