DIY Wedding Table Markers

My next project for my niece's wedding is making table markers. She doesn't want markers for every table, but the tables for the wedding party and families will have reserved table markers. And, I will also make table markers for the gifts and wedding cake tables.

Since the theme of the wedding is vintage and the colors are red and yellow, I wanted to design the table markers around those two things. As I was looking around for ideas, I stumbled on a website which gave instructions for making stands out of vintage forks. I haven't been able to find the link again but it was relatively simple to do. I simply bent the two tines on the outside of the fork forward and the two on the inside backward. The outside tines must be bent first in order to have room to bend the inside. I used pliers to bend them. It took a lot of muscle power and I ended up with some blisters on my hands because I did 10 forks all at once. For the two tines bent forward, take the pliers and bend the tips upward to hold whatever you put on the fork stand in place. When you're bending the tines, place your pliers as far back as you can - otherwise, you bend in the wrong place. Some of my fork stands would fall over until I got the tines exactly where they needed to be to allow it to actually stand. You just have to work with the tines until they're where they need to be. Also, I tried this with a cheap fork and the tine came off when I was bending it. That's why those old silverplated vintage forks are the best for this project.

So now that I have my stands, I lay out all my supplies.

I am using cream card stock as my background. I am using doilies throughout the wedding decor, so I wanted to have a lace edge to the markers. I couldn't find any card stock already cut so I bought a Martha Stewart punch stamp so I could add that border myself. I'm also going to add in more of the vintage theme by using Victorian calling cards. What's nice about these cards is that most of them have red and yellow as the primary colors. Also, they have romantic sayings which fit right into wedding decor. Some of the ones I'm using include these sayings: With affection and regard; Ever faithful and true; A token of love; Forgotten thou wilt never be.

I run each piece of card stock through my printer. Then I use the punch stamp for the border. Finally, I glue a piece of red card stock behind the calling card and glue it on the background.

Once I'm through, I put it on my fork stand and have the finished table marker.