Doable DIY: Chalkboard Wedding Signs

DIY Chalkboard Wedding Signs

You may remember Mandy and Travis' DIY southern vintage wedding from a little while back. You may also remember their sweet signage tucked here and there throughout their ceremony and reception. Fun, charming, great communication tools, DIY chalkboard wedding signs are simply irresistible and still hugely popular for any wedding style. Today, Mandy is giving us a behind the scenes look at how she and her bridal party pulled off their DIY chalkboard signs including: where to find frames, supplies you'll need, plus wording and placement ideas. Enjoy.

Mandy + Travis

"I got most of my frames from my work. They were redoing an office space and had frames they no longer wanted to hang on the walls. They were going to give them to a thrift store so I took them off their hands instead. I also had old picture frames that I no longer needed and my mother had old frames in her attic. Most people or offices have a ton of old pictures and frames they no longer want hung up.

FINDING FRAMES FOR YOUR CHALKBOARDS

• thrift stores
• parents' attic
• estate sales
• work/office spaces

SUPPLIES YOU'LL NEED

• Frames of all shapes & sizes.
• Spray paint chalkboard paint {we used Rust-oleum}
• Sidewalk chalk {we used Crayola, 24 different colors, 52 sticks}
• Cardboard {optional}

NOTE: We also used cardboard. We wanted a double-sided sign to hang so we took cardboard and cut it to the size we wanted. We then sprayed both sides to be able to write on both sides with chalk (the chalk on the cardboard does not erase well, so this type of sign can really only be used a few times).

HOW TO DIY CHALKBOARD WEDDING SIGNS

1. Take out the glass, clean them off and spray them with the chalkboard paint.
2. Let them dry and then put them back in the frame.

TIPS:

• Keep a cup of water sitting beside you.
• Wet the chalk before writing as this will brighten the color and thicken the line.
• Keep wetting the chalk between writing. It makes the wording brighter, cleaner, and stand out more.

PLACEMENT IDEAS FOR YOUR CHALKBOARD SIGNS

Chalkboard signs can be used anywhere and everywhere at a wedding. We had a total of 12 signs:
2 really big, 4 medium, 4 small, 1 extra small, and 1 double sided.

Here is where we used them:

• Timeline/schedule at beginning of ceremony site
• Food menu and bar menu by food/drink
• List of names for Bridal party in front of the head table
• Photo booth directions
• “Sit anywhere” sign in front of the reception area
• Shout-out to the hand painted parasols hanging from the tent
• Parking
• “I spy” photo game at the reception site where most visible by guests
• Our love story at beginning of reception site
• Cake table
• Memorial table for loved ones lost
• Dancing in front of DJ table

THE DETAILS ...

What's best ... chalkboard spray paint or chalkboard paint?
It was easier to use the spray paint on the glass and cardboard but the paint could work too. I think the spray paint leaves it smoother {and with no streaks} on the smooth surface of the glass.

Styling the chalkboards according to wedding style
Since our wedding was a vintage theme, I did not alter the frames I had since they were older and vintage looking already. I also used all color chalk to give it a fun, vintage feel.

Styling the chalkboards according to your wedding style
Upcycling: I just gave all my frames to another bride who then painted all the frames a teal color to match her wedding colors. She is also using one color chalk to align with her other wedding color. This allowed her to make all the frames match her wedding theme. TIPS: You could also embellish the frames to match your wedding style whether that is adding a certain type or color flower or bow to each frame or even writing in a certain style font. Keep in mind your overall wedding style, theme, and ambiance to keep your project in line with the rest of the look and feel of your wedding."

Thanks for sharing your DIY wedding signage "how to" Mandy! See all of Mandy and Travis' southern vintage real wedding and how all of their DIY chalkboards fit into their vintage theme.

What kinds of wedding signs will you be using?

Credits
Photos by Jamie J Photography