Imagine this: You and your partner are celebrating your sixteenth wedding anniversary this summer. You still have many mementos from our special day: your cake topper is in your china cupboard, and your garter hangs on the bedpost on your partner’s side. Your prized possession is a framed photo of your engagement that all your guests signed on the matte border.
Wouldn’t it be fantastic to have all these and other small mementos in one place? You can have a beautiful display piece from your wedding day with a shadow box.
What is a Shadow Box?
A shadow box is like a picture frame but is a few inches deep, like a miniature cabinet. It is perfect for displaying items from your wedding day.
What Do You Put in a Shadow Box
The short answer for what should go in your wedding shadow box is anything you want that will also fit in it.
Paper items such as your save the date, an invitation, and place card are perfect items to include. If you have other small personalized items like napkins, you might want to put that in as well.
You can include one of the favors you gave your guests that day. These items are usually small such as coasters or koozies. If you gave out vials of bubbles, that is also a great item to include.
You can incorporate your honeymoon memories into your wedding shadow box too. Save hotel key cards, ticket stubs, or wristbands.
Many brides like to include some flowers from their wedding bouquet for their shadow box. There is an extra step to preserve the flowers before adding them to your box. You can keep flowers by hang-drying, dipping them in wax, or sealing them in epoxy resin.
Where to Get a Shadow Box
You can buy a shadow box at local craft stores or online. They typically range from sixteen to forty-five dollars.
Choose a style that will match your home decor. Frames are available in black, natural wood, and various shades of stained wood.
Personalizing a Shadow Box
Items such as your invitation or save the date help to personalize your wedding shadow box. If you would rather your box contains more flowers and photos than these other items, you can personalize your shadow box in another way.
You can order cut-out vinyl letters to place on the glass front. You can also cut the letter yourself with a die-cut tool like the Cricut.
How to Display your Shadow Box
The most popular way to display a wedding shadow box is to hang it on the wall. Make sure you use the proper hardware for hanging heavy items.
You can also choose to set the shadow box on a shelf or mantle. Because it is deeper than a regular picture frame, it will stand on its own without being propped front the back.
Whichever way you choose to display your shadow box, put it in a prominent place in your home, such as the living room or den.
