Creating A Beautiful Tiered Wedding Card Box

Wedding card boxes are a great way to add a decorative touch to your wedding while also providing a secure place for guests to leave their well wishes and gifts. There are many ways to personalise a wedding card box, from using a rustic lantern to a vintage suitcase. For those who enjoy a creative project, making your own wedding card box can be a fun and budget-friendly option. One option is to create a tiered wedding cake design using paper mache boxes, fabric, and glue. This DIY project allows you to customise the box to match your wedding theme and colours, adding a unique and memorable touch to your special day.

Choosing a theme and fabric

First, consider the overall style or theme of your wedding. Are you going for a rustic, elegant, whimsical, or modern look? Choose a fabric that complements your wedding theme and colour palette. You can use a single fabric for all the tiers or alternate between two or more fabrics. If you're having trouble deciding, bring your paper mache boxes with you to the fabric store and drape the fabric over them to get an idea of how much you need and how it will look.

If you want a rustic or elegant look, consider using burlap, lace, or natural fabrics like cotton or linen. For a whimsical or romantic theme, you could use light and airy fabrics such as tulle or organza. If you're going for a modern or glamorous wedding, try using satin, silk, or velvet. You can also add embellishments like rhinestones, pearls, or decorative trim to enhance the fabric and tie it all together.

Don't be afraid to mix and match patterns and textures to create a unique and personalised look. Damask print, florals, stripes, and polka dots can all work well together if they are in a similar colour family. You can also use fabric to cover just the sides or tops of the boxes, and then embellish the rest with ribbons, bows, or other decorations.

Remember, your wedding card box is a fun way to add a creative and handmade touch to your big day, so choose a theme and fabric that reflects your style and personality!

Cutting and placing the fabric

To make a tiered wedding card box, you will need to cut and place the fabric of your choice. Here is a step-by-step guide:

First, decide on your theme, fabric, and the number of tiers you want. For this example, let's say we are going for a damask print theme with black, white, and purple colours, and we want four alternating tiers.

Now, take the second smallest paper mache box from your set and cut the fabric based on the perimeter of the box. Remember, each box, except the top tier, only needs its four sides covered in fabric.

Spray half of one side of the box with spray adhesive and then place your fabric over it, smoothing it out with your hand. Make sure your work surface is covered with newspaper or an old cloth to protect it from the sticky adhesive.

Work on one side at a time, continuing to spray the paper mache and smooth out your fabric. Don't worry about doing anything special when the two ends of the fabric meet; the seam will be at the back and won't be visible unless your box will be seen from all sides.

Once the sides are covered, secure the loose fabric by spraying a small amount of adhesive and folding it into the inside of the box.

Turn the box over and fold the fabric into the corners, much like wrapping a gift. Glue the flaps down with the adhesive. The top of your box should now be covered, and you can move on to the next box, repeating the process.

For the second-largest tier, which will be the tier with the opening for cards, use one of the box lids to trace the opening. Carefully cut this rectangle out of the paper mache box with a craft knife.

Cover this box with fabric in the same way as the others. Starting at one end, cut the corners diagonally and slice the fabric across the opening. Cut the corners at the other end as well.

Pull the fabric tight and glue it to the inside of the opening. If there is a small amount of fabric folded in, use duct tape to ensure the ends don't pop up.

Measure and glue decorative trim, such as Bling on a Roll, around the outside of the opening. You can use a tape runner or a thin line of Tacky glue for this step.

Now, cut the lid of the bottom tier so that the cards can fall into the box. This is the only lid you will be using for this project. Using the box with the card opening you just cut, trace its perimeter onto the lid. Draw another box, about one inch inside the original trace lines, to create a ledge for the box to sit on. Cut on the inside line and cover the lid with fabric.

At this point, you should have all your tiers and the lid covered in fabric. Now, you can glue them all together! Put a line of fabric adhesive along the bottom of each box and stack the tiers.

And that's it! You've successfully cut and placed the fabric for your tiered wedding card box. Feel free to add any final embellishments, such as rhinestone gems or decorative trim, to match your theme and fabric.

Securing the fabric

To secure the fabric for your tiered wedding card box, you will need to start by cutting the fabric according to the perimeter of the box. Use spray adhesive on the paper mache box, and then place the fabric over it, smoothing it out with your hand. Work on one side at a time, and remember to cover your work surface with newspaper or an old cloth to avoid sticky residue.

Once the sides are covered, secure any loose fabric by spraying a small amount of adhesive and folding it into the box. Turn the box over and fold the fabric at the corners, much like wrapping a gift. Glue these flaps down with adhesive. Repeat this process for each box, except for the top tier, which will require more fabric to be folded over the top as it will be the most visible.

After covering the boxes, you can cut a rectangle into the second-largest tier to create an opening for the cards. Pull the fabric tight and glue it to the inside of the opening, using duct tape for extra security if needed. Measure and glue decorative trim around the outside of the opening for a finished look.

Finally, cut the lid of the bottom tier to allow cards to fall into the box. You can then glue all the tiers together using a fabric adhesive.

Cutting the card slot

Now that you've covered the second-largest tier in fabric, it's time to create the card slot. Using one of the box lids, trace the opening with a pencil. Carefully cut out the rectangle from the paper mache box using a craft knife. Be precise and steady to ensure a clean cut.

Next, cover the box opening with fabric. Start by cutting the corners of the fabric diagonally, slicing across the opening, and then cut the corners of the other end. Pull the fabric taut and secure it with glue or adhesive spray, taping down the ends if necessary.

For added embellishment, you can attach a trim around the outside of the opening. A thin line of tacky glue or a tape runner will do the trick. This step is optional but will give your card box a more polished look.

Finally, cut the lid of the bottom tier so that the cards can fall into the box. Trace the perimeter of the box with the card opening onto the lid. Then, draw another box about one inch inside the original trace lines to create a ledge for the box to sit on. Cut along the inside line and cover the lid with fabric, ensuring it matches the rest of the tier.

Gluing the tiers together

Now that you've cut out your fabric and covered your boxes, it's time to glue the tiers together!

First, cut the lid of the bottom tier so that the cards can fall into the box. Next, using the box with the card opening you just cut, trace its perimeter onto the lid. Draw another box, about one inch inside the original trace lines, so you can create a ledge for the box to sit on. Cut on the inside line and cover the lid with fabric.

After all of the tiers and the lid are covered in fabric, you can glue them all together! Put a line of adhesive, such as Fabri-Tac, along the bottom of each box and stack the tiers.

And that's it! You've glued your tiers together and your wedding card box is almost complete. Now, all that's left to do is add any final embellishments and decorations.

Frequently asked questions