Keys have always been one of my favourite symbols in a relationship – unlocking the key to my heart has been such an impacting love lesson that I asked my now husband to get me a key necklace as a Valentine’s Day present when we first started going out, and I still have it today! If you are like me and love the idea of using keys in your next event, here are five ways you can go about doing just that!

Use the key as the invitation

Hosting a 1920’s themed Speakeasy? Prohibition and secrecy was what it was all about back then, so stay true to the times of your theme and give your guests your invitations attached to an authentic old-fashioned key. No key = no entry, and it looks fabulous too!

Photo by Oh So Beautiful Paper

Use the key as seating arrangements

Set up a board with the different keys on it at your wedding or event, and have your guests find their key amongst the group – tie an imprinted ribbon or note to the key with your guest’s name and their table number on it, and they can follow the key to unlock their seating arrangements.

Bonus’ are given out if you have a matching lock sitting on their table as their name plate holder!

Photo for Lux Events and Design

Simply use them as decorations

Whether you buy a handful of old fashioned keys from your local vintage store or key maker, or cut key shaped decorations out of glittery cardboard, spreading them around your event is a great way to include the key in your event decorations, and works perfectly with an Alice in Wonderland themed party – no matter what kind of keys they are!

Photo by Celebrations At Home

Use keys on your dessert table

Crafting keys out of fondant can be easy if you have a little bit of time, patience and practice. You can use any colour and any shape, and they will look great on cakes, cookies, candies or any other kinds of food that adorn your dessert table.

If you’re not as patient with fondant (like I am!) you could also go with the splitting hairs option, and simply feature a key lime pie flavoured cake or treat!

Photo by Mikkel Paige Photography

Incorporate locks to match the keys

If you’ve got the key, you have to have something for it to unlock. Even if the locks and the keys don’t match, utilising locks in some way are a great way to tie everything together. A very romantic thing that lovers do when travelling abroad leave padlocks with their initials tied to gates and hitching posts, so this is a great way to incorporate your keys and locks into a romantic theme.

So there you it, five ways you can incorporate keys into your next event. Let me know how you use these in your next parties, by leaving comments in the section below, and leaving your photos!