Creating Illuminated Wedding Letters: A Step-By-Step Guide

Giant light-up letters are a fun and creative way to add a personalised touch to your wedding. They can be used to display your initials or to spell out a meaningful word or phrase. Making your own illuminated letters is a simple and inexpensive DIY project that can be completed in a day. All you need are some basic materials like plywood, lights, paint, and a few tools. You can design your letters on a computer and print them out as a template, or draw them freehand. Once you've cut out the letters, you can drill holes for the lights and add any additional decorations like trim or cardboard borders. Finally, paint your letters and insert the lights, and you're ready to display them at your wedding!

Choosing your letters

The first step to making illuminated wedding letters is deciding what word or phrase you want to create. This could be the couple's initials, their new shared surname, or a word like "LOVE".

If you're making a set of initials, you might want to consider the couple's names and how well their initials work together aesthetically. For example, "J&E" works well together, while "J&K" might be more challenging.

If you're creating a word, consider the length and how the letters will look together. For example, "LOVE" has a nice balance of straight and curved lines, while a word like "HAPPINESS" might be more challenging to format attractively.

Once you've decided on your letters, you'll need to create a template. You can do this by hand or use a computer program like Microsoft Excel to create a large version of your letter, which you can then print out and use as a stencil.

If you're making a set of letters, like "MR & MRS," consider the overall composition and how the letters will look together as a group. You might want to play around with different arrangements to see what looks best.

Now that you've chosen your letters and created your template, you're ready to start cutting and assembling!

Gathering materials

The first step in making illuminated wedding letters is to gather the necessary materials. The specific materials you will need will depend on the design and size of your letters, as well as your budget. Here is a list of some common materials used in creating illuminated wedding letters:

• Wood: Plywood or MDF sheets in various thicknesses (e.g. 3/4", 10mm, 6mm)
• Lights: String lights, light bulbs, lamp holders, electrical wires, and a power source
• Tools: Jigsaw, circular saw, drill, sander, hole saw, stapler, brad nailer, paint sprayer, etc.
• Paint: Primer, spray paint, or regular paint in colours of your choice
• Adhesives: Glue, tape, nails, screws
• Other decorative elements: Aluminium or cardboard for borders, gold leaf for gilding, etc.

When selecting your materials, consider the overall theme and colour scheme of your wedding, as well as the venue and available space. If you plan to display your illuminated letters outdoors, make sure to use weather-resistant materials and paint.

For the lights, you can choose between incandescent or LED bulbs, keeping in mind the power requirements and safety considerations. If you are creating large letters, you may need to connect multiple strands of lights together or use an extension cord.

Take the time to plan out your design and measure the required quantities of materials accordingly. This will help ensure you have everything you need before you begin the construction process.

Once you have gathered all the necessary materials, you can proceed to the next steps of creating your illuminated wedding letters, including cutting out the letter shapes, assembling the lights, painting, and adding any decorative touches.

Cutting out the letters

Now that you have your design and materials ready, it's time to start cutting out the letters. This process will require some careful work and attention to detail, but the results will be well worth it!

First, print out your chosen lettering onto paper, making sure the letters are the correct size for your wood sheets. You may need to use a program like Excel to enlarge the letters and print them across multiple pages. Cut out the letters, then flip them over and trace them onto the wood, making sure to trace about 1/8" larger than the stencil to allow for mistakes and sanding. Avoid placing the edges of your letters over any notches in the wood, as this can create a funky edge in your final piece.

Next, you'll need to cut out the letters themselves. Depending on the shape of your letters and the tools you have available, you may use a jigsaw, band saw, or jig saw for this step. For curved edges, a jig saw or band saw is recommended. Drill two large holes in any interior negative space, such as the holes in the letters "A" and "B," to make it easier to slide your saw in and cut out the shape. Cut along the outline of the letter, being careful to follow the lines as closely as possible.

Once you've cut out the basic shape of the letter, it's time to refine the edges. Use a sander or sandpaper to smooth out any rough spots and create a clean, finished edge. Don't worry too much about making it perfect, as these edges will be covered with cardboard later.

Now, you'll need to drill holes for the lights. Mark the placement of the lights on your letters, spacing them evenly apart. The number of lights you need will depend on the size and shape of your letters. Use a drill or drill press to create holes just large enough for the lights to poke through. You may need to drill additional holes from the back of the letter to accommodate the thickness of the light strands.

Drilling holes for lights

Drilling holes for the lights is a crucial step in making illuminated wedding letters. Here is a detailed guide:

First, determine the placement and size of the holes based on the size of the light bulbs you plan to use. Mark the spots where you will drill. For instance, you can make a dot in the middle of each intersection and work outwards, spacing the dots evenly.

Next, use a drill with the appropriate bit size to create the holes. Choose a spade bit, forstner bit, or hole saw that is slightly larger than the diameter of the light sockets but smaller than the bulbs. Drill halfway through the letter from the front, then flip it over and drill the rest of the way through. This technique helps prevent tear-out. Alternatively, you can use a utility knife to make small crosses where you want the lights, gradually increasing the number of cuts to create a star-shaped hole.

If you are working with two sheets of wood, ensure you only drill through the thinner sheet. You can also use a combination of large and small drill bits to create holes of different sizes for the light sockets and bulbs. For instance, drill a smaller hole in the front of the letter and a larger hole in the back to accommodate the light.

Finally, sand the inside of the holes with sandpaper to smooth out any rough edges.

Painting and decorating

Once you've cut out your letters, you'll want to give them a lick of paint. The colour is completely up to you, but if you're displaying your letters outside, use an exterior paint for long-lasting, weather-resistant results. You could also distress the paint by attacking it with some coarse sandpaper for a rustic look, or use gloss for a shiny finish.

If you're using a paint sprayer, make sure to do this in a well-ventilated area and cover your mouth and nose with a mask. You could also use a roller or brush to apply the paint, but be sure to lay down dust sheets to protect the surrounding area.

If you're using real gold leaf, you'll need to apply a size (a type of adhesive) to the areas you want to gild. You can use a brush to apply the size, but be aware that it tends to spoil them, so use an old brush or soak the bristles in water first to protect them. You need to pick up a bead of size on the end of the brush and place it carefully so it puddles where you want the gold to be. Gently pull at the edge of the puddle to direct it where you want it to go, but don't paint with it. You don't want the brush to touch the paper. The size needs to be 'floated' so it dries with a flat surface. When you can pull the puddle no more, drop another bead of size into it and continue. You are aiming to add wet into wet. It is possible to build up layers of size if you like a more raised gold effect. In this case, just wait for the first layer to dry and add another on top.

Once the size is dry, you'll need to reactivate it by breathing on a section to make it sticky again. Roll a piece of paper into a straw and use this to huff deep breaths onto the size. Place the gold leaf, shiny side down, on the tacky area and press firmly. Peel off the sheet slowly and the gold will attach to your letter. If small areas of gold don't stick, don't worry. Just breathe on that area again to reactivate the size and reapply the gold. Any untidy edges can be lightly brushed away with a clean brush. Once all the gold is stuck, it can be polished with a Q-tip directly, or you can place a piece of glassine paper over it and polish with a burnisher.

If you're not using real gold, you can use gold watercolour, ink or gouache paint instead.

Frequently asked questions