Many brides want the elegant look of a wax seal on their wedding invitations.  While sealing wax and seals are easily found at stationery and gift shops, it is definitely not a good idea to use real sealing wax on any item that you intend to send through the mail!  The wax is very brittle, and it will crumble off in the mail.  A very practical and affordable alternative to sealing was is colored hot glue.  Not only is it just as attractive as real sealing wax, it is much easier to work with, it adheres to paper quite well, and is more flexible.  It is sturdy enough to survive the rigors of the postal system...but as a precaution, you should only use it on the inner envelopes of your invitations!

Color glue sticks come in a wide range of colors, so you are sure to find a shade that will coordinate with your invitations or wedding colors.

You can also use these faux wax seals on wedding favors and gift wrappings...anyplace where you can safely use the glue sticks, you can add your own personal "seal of approval!"

Materials and tools needed:

• Color glue sticks in color of your choice
• Brass seal (click here for a tip on how to use a rubber stamp as a seal)
• Ice cube
• Paper towels or kitchen towel
• Optional: marble coaster, glazed ceramic tile, or other smooth, heat-resistant surface
• Mini glue gun (hot melt or cool melt, depending on what your glue sticks require. If you have glue sticks that can be used in either, use a cool melt gun, or else the glue will be too thin to work properly)

1. Insert colored glue stick into glue gun and plug in. Do not begin to make the seals until the glue has had the chance to heat for several minutes!

2. Chill the seal by pressing it onto an ice cube, then pressing onto a paper towel or kitchen towel to remove any moisture from the seal. Chilling the seal after each impression will help the seal to release from the glue quickly and easily once you press it into the hot glue. If the seal becomes too warm while you are making the seals, it will stick in the glue and not make a very clear impression.

3.  To make the seal directly on the inner invitation envelope, squeeze a small mound of hot glue onto the envelope where you want the seal to be. Press the chilled seal firmly into the glue, then remove. (You will have to experiment on a scrap of cardboard or paper to get the amount of glue just right.  There should be enough glue on the paper so that a small ridge of glue is pressed out all around the sides of the seal, but not so much glue that the seal is too thick and bulky. The brass seal I used to test this project is approximately 3/4 inch wide, and it worked best with a blob of glue the size of a raisin.)

If you find your chilled seal sticks in cool melt glue, just leave it in the glue and let it cool in place for a minute or two before gently removing. It will take longer to do each invitation, this way, but your results will still be good.

Optional: If you want to make the seals separately and then glue them onto the envelopes, make the seals on a smooth, heat-resistant surface such as a marble coaster or a glazed ceramic tile.  Make sure that the surface is chilled, and let the seal cool before pealing it off of the surface. (If your tile is large enough, you can make several at one time.) Attach the seals to the envelopes with a paper adhesive.  Using more hot glue or a white craft glue to attach the seals will result in too much bulk.

Tip from a reader: Amy writes: I've also found that using a rubber stamper and clear stamp pad works well, too. You "ink" the stamp well each time before you make the impression, and that helps release it from the glue.

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