Outside the Box (A Wedding Card Box)

Hopefully everyone has recovered from their fireworks and grilled-food fueled hangovers by now and feeling ready for a little project.

Today, we're taking a little journey out of food blog world into the land of arts-and-crafts. Specifically crafts of the wedding variety and, for those of you that are completely sick of it, we're not even talking about MY wedding. Ha!

This is a little project that I've done a couple of times for friends' weddings and, with the help of my mother, for my own wedding as well: The Wedding Card Holder.

If you've recently married or are planning to in the near future you've probably encountered this little head scratcher -- where should the guests drop their wedding cards?

There's actually something of a cottage industry thats developed around this very question. Google "wedding card holder" and you'll get a virtual treasure-trove of sites offering everyting from wedding "birdcages" (trap those cards!), glass vases, fabric and florcal covered boxes etc.

Among the many options, my favorite -- and the one I've crafted for friends-- is the Giftwrapped Card Box. Designed to resemble a stack of presents and decorated in the bride's wedding colors, this card holder can be placed discreetly on the gift table alongside the "real" presents from guests.

The boxes are actually hollowed out on the inside, glued together and decorated with wrapping paper and ribbon, just like real presents. The top box has a slit opening just big enough for wedding cards to slip in. In addition to being rather discreet and incorporating the wedding colors, this is a secure way to collect cards. Unlike a cage or bowl, the only way someone can remove the cards is to cut open the bottom.

The version pictured above was designed for one of my bridesmaid's sister-in-law, for her June wedding (Congratulations Lori!). I just love her colors...so summery! I had so much fun decorating the boxes. Incidentally, if you'd like detailed instructions (or would be intersted in me making one for you), send me a note. I'm happy to share info!