DIY Vinyl Wedding Decorations 101
Are you sifting through decoration ideas for your upcoming nuptials? Are you and your partner having trouble integrating wedding details that represent your hobbies and personalities? Decals, signs and iron-on clothing accessories are creative accents to spruce up your celebration — and vinyl wedding decorations are the way you can achieve an overall elegant event.
Vinyl wedding decorations can make your reception pop with classic fonts and customized phrases. According to the New York Post, 60 percent of couples who plan a wedding end up wanting to elope because weddings are stressful. However, this DIY method is cost-effective, personal, professional-looking and easy to accomplish. Check out these benefits of vinyl wedding decorations, instructions on how to complete decals and signs and a list of vinyl decor ideas for your wedding day.
What Is a Vinyl Decoration?
A vinyl decoration is a cut-out design or phrase from the vinyl material that you attach to a sign or other accessory. Use adhesive vinyl material to effortlessly apply the cut-outs to your desired products. Many crafters use vinyl cutting machines with programmed designs to achieve clean and appealing script fonts.
Some crafters choose to work without an electronic vinyl cutter. Manually cutting vinyl with scissors is also a viable option. If you are looking to print words, especially thin cursive fonts, an electronic cutter will make smoother and more precise cuts.
After purchasing design software, you can select free or purchased design templates to achieve the image or phrases you'd like to use to decorate your belongings. The cutting blades in the electronic cutter will slice your chosen design into vinyl sheets, and some machines need a mat, too. Weeding happens after the machine cuts the vinyl, which means you clean up the excess material from your new design.
Kinds of Vinyl Craft Projects for Your Wedding
Enhance your wedding accessories and decorations with vinyl design products. Vinyl decorations fall into two main categories. The types of vinyl that you can choose from are adhesive and heat transfer projects.
1. Adhesive Wedding Decor
Adhesive vinyl decorations easily stick to boards or hard surfaces that you want to spruce up with customized quotes or designs. If you are looking to stick a catchphrase to your shoes or the wedding date to a dress hanger, adhesive vinyl is a simple option.
2. Heat Transfer or Iron-on Wedding Decor
Apply iron-on vinyl decorations to fabric, whether you want to attach patterns or script to hanging tapestries or matching bridesmaid robes. Heat transferred vinyl adheres to specific fabrics, and you will need to add a heating method to your materials for this kind of vinyl.
Types of Vinyl Wedding Decorations
You and your partner take time and effort to create a dreamy setting for your special day. You can use vinyl to select finishing touches for your carefully planned celebration.
1. Vinyl Wedding Decals
Add vinyl decals to your wedding day accessories to give your items an extra pop factor. Your decal could be in the shape of your favorite wedding symbol, like a romantic heart or wedding bells, or an image that defines you and your partner's personalities, like a mountain or your home state's shape.
Applying a decal to the soles of your shoes or bridesmaids' hangers helps you dress up your special day. Bridal party gifts and other personal favors depend on the bride and groom's preferences, but decals make whatever you choose closer to what you've always envisioned for your celebration.
2. Vinyl Wedding Signs
If you've been to many weddings these days, people post lots of signs that point guests to each part of the celebratory fun. These signs often feature fancy lettering. Vinyl wedding lettering makes these signs expertly crafted without the work or high price. Create your own adhesive vinyl decorations to transform your wedding without breaking the bank.
Lettering isn't the only style of vinyl decor that will make your wedding elegant. Silhouette cut-outs are an artsy option to decorate your wedding reception. The outline of you and your partner's faces add a classy flair that your guests can admire.
3. Vinyl Wedding Clothing Applications
Incorporate the popular trend of personalized clothing into your wedding. Bridal parties love wearing monogrammed robes or button-ups with added names on the morning of the wedding. Place heat transfer vinyl accessories on clothing for your bridesmaids and groomsmen to add specialized details to the celebration.
Each member of your bridal party can sport your designs, and you can let them know how special they are to your day. Your closest friends and family will appreciate these DIY applications.
Ideas for Vinyl Wedding Decorations
Are you wondering which areas of your celebration to add vinyl decals to? This list of vinyl wedding suggestions will give you many ideas for a personalized wedding. Consider adding:
- Stickers for the bride and groom's shoes
- Personalized hangers
- Day-of kit decals
- Seating signs
- Decorative signs for relationship timeline
- Place settings
- Cuisine labels
- Vinyl guestbook sign
- Wedding card box label
- Dance floor insignia
- Ring bearer or flower girl sign
- Photo booth props
- "Just married" car decal
What Materials Do You Need for Vinyl Wedding Decorations?
For vinyl crafts, there are some supplies in common for the different kinds of vinyl projects. Starting with a cutter and replacement materials will set you up for your DIY activity to enhance your wedding. Depending on the cutter you use, you may need to buy additional supplies, like cutting mats or particular design software.
1. Electronic Vinyl Cutter
If you plan to make lots of vinyl adornments for your wedding, vinyl cutters will save you time and ensure your signs and finishing touches come out beautifully. Many of these machines come with different settings and alternate capabilities.
2. Design Software and Templates
For vinyl cutters, you need vector design software because the simple lines are how a cutter transfers the design to the vinyl material. You can find templates from many vendors, or you can design your own from a compatible software.
3. Replacement Blades
The blades in your vinyl cutter will eventually dull. Replace them for an exact and easy cutting experience. This isn't something you immediately need but purchase back-ups so your decorations remain in top shape.
4. Mat
Place mats underneath the vinyl and match the material you are cutting to the mat type. Some cutters work best with mats, while others take the vinyl in rolls on their own without the added help. Mats provide grip for the vinyl cutting process.
