Double Scroll Invitations

For other DIY wedding ideas, visit our resources page.

Overview

Wedding invitations set the initial style and tone for the wedding's theme. Many couples choose to customize their invitations by either including personalized elements or by making the invitations from scratch. This page describes how to make customized double scroll wedding invitations with wax seals.

Click images to see larger versions.

Supplies

• For Scroll:



• Paper
• Printer or calligraphy pens
• Paper cutter
• Dowel rods
• Elmer's White Glue (or wood glue)
• Clothes pins

• For Binding:



• Ribbon
• Scissors
• Rubber Cement
• Sealing wax
• Wax seal stamp
• Matches

Process

• Create scroll



1. Determine the text of your invitation.
2. Select the paper of your choice. 8½" x 11" sheets with a light parchment coloring or texture work well.
3. Print the invitations with your printer or write them by hand. Two invitations can be printed side by side on each page. Be sure to leave several inches of white space at the top and bottom.
4. Use the paper cutter to separate the invitations.
5. Cut the dowel rods to the desired length (approximately 6").
6. Apply the glue (either wood glue or white glue) to the invitation. The glue should be spread evenly across the top inch of the print side of the invitation.
7. While the glue is wet, place the dowel rod on the glue. Roll tightly 1½ times. Secure with clothes pin until glue is dry.
8. Repeat the prior two steps with the bottom of the invitation.



• Create binding



1. Cut ribbon to appropriate length (approximately 3 inches). It may take several trials before you find the best length for your invitations. If you are layering two types of ribbon, be sure to cut the outer ribbon a bit longer than the inner ribbon.
2. Use rubber cement to glue ribbon layers together. Be careful to avoid excess glue as rubber cement does not rub easily off fabric.
3. Once ribbon is dry, bring ends together forming a loop. Overlap ends by about half an inch, and apply rubber cement.
4. Light sealing wax wick and carefully apply 3-5 drops to the seam of the ribbon loop. Immediately press seal firmly into wax. Tip: This process works best with two people -- one to apply wax and one to imprint the wax with the seal.



• Secure invitation with binding
1. Make sure the scroll and the binding have fully dried.
2. Tightly roll each end of the scroll inward.
3. Slide binding onto scroll.
   Note: If you wish to remove binding, tighten invitation by twisting dowel rods toward each other. The binding should then easily slide off the invitation.

Final Product

This is the final version of the scroll invitation that we mailed to guests. Yes, these mailed fine. We simply enclosed the scroll in an envelope and paid a slightly higher postage rate (it was actually the same rate as used by two ounce first class letters -- make sure to check with the U.S. Postal Office for current rates). The sealing wax held firm during shipping. The biggest problem faced was that some guests were unsure of how to open the scroll.

This is the simpler version of the scroll invitation that we handed out at church and to several other people in person. Since there are no dowels to provide support, these would not mail as easily in an envelope. However, they are much quicker to make than the double scroll version.

For more DIY wedding ideas, check out our resources page.