Although we no longer issue decrees or authenticate official documents like the Middle Ages, the use of wax to seal letters is still widely used for aesthetic purposes. Personally, I love how fancy envelopes look with the old-fashioned method of sealing (it’s giving letter from Hogwarts vibes, and I’m here for it).
What our invitations looked like once the seal was glued on!
It’s 100% acceptable to place wax directly onto your letter or envelope. However, if you don’t want to spoil your invitation or greeting card with spilled wax or seepage (when the wax seeps through the envelope onto your stationary), then the easy solution is pre-made wax seals!
Before we even toured wedding venues, I already knew I wanted to incorporate wax seals into our wedding invitations. I was concerned about sending exterior seals through the postal system, so I decided our seals would be used internally and hold shut the belly bands, which enclosed our stationary elements. I admit, I took my sweet time finalizing a style to use for our wedding invitations. Since I didn’t want to rush this decision, but still wanted to start work on wedding preparations, I opted for creating pre-made seals that I could later glue on when I was ready to assemble the invitations (we love efficiency around here!).
At first, creating wax seals appears like a lot of work, but it was not difficult to pick up and only required a few materials. If you’re still unsure, just know I was able to knock out 100+ wax seals within an hour of starting the task and had no prior experience. Scroll to the bottom of the page to watch my TikTok. 😊
Select a heating method: I used a glue gun that I already owned and swapped out the glue for gold wax sticks I found on Amazon. Note: I recommend using an old glue gun or dedicate a new glue gun to just wax sticks. When you switch back and forth from glue to wax, it will take a few pumps to clear out the residue from the last material. An alternative method of melting wax includes wax beads, a spoon and a heat source (tea light, lighter, match). I think the process takes longer than simply plugging in a glue gun, but to each their own! Let me know if you tried this method!
Melt the wax: depending on your tool of choice, it could take a few minutes to heat up.
Squeeze wax onto the silicone mat: Pump about a quarter-size amount of wax onto the mat. Note: this depends on your wax seal size. The silicone mat allows the wax to cool down and be pulled up without breaking.
Stampmelted wax: Push the seal into the pool of wax. Try to make sure there is excess wax all around the outside of the size of your seal.
Rest and remove: Allow the wax to cool for at least 30-50 seconds. Then gently pull your stamp away, revealing the design left behind.
Place seal on icepack: Put the seal head onto the icepack in-between to allow the wax from sticking on future stamps.
Glue wax seals onto document: Whether you wait 10 minutes or 7 months after your wax seal cools, you can use normal hot glue to adhere your beautiful wax seal onto your item of choice.
Tips and Trick
Before starting, place your wax seal into the freezer for 30 minutes to ensure the seal is cold and ready to create impressions. The cold seal will help with keeping the wax from sticking.
Make sure you wait for the wax to be completely melted to avoid clumpy chunks of wax.
If you have the option, use the low setting on your glue gun. Otherwise, the wax will become too hot and drip from the gun.
There are no mistakes! I’ve discovered the best part about pre-made wax seals is that if you mess up, you can simply cut the failed seal into pieces and stuff them back into the hot glue gun to re-melt and try again (I had to do this several times)!
When gluing your completed, cooled wax seal onto your document, remember to keep your glue gun on the low setting. If the glue is too hot, it can re-melt your seal.
Sometimes wax will get stuck to the end of the seal, blocking the engraving and preventing you from creating clean impressions. The best way to clear the seal is to soak it in water for a period of time. This didn’t happen to me, but I imagine if you have an intricate seal, you could run into this problem.