Wax Seal Wedding Invites: A Step-By-Step Guide To Success

Wax seals are a popular way to add a personalised touch to wedding invitations. They can be used to secure envelopes, or as a decorative feature on the invitations themselves. The traditional method of creating a wax seal involves melting wax and allowing it to drip directly onto the parchment, before pressing an engraved metal stamp into the cooling wax, leaving an imprint of the design. Nowadays, there are alternative methods to create wax seals, such as using a glue gun or pre-made self-adhesive wax seals.

Choosing a wax seal stamp

The wax seal stamp is the metal stamper that you press into melted wax to create an impression. There are a few ways to go about choosing the right one for your wedding invitations.

First, you could opt for a custom design. This could feature the bride and groom's names or initials, the wedding date, or decorative motifs like flowers, birds, or laurels. You can work with a professional stationer to create a unique design that reflects your wedding aesthetic. This option will allow you to truly personalise your wedding stationery and create an heirloom you can keep for decades.

If you prefer a pre-designed stamp, there are many places to find them, including Artisaire, Get Marked, Nostalgic Impressions, Etsy, and Amazon. These usually come in standard designs but can still be personalised with your initials or other custom details. You can also choose from various motifs, such as monograms, tropical greenery, animal silhouettes, and floral designs.

When choosing a wax seal stamp, consider the size of your wax stamp and the size of your glue gun, if you opt for the glue gun method. You want to ensure the wax stick fits correctly into the gun. Additionally, decide whether you want to use the traditional method of melting wax over a flame or opt for the more modern glue gun method, which is faster and more beginner-friendly.

Finally, consider the colour of your wax seal. While metallic gold and silver are the most traditional, you can easily find wax in any colour to match your wedding theme. Pastel colours like pink, light purple, and cream are popular choices for wedding invitations. You can also create your own marbled wax by mixing different colours.

Melting the wax

The Old-Fashioned Way:

This method involves melting wax over a flame. You can use a wax furnace, which holds a metal spoon above an open flame, or a simple candle. Place 2-3 wax beads or use traditional wax sticks with a wick. Heat the wax gently to avoid creating bubbles and quickly pour it onto your envelope or paper. This method can be messy and time-consuming, but it is great for mixing colours or small batches.

The Glue Gun Way:

This is a more modern and beginner-friendly approach. Use a low-heat glue gun and specially-shaped glue gun wax sticks that fit your gun. Insert the wax sticks into the glue gun and heat them up for about 5-8 minutes. Pull the trigger to release the melted wax onto your desired surface, and wait 5-10 seconds before pressing your stamp into the wax. This method is faster and easier to control.

Pre-made Self-Adhesive Wax Seals:

If you want to skip the melting process altogether, you can purchase pre-made self-adhesive wax seals. These are perfect for flat surfaces, like envelopes or escort cards, but may not work as well with textured surfaces like ribbon or string. You can find these in custom or standard designs and various edge types and adhesive strengths.

Tips for Melting Wax:

• Assemble everything before melting the wax, especially if using the glue gun method, as the wax dries quickly.
• Choose the right colour wax to match your wedding theme. Traditional colours are metallic gold and silver, but you can also find wax in various colours, including pastels.
• Use quality wax to avoid gunking up your tools and creating sloppy seals.
• Keep your metal seal cool by placing it on an ice pack between uses.
• Use parchment paper as a surface for making your wax seals, as they will be easily removable once dried.
• Avoid touching the wax seals before they are completely dry.

Applying the wax

For a more modern approach, a glue gun and wax sticks can be used. This is a much faster method, and a low-heat glue gun can be purchased from a craft store. Ensure you use the correct size of wax stick for your glue gun. Insert two wax sticks and heat for around 5-8 minutes. Pull the trigger to release the wax, and wait 5-10 seconds before pressing the stamp into the hot wax.

If you are short on time or don't want to make your own wax seals, you can buy self-adhesive wax seals. These are perfect for flat surfaces and can be customised with monograms or other designs. However, they may not be suitable for sealing textured items such as string or ribbon.

When applying the wax, it is important to ensure your envelopes are addressed and stuffed before you begin. If using the glue gun method, have everything pre-assembled and ready to go, as the wax dries quickly. If using wax beads, you will have some downtime between seals, so you can assemble your invitations while the wax melts.

To create a unique look, you can add extra embellishments to the wax, such as dried flowers, lavender, rosemary, or baby's breath. Simply place the item on the paper and pour the wax over it.

Stamping the wax

When it comes to stamping the wax, there are a few different methods you can use. The traditional way involves melting wax over a flame into a special spoon, then pouring it onto your envelope and pressing the seal into it. This method can be messy and time-consuming, so it's best for mixing colours or small batches. If you're using this method, place 2-3 wax beads or use a traditional wax stick and gently heat from below with a candle. Don't overheat the wax, or you'll get bubbles. Once the wax is melted, quickly pour it onto your envelope and press your stamp firmly, holding it for 10-15 seconds. The wax will cool quickly, and you'll be able to lift the stamp out cleanly with very little effort.

For a more modern approach, you can use a glue gun with specially-shaped glue gun wax sticks that fit inside. Heat the glue gun with the wax inside for 5-8 minutes, then pull the trigger to release the desired amount of wax. Wait 5-10 seconds, then press down the stamp on the hot wax. Let the stamp set for a few seconds before lifting. This method is much faster and easier, especially if you're working with a large number of invitations.

If you're short on time or don't want to deal with the mess of melting wax, you can also buy pre-made self-adhesive wax seals. These are perfect for flat surfaces like envelopes or escort cards, but may not work as well with textured surfaces like string or ribbon.

To get the best results when stamping the wax, there are a few extra tips to keep in mind. First, make sure you have a dedicated drying space, as you'll need to let the seals dry completely. Keep your metal seal cool by placing it on an ice pack between uses, and make sure to wipe it dry with a paper towel before using. Stamp on parchment paper for easy removal, and always use high-quality wax to avoid gunking up your tools. Finally, resist the temptation to touch the wax seals before they're dry – use only the handle of the seal to remove them from the paper.

Troubleshooting

Wax Sticking to Seal

If the wax seal won't release from the stamp, wait for the wax to cool before attempting to remove the stamp again. If it's still stuck, use a small amount of grape seed oil on a cotton swab to dab the stamp. This should make it easier to remove the stamp from the cooled wax. Remember to wipe off any excess oil from the finished wax seal, as oil can stain paper and fabric.

Wax Blackened

If you're using wax sticks and notice soot left behind in the wax, you may have the wax stick inverted too far. The tip of the wax stick should be somewhere between upright and horizontal. If you're using wax beads and noticing soot, your melting spoon may be too close to the flame.

Postal Issues

Wax seals can be damaged by modern mail-sorting machines, so it's recommended to hand-cancel your invitations at the post office. This means a postal worker will manually inspect and approve each invitation, bypassing the machines. Expect to pay additional postage and factor in extra delivery time. Alternatively, use outer envelopes to protect the seals before mailing.

Assembly

Pre-assemble your invitations if using the glue gun method, as the wax heats quickly and is ready for the next seal within seconds. Have everything ready to go to make quick work of adding your seals. If using wax beads, assemble each suite while the wax melts.

Frequently asked questions