Cardboxes

Many people like to give the bride and groom money and they usually put it in a card. Then there is the problem of where do these guests put their card? Do they just lay it on the table with the other presents with the risk of it getting lost or stolen? Maybe the couple put out a basket to collect all of the cards. This solution only solves the first problem.

Everyone wants to think that none of the people they are inviting to their wedding would steal gifts, cards, or money, but the reality is is that someone might. The thief may not be a guest. They may be a vendor of some sort or maybe even a waiter. No one wants to worry about this happening on the most joyous of evenings, so we must think of a way to combat this before it even happens.

While lurking on the DIY board on The Knot, I discovered a cute and fun DIY project that other brides have done: cardboxes.

DIY cake cardbox

Most people have decorated stacked boxes that can be circular, square, or mixed. They have decorated them with paint, paper, fabric, glitter, etc. But these type of cardboxes never appealed to me. Others have decorated birdcages and mailboxes. While pretty, these don't solve the theft problem. Then I ran across someone who had made a box out of picture frames. All I have to say is WOW!

It was such a neat and unique idea. I had amazing E-pics I could put into the frames and then once the wedding is over, I can put them up in my house. So I began looking around for black 8x10 picture frames that were simple, inexpensive, and wooden. This was not easy. Most of the frames I found were too large, too expensive, or too ornate.

While on a trip to VA Beach, I discovered they had an AC Moore. I had seen people online raving about AC Moore but unfortunately, Charlottesville only has a Micheal's. It turned out AC Moore had just the frames I was looking for, plus they were cheap! They were $4 per frame. I then ran to Lowes to purchase the necessary brackets to affix the frames to one another in a box shape. I have a friend that emails me a couple of time s week with coupons and deals on all kinds of items. She ended up sending me a deal for 5 free 8x10 photos. So, I picked out 5 E-pics and had them printed and shipped to me for FREE!!

I first put my pictures in the frames. Using my drill, I drilled holes and screwed 2 L-brackets to each of the long sides of the frames. I also screwed 1 L-bracket in the middle of both the top and bottom of each frame. Once all of the frames were attached in a box shape, I traced out a piece of cardboard to the size and shape of the bottom of the box. With the brackets going downward, I rested the cardboard inside the box on the bottom. Using duct tape, I affixed the cardboard to the brackets.

You can see the duct tape through the slit (the white line in the slit)

I then cut another square to fit the top of the box and cut a slit in the middle of it to fit cards. Using batting and fabric, I covered the cardboard to still allow the slit to show. This was the tricky part since I needed the fabric to stick to the cardboard. Duct tape didn't work and ended up showing through the slit. So I took another piece of fabric and sewed the top fabric to fabric on the back all the way around each side and the slit. I then used thread to tie the board to each of the brackets so the top would stay attached to the box. I purchased an inexpensive turn table (lazy susan) from Walmart and duct taped it to the box.

Woala! Here is the finished product:

Have you thought of what to have guests put their cards into? Do you think you will attempt to DIY a cardbox?