Creating Wedding Coat Hangers: A Step-By-Step Guide

Wedding coat hangers are a great way to add a unique touch to your special day. Whether you're looking to showcase your wedding dress or simply keep your bridal party organised, personalised hangers can be a fun DIY project or a thoughtful gift. From rustic barn weddings to glamorous vintage affairs, there's a hanger style to match every theme. You can opt for engraved wooden hangers, add lace or floral details, or even glue on starfish and shells for a beach wedding. With a little creativity, you can make your wedding coat hangers both functional and beautiful.

Using vinyl stickers and bows

Before applying your vinyl letters, you must weed the vinyl, which involves removing all the excess material around the outside of the letters. You can use a pin to carefully remove the middles of letters, being careful not to accidentally remove any dots or full stops.

Next, take your transfer paper and place it sticky side down on your vinyl wording. Smooth it down with a plastic store card or vinyl applicator to ensure the wording is completely stuck to the transfer plastic. Then, peel off the backing from the vinyl sticker.

Now you're ready to apply the sticker to your clothes hanger. Ensure the surface is smooth, dry and clean. Line up the sticker, using a piece of washi tape to mark a straight line if needed. Use the store card/vinyl applicator to push down on the letters, ensuring they are fully stuck to the hanger.

Finally, slowly peel off the transfer tape. If any letters come off with it, press them back down, go over them with the store card/applicator, and try again.

To finish off your hangers, add a pretty bow at the top. Choose a colour that matches your wedding theme or dresses—these will look beautiful in your photos.

Shabby chic style with distressed hangers, flowers, ribbons, or printed tags

Shabby chic is a romantic, soft, and feminine wedding style, and you can add to the splendour with distressed hangers that can be dressed up with flowers, ribbons, or printed tags. Here's a step-by-step guide to creating shabby chic-style wedding coat hangers:

Materials:

• Fine and medium-grade sandpaper
• Lint-free cloths or soft rags
• Flat or satin finish paint in one or two colours
• Bows, flowers, ribbons, or printed tags (for embellishment)

Instructions:

• Using fine-grade sandpaper, gently sand down the hanger to roughen the surface so that the paint will adhere better. Be careful not to apply too much pressure, as you only want to create a slightly rough texture.
• Wipe down the hanger with a lint-free cloth or a damp rag. If you use a damp cloth, ensure the hanger is completely dry before proceeding to the next step.
• Paint a light coat over the hanger. If using a single colour, you may need to apply two coats for full coverage. For a two-tone look, paint one coat of the darker colour first, followed by a coat of the lighter colour. Allow the hanger to dry completely before adding additional coats.
• Once the hanger is dry, lightly sand the surface again with fine-grade sandpaper and wipe it clean. Repeat this process between each coat of paint.
• After the final coat of paint has dried, use medium-grade sandpaper (or steel wool) to distress the hanger, focusing on the edges to create a worn, shabby chic look.
• Wipe the hanger clean to remove any dust from the distressing process.
• Embellish your hanger with bows, flowers, ribbons, or printed tags. You can attach these with glue or by tying them onto the hanger.

Tips:

• For a stunning effect, use a dark stain on the hanger before coating it with white paint and distressing.
• You can also add personal touches, such as the bride's name, wedding date, or role (e.g., bridesmaid, maid of honour) to the hangers.

Vintage style with black and white paint and floral/pearl embellishments

Creating vintage-style wedding coat hangers with black and white paint and floral/pearl embellishments is a fun and easy DIY project. Here's a step-by-step guide to achieving this elegant look:

Materials:

• Black and white paint
• Floral/pearl embellishments
• Hangers (wooden or plastic)
• Sandpaper (fine and medium grade)
• Lint-free cloths or soft rags
• Glue
• Ribbon (optional)

Instructions:

• Start by sanding down the hangers using fine-grade sandpaper. Be gentle; you only want to roughen the surface slightly so that the paint adheres better.
• Wipe down the hangers with a lint-free cloth or a damp rag. If using a damp cloth, ensure the hangers are completely dry before proceeding.
• Paint one hanger with white paint. Apply 2-3 light coats rather than one thick coat, allowing each layer to dry before adding the next.
• On the second hanger, paint a 'V' in the middle using white paint. Again, use 2-3 light coats and let it dry.
• Paint the rest of the second hanger black, using 1-2 thin coats. Allow it to dry completely.
• Add two black vertical dots to the portion painted in white.
• (Optional) Cut a 6-inch piece of black ribbon, glue the ends together, and create a small loop in the middle to form a bow. Attach it to the black hanger.
• Attach floral and/or pearl embellishments to the white hanger using glue, and let it dry.
• Once everything is dry, lightly sand the hangers, especially the edges, with medium-grade sandpaper to give them a distressed, vintage look. You can also use steel wool for this step.
• Wipe the hangers clean before adding any additional bows or embellishments.

And there you have it! A set of elegant, vintage-style wedding coat hangers, perfect for adding a unique touch to your special day.

Glitter wooden hangers with craft glue and glitter

Adding glitter to wooden coat hangers is a fun and easy way to add some sparkle to your wedding day. It's an affordable way to make your wedding photos extra special and unique. Here's a step-by-step guide to making glitter wooden hangers with craft glue and glitter:

Materials:

• Wooden hangers
• Craft glue (such as Mod Podge)
• Glitter
• Paintbrush
• Sealant spray (optional)

Instructions:

• Start by preparing your work area. Place some newspaper or a drop cloth under your work area to catch any stray glitter.
• Take your wooden hanger and lightly sand it with fine-grade sandpaper. This will roughen up the surface, allowing the paint and glue to adhere better.
• Wipe down the hanger with a lint-free cloth or a damp rag. Ensure the hanger is completely dry before proceeding.
• Using a paintbrush, apply a thin coat of craft glue to one side of the hanger. You can also use a glue that already contains glitter for added sparkle.
• Sprinkle glitter liberally over the glued area. Make sure to cover the entire surface evenly.
• Once the glue is dry, tap off the excess glitter. You can also use a soft brush to gently remove any excess.
• Repeat the process on the other side of the hanger and along the edges.
• (Optional) To prevent glitter from shedding, apply a sealant spray over the glittered areas. Alternatively, you can mix equal parts glue, water, and glitter and paint this mixture over the hanger for added security.
• Allow the hangers to dry completely before using them.

Feel free to add your own creative touches to these hangers. You can experiment with different colours of glitter, add ribbons or bows, or even attach small embellishments like pearls or flowers. These glitter wooden hangers are sure to add a magical touch to your wedding day and can also make great gifts for your bridal party!

Floral hangers with pressed flowers and resin

To make these hangers, you will need:

• Wooden coat hangers
• Wax paper
• Pressed flowers (you can make your own by placing fresh flowers between sheets of wax paper and leaving them under heavy books for 4-6 weeks)
• Resin (with instructions for preparation)
• A wooden stick
• A needle

First, lay your hangers flat on the wax paper. Arrange the pressed flowers on the hangers in your desired pattern or arrangement. Prepare the resin according to the instructions on the packaging. You can then pour the resin over the flowers and hanger, or dribble it neatly onto the flowers using a wooden stick. If you need to, you can use a needle to adjust the placement of the flowers.

Resin can build up around the base of the hanger, so after about 10 minutes, transfer the hangers to a clean wax sheet. You may need to repeat this step. Allow the resin to cure for 24-72 hours.

Frequently asked questions