wax seals are by far one of the easiest ways to enhance your wedding invitations. I mean, they’re shimmery, beautiful, and give your envelopes a little more weight (but not too much), which automatically makes your invitations feel high-end. Plus, they’re a great way to personalize your invitations from the start, making them feel more like you and incorporating meaningful details of your relationship, even if (ahem, especially if) you’re using a template.
but we are often inundated with questions about how to make wax seals correctly: can I buy them pre-made? will they cost more by mail? How do I request a personalized stamp?
Not only will I walk you through everything you need to know about doing your own wax seals, but I’ll tell you which companies we swear by and which ones we’ll never buy from again. I’ll even answer all those wax seal questions you were too afraid to ask, like Can I use a candle for wax seals? and Will wax seals melt in the mail?
what are wax seals?
A wax seal is simply melted wax (often imprinted with a design) used to seal envelopes. Before envelopes were glued shut, wax seals were the only way to keep envelopes closed and make sure letters hadn’t been read or tampered with. Today that’s not a problem, so wax seals are used solely for appearance and to make mail feel more special.
where to buy wax seals
We have ordered sealing wax and stamps from many different places. some places we’ve loved and some places we’ve hated. this is what it is:
artisaire (the only place I will shop)
I’m not sponsored by them and I don’t get paid to recommend them. I just love them.
His wax colors are amazing. your stamp designs are gorgeous. and best of all, their customer service and shipping are top notch.
At the risk of exaggeration, artisaire is one of the few companies whose customer service really impresses me. When I’m making wax seals for a client, I don’t want to wait weeks for my order, and Artisaire is the only company I trust to deliver my supplies within 3 business days of placing my order. and I’ve heard from customers that their stamps successfully withstand the stress of mailing without cracking or melting. total bonus.
Amazon and Ebay
I’ve ordered from both amazon and ebay in the past, and it’s been hit and miss. While you can find cheap sealing wax and wax seals, the colors and quality can leave a lot to be desired. if you’re looking for a reasonably priced wax sealing kit, I’ve used this one in the past and it worked well enough for my needs. just be careful, the wax isn’t as pretty or sturdy as what you can get from artisaire.
stampness
I really wanted to like stamptitude. but when it comes down to it, I wouldn’t recommend them unless you’re in a pinch. yes, they have nice stamp designs and a good selection of wax colors, but their prices are high and the shipping absolutely sucks.
I ordered a stamp and some wax samples for a custom order and it took them 3 weeks (three weeks) to fulfill my order, plus an additional 4 days to receive it (their website says to allow 7 – 10 business days for delivery). arrival). and all that time I only heard crickets from them.
That’s all I’ll say about it.
how to apply wax seals
While you can buy the glue gun, wax sticks, and a custom stamp (the whole thing), it’s not the only way to make wax seals. There are 3 methods to make wax seals:
- self-adhesive seals: The good news is that you can buy pre-made wax seals that come with an adhesive backing. simply apply them as a sticker to flat stationery, envelopes, or companion cards (not recommended for things like ribbon, string, or curved objects). you can order them in standard and custom designs, as well as a variety of colors and edge types.
- Open Flame Method: Place small pieces of wax in a spoon and hold over candle flame until melted. then gently pour the wax over the paper and press to close with a stamp. this is the first wax sealing kit i’ve ever used and i recommend it if you’re looking to save a few bucks.
- the glue gun method: collect some heat glue gun from the craft store and wax sticks from a place like artisaire. Let the gun heat up and apply the wax directly onto the envelope.
How to make your own wax seals
supplies
- wax seal
- wax to seal
- a low temperature glue gun or a spoon of wax and a candle
- bag of ice or container with ice
- tea towel
instructions
1. place your stamp face down on an ice pack
2. Using either a glue gun or a spoon and candle, melt the wax.
3. pour a small quarter-sized circle of wax onto your paper.
4. Wipe cold wax stamp with a towel to remove condensation. press your stamp into the wax and let it sit for 10-15 seconds while the wax cools. don’t touch it!
5. after about 15 seconds, hold the paper with one hand and gently move the stamp handle with the other. when it comes loose, put it back in the ice pack. then set the envelope aside so that the wax hardens completely.
can I use a candle for the wax seals?
uh, not really. technically, the wax from a candle can be used to seal an envelope (and this is how it was done in the past). but… and it’s a big but… it may not hold up to the mailing process. it could break, melt or leave oil stains on your invitations before it ends up in the hot little hands of your guests.
I recommend using only real sealing wax.
what is sealing wax made of?
The sealing wax currently on the market is a far cry from candle wax as we know it. commercial sealing wax is more of a plastic substance designed to be flexible, durable, colorfast, and non-greasy (which could ruin your invitations).
Can wax seals be mailed?
yes, it is perfectly acceptable to send wax seals through the mail. Most high-quality sealing waxes can be mailed and should arrive in one piece. but if you’re worried about them breaking or cracking, I recommend taking a couple of precautions to make sure they arrive safely.
- mail sorting machines can break wax seals, so it’s best to cancel envelopes by hand if possible. most post offices offer manual sorting, but I recommend calling ahead to make sure.
- put wax seals on the inner envelope and use an outer envelope to protect them.
does it cost more to send the wax seals by mail?
In my experience, wax seals do not increase the weight of the envelope, therefore they do not require additional postage (obviously this will depend on the type and amount of wax you use), but the post office might require you to your envelopes are canceled by hand, and that requires an additional postage of $0.21 per envelope.
will wax seals melt in the mail?
It is exceptionally rare for wax seals to melt in the mail, but it can happen during a heat wave or in very hot weather. I haven’t had any clients experience this problem that I know of.
how do i create a custom seal stamp?
Companies such as Artisaire, Nostalgic Impressions, and Getmarked sell fully customized wax seals. just upload a design that meets your specifications (an invitation designer can help you create one if he’s not sure how to do it) and they’ll take care of the rest.