Unique Gifts Made From Wedding Invitations: You Don't Have to Spend Tons to Create a Treasured Keepsake

Unique Gifts Made From Wedding Invitations: You Don't Have to Spend Tons to Create a Treasured Keepsake
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Affordable, Adorable and Achievable

Wedding GiftYou have a wedding to attend and you care deeply about the couple tying the knot. You want your gift to speak of your feelings, but your budget is tight and you are afraid that you’re not crafty enough to make something nice enough.

Not to worry; the following projects are relatively simple yet produce gifts your loved ones are sure to treasure. No sewing, woodworking or other special abilities are required, just a few products from your local craft or home goods store and a free afternoon. Who knows? Once the newlyweds show off your unique gift made from their wedding invitation, you might get requests for similar items from other friends and family.

Keepsake Pillow

Keepsake PillowA decorative throw pillow adorned with the couple’s wedding invitation might be proudly displayed in their living room, nestled on their bed or tucked away in a hope chest as an heirloom to pass down to their future children and grandchildren. If you have a scanner, color printer and an iron, you don’t need much more to create this keepsake pillow project.

For best results, find a throw pillow cover and a pillow to go inside of it. Scan the invitation onto your computer. Print the scanned image onto special iron-on transfer paper, and then iron that onto the pillow case. Tuck the pillow inside and you have an instant family treasure. A white pillowcase will work best, and if it is lacy around the edges, even better. It will be reminiscent of the pillows on which ring bearers carry wedding bands.

Display Book

Display Book

Combine the couple’s wedding invitation and a photo from the ceremony or an engagement photo with an old, hardcover book for a gift they will show off for years to come. Start with a book that has pages slightly larger than the invitation and photo you would like to use. Make sure that the cover and binding are in good repair, and that there are no obvious tears in the pages. If you can find an old romance novel, even better.

Open the book to the center so that it will lie flat while open. Combine three parts white glue and one part water. Use a small, foam paintbrush to paint the mixture onto the edges of the pages. Allow the mixture, which is similar to decoupage medium, to dry for about 24 hours. It will harden as it dries, holding the pages together.

If the pages are not firm enough when dry, apply a second and even third coat, allowing them to dry between applications. Placing one or two other heavy books atop the open pages while drying will help compact the pages, and you can wrap the book cover in plastic wrap if you are concerned about the glue mixture dripping onto it.

Once the pages are dry, use a glue stick to adhere the wedding invitation to one of the center pages and the photo to the other. You may want to make copies of the photo and invite first so that you can modify them, making them similar in size. Apply the glue and water mixture around the edges of the invitation and photo so that they will stay attached to the book. Place in a large box filled with tissue paper before wrapping.

Decoupage Candle

Decoupage Candle

Another unique gift you can make from a wedding invitation is a decoupage candle. Use a pillar candle that is slightly taller than the height of the invitation and wide enough that you can wrap the invite around it. Use a glue stick to attach the corners of the invitation to the candle in the position you prefer. Then, paint the same glue and water mixture described in the previous section onto the invitation and around the edges.

Allow the medium to dry completely and then paint the entire candle with another coat. If the paper that the invitation is printed on is very thick and will not adhere well to the candle, consider making a copy of it on thinner paper or even vellum.

Choosing a Gift to Make

When determining which gift would be the best one to create and give as a wedding present, consider the couple’s tastes and interests. For instance, if they are both avid readers who have amassed a substantial home library, they will likely be delighted by the display book. In addition, consider which items you have on hand or can easily obtain in order to make a gift. Finally, remember that it truly is the the thought that counts, and your loved ones will be touched by the effort you put forth to create such a special gift for their special day.

Resources and References

Image: Wedding Gift by Benjamin Earwicker under sxc.hu Image License Agreement

All other images provided by the writer

Better Homes and Gardens, Creative Crafts From Your Computer: https://www.bhg.com

Decoupaged.net, Decoupage a Candle: https://www.decoupaged.net