5. Weeding Hook or Tweezers
Once you've been working with vinyl, you will find your favorite kind of tool to remove excess vinyl after cutting the design. Weeding hooks, tweezers and other tools to help with intricate work are the most common choices. Straight pins are useful for the smallest and most difficult to reach areas.
7. Squeegee or Applicator Tool
The size of your sign decal determines what kind of applicator tool will fit best in your vinyl cutting project. Scraping off the vinyl design is quickest with a large squeegee. Handheld applicator tools help with smaller projects, like shoe decals.
8. Transfer Tape or Application Liquid
Transfer tape is the easiest method for moving vinyl off the paper backing onto the surface of your choosing. It keeps your design intact without any shifting pieces that could throw your design off and leave you with a skewed decoration.
Application liquid is not as precise for placement. If your design has separate pieces, then the reference for the pieces is limited to your sight and judgment. This is extremely difficult to do, but if you are putting cursive lettering down, you can still perform this application method fairly well.
9. Wooden Board or Alternate Surface
To display your vinyl lettering or design, you will need a surface like a wooden board. If you plan on staining the wood a specific shade, do this a few days before you put the vinyl design on. Prepare your surface for the vinyl application by gently cleaning it, so no grime remains underneath the decal.
How to Make and Apply Vinyl Wedding Decorations
A DIY wedding decoration will contribute an extra personalized feeling for your ceremony. Vinyl wedding decorations are unique projects that allow you to incorporate artisan-like pieces without finding multiple vendors and paying for every artistic piece. The good news is that vinyl crafts are doable for any level of crafter. Before creating your vinyl wedding decoration, check out these steps, so your project lights up your venue or reception area on the first try.
1. Create Your Design or Choose a Template
Either use design software to choose the right font or construct a cutting file for your vinyl sheet. Measure your application surface so you can find the right proportion to fit on your board or surface.
2. Cut Your Design
Put the cutting mat beneath the vinyl that you want to use. The backing of the vinyl should be placed directly on the mat. Based on the thickness and consistency of the vinyl, program your vinyl cutter to the appropriate setting. A preliminary cut can help you as you start your project, so you have a practice attempt before using your whole sheet of vinyl. Then, let your cutter complete the design.
3. Weed Leftover Material
Rid your fresh design of residual material with your weeding tool. Just discard the extra vinyl before adding transfer tape and beginning the transfer. Use tweezers and weeding hooks to remove leftover vinyl around the cut marks.
4. Transfer Decal onto Surface
Cut transfer tape to place on top of the vinyl and place it directly on top of the material. Use a squeegee or application tool to effectively shift the vinyl onto the transfer tape. Peel off the backing paper.
5. Burnish Decal
You will use your squeegee or smoothing tool again once you place the transfer tape onto your wooden board or another sign surface. Continue smoothing the vinyl onto the surface while you peel off the transfer tape, because some pieces may need extra scraping to apply it firmly. After this, you have finished making your vinyl sign or alternate wedding decoration.
Benefits of Vinyl Wedding Decals and Signs
If you need a reason to incorporate DIY vinyl wedding decorations at your wedding, there are plenty to choose from. Your wedding planning and set-up benefit from customized accent pieces, and your guests will be thrilled to find out you created them yourself.
1. Removable and Reusable
Adhesive vinyl decorations can be a gift to yourself on your wedding day that keeps on giving. You can remove these designs from the surface after the wedding is over and your marriage has started. If you add a decal to your heels and want to wear them for a different occasion, you can easily remove the wedding-esque design.
Reuse your decorations for a friend's wedding or fix up your favorite room. Adding your wedding signs to your home decor as a reminder of your special day makes your space nostalgic.
2. Affordable
According to The Knot, the average cost of an American wedding in 2017 was $33,391. It's no secret that weddings are expensive, but DIY projects are a smart way to reduce the cost. Purchasing a vinyl cutter is a wise investment because it cuts your wedding costs.
Vinyl decorations have many applications for your wedding, and doing your own crafts takes the added price of high-quality decorative goods down. The venue, catering, flowers and other essential parts of a wedding pile up quickly, but this resource is a cost-effective option for weddings that saves you a substantial amount while looking romantic.
3. Customizable
Vinyl wedding decorations are attractive and affordable, but one of the best things about them is that you can personalize the designs. Whether you want to put your and your partner's names on the dance floor or put the wedding date on your accessories, every aspect of your wedding day can reflect your relationship.
Your preferences and taste are essential and should be displayed while you celebrate. Make your wedding stand out with each detail and finishing touch.
4. Simple Project
After going through the project steps, you can see that anyone can do this craft. The process is simple and easy to follow, so it won't bring you and your wedding planning assistants further stress. Your guests will be shocked to learn how effortless this decorative endeavor was for you.
According to an industry study, 96 percent of engaged couples claimed wedding planning induces stress. Relieve some of the pressure and choose vinyl decal decorations for this memorable event. Watch the electronic cutter shape the ideal fonts to deck out your signs without breaking a sweat. You can be confident that your decorations are precisely how you want them when you are in control of the project. Take the complicated steps out of the decoration process with DIY vinyl decals.
Vinyl Wedding Decoration Supplies
To make your vinyl decorations match your preferences and your existing decor, choose vibrant colors and the right vinyl material.
Rvinyl offers more than 100 colors of vinyl products, and our craft vinyl will fit your wedding decor project. We replace any defective films, and the material is pressure-sensitive with a backing layer perfect for adhesion.
Shop our craft vinyl today to begin your DIY wedding decorations.