I'm Lexie and you know it: Wedding Signs and Table Numbers

To continue the ceremony motif through the cocktail hour and into the reception, I created signs and table numbers decorated with paper pinwheels.

During the cocktail hour we chose to serve signature drinks. We did this for two reasons; the first was because having pre-made, waiter passed drinks would alleviate the line at the bar. The second reason was to share our personal favorites with the guests. To add some color and decoration to the cocktail area space (which didn't need much to start with), I created signs to put on the bar and tables explaining the signature drinks. The signs were created using a picture frames with glass panels as dry erase boards and decorating them with pinwheels.

Signature cocktail signs

In the reception space, I used the same pinwheel decoration treatment to decorate frames holding the printed table names. (In place of table numbers, we choose to use places we'd visited together with photos of us there on the back of the sign).


Table names at the reception

Supplies

WHAT YOU NEED;

Craft paper
hot glue or zots
picture frames
dry erase markers
sandpaper (optional)

1) The first thing you need to do is buy the picture frames. I bought frames for both projects (signs and table numbers) from Ikea. The table numbers were made from Tolsby Frames which are incredibly popular for weddings because they stand on a foot which allows for pictures on both sides. (Of course you can use anything, I saw these at a wedding whose table numbers were song titles and the back of frame had printed song lyrics in it.) For our wedding we used printed table names in one side, and photos of us in the other. It also is nice that these frames are 2 for 99 cents!

The frames for the cocktail hour signs were Ikea's Nyttja. These are more traditional looking and I picked them because they seemed to be a cheap frame with a glass pane in it. (Note: when I got home and opened these, they did not have glass in them. Instead it was a rigid plastic. However I was still able to use them as a dry erase board.)

2) Fill the frames with your background color, photograph, or printed table name. Once the delicate pinwheels are attached to the frames you won't want move them around much or turn them upside down, so fill in the frames first.

To add color to the dry erase boards, I choose a lightly colored and patterned craft paper. Chose something that won't make it difficult to read the writing that will later go on the frame. Cut the craft paper to the size of photograph which the frame was designed for and put it in there.

Cut craft paper to fit frame

Place craft paper into frame

2) Make pinwheels!! Make as many as you want. I decided that three per frame felt about right. Use different sizes and colors. You can read my previous instructions for making pinwheels here. Follow the instructions for the three inch diameter pinwheel.

Pinwheels

For these frames, my pinwheels ranged in size from about 2 inches diameter to an 1/2 inch diameter. Typically I started with a strip of craft paper whose width was equal to the diameter I wanted. I folded the strip of paper using shallow fan folds (approximately 1/4 inch). When the paper was fan folded, I creased it down the center and used small pieces of scotch tape to hold the ends together.

3) Attach the pinwheels to the frames; I used hot glue to do this. If your frames are very smooth or glossy you might find that the glue doesn't stick to the frame very well. I fixed this by using sandpaper to roughen the surface of the frame where I wanted to apply glue. After finding the hot glue difficult to work with I switched to using Zots. The Zots worked great and I HIGHLY recommend using them.