Tiny Details for Your Big Day: Planning Custom Signage for Your Wedding

Wedding planning involves the finest details — like directing your guests to their assigned seats. The right signs can help with that, increasing clarity among attendees. Good signage is clear, helpful and courteous, and more than that, it can be easy to set up.

With that in mind, here’s how to plan custom signage for your wedding.

The sky’s the limit when it comes to choosing material. However, flimsy cardboard evokes memories reminiscent of fundraising car washes and protests — positive but not exactly the vibe most brides want on their big day.

Wood is an excellent choice, particularly if you’re a handy carver who wants to DIY part of your decor. You might not even need a knife. You can use stencils with wooden signs you pick up at a craft store, using mild adhesive glue under your cutout shapes to keep the paint from bleeding.

Another idea is metal. Aluminum is ideal for outdoor signs. It’s solid and easy to print on — and scratch and waterproof. It’s also thinner and lighter than wood, making it easier to store.

Your sign should coordinate with your overall theme. It should match in color and form. For example, if you want to devote your reception to all things minions, yellow and blue are your go-to hues.

Your theme can also influence your materials choice. For example, if you’re throwing a Renaissance-themed wedding, you might want older-looking wooden signs that evoke the atmosphere of a cozy inn on the edge of a forested trail.

You can have the most beautifully designed custom signage in the world for your wedding. It won’t matter if no one can see it.

Fortunately, illumination is a snap to fix. Work hand-in-hand with your venue — they might have lights for the occasion. Are you planning a DIY affair? You can create a romantic atmosphere with a set of weatherproof outdoor patio string lights and spotlights to highlight directional signs.

Is anyone attending your wedding among the visually impaired? If so, consider adding Braille lettering to your signs so that they can find their way to their tables with the same ease as your other guests.

Another must is including graphics for people who might not be native English speakers and those too young to read. You never know who a guest might bring along as their plus-one. For example, even someone who speaks no English recognizes a sign depicting a cigarette with a red circle and a slash through it and knows that smoking is prohibited on the premises.

Part of your job as a host is providing for your guest’s comfort. That includes directing them where they need to go instead of leaving them standing around, awkwardly awaiting someone to point them in the right direction. Follow the four tips above when planning custom signage for your wedding.