Wedding Blog

It’s a long and winding road that leads to our venue. If it weren’t for the three forks that diverge toward park offices, the marina, and God knows where else… I’d feel pretty confident that even the most disoriented guest would be able to find our venue. While we included turn-by-turn directions on the backs of the maps that accompanied our invitations, I’m quite certain that few guests will actually remember to pack theirs for the trip. So I’ve decided to add an extra layer of planning protection (and a quick last-minute DIY project) with some simple signs.

Here’s what I used to make them:

1. 12″ unfinished wooden plaque
2. Indoor/Outdoor satin finish spray paint in Ivory
3. Martha Stewart Crafts rub-on alphabet decals
4. Cricut Cuttables adhesive vinyl in black (not pictured)

Here’s how I made them:

1. After laying down a few sheets of newspaper outdoors to protect the grass, apply three coats of spray paint to each wooden plaque, allowing a few minutes of drying time between coats. (TIP: Disposable gloves are a great idea! I didn’t use them and got paint all over my hands, which explains why there is no photo for this first step.)

2. Allow the paint to fully dry for about an hour. Using a light colored pencil and a straight edge, sketch a faint guide line where your letters will be placed.

3. Position a decal on the plaque with the ink side down. Apply by rubbing all over the surface of the decal with the included craft stick, using a good amount of pressure. To ensure a clean transfer, make sure to rub over all of the little detailed areas, and especially the edges of each letter. Slowly peel back the acetate backing. If you notice that parts of the decal have not transferred, lay the acetate back down and keep rubbing. Repeat for all letters.

4. Using leftover adhesive-backed black vinyl from an earlier project, I free-handed an arrow shape in Sharpie on the paper backing. I then cut it out with a craft knife and adhered it to the plaque. The nice thing is that the vinyl is repositionable, meaning that the arrow can later be changed to point in a different direction and the sign can be used again.

We’ll probably tack some small nails or screw eyes into the backs and tie them below already existing signs along the road. I’d love to staple them onto wooden stakes and stick them in the ground, but anyone who’s ever tried to dig a hole more that a couple of inches deep in Miami knows all about limestone rock!

Will you be using anything to point the way to your venue? How are you helping guests to avoid getting lost?