You might print your wedding menus yourself or you might prefer to take them to a professional printer. But after the menus are printed what can you do with them? Well, of course, you’re going to give them to the guests but in what manner? If you have made arrangements for napkins and rings, or party favors, you might be planning to set these on the plates. So, what about those menus? How about a charming craft that makes a menu holder on the backs of the chairs? It won’t take long to make these and they’ll look beautiful at an elegant wedding or adorable at a casual affair.
If you’ve ever purchased a sheet cake from a bakery or grocery store you’ve probably seen the cardboard-type tray that is under the cake. It has scalloped edges and, often, a silver top. These trays are perfect for making the menu holders for the chairs. You can sometimes purchase the trays at the bakeries where you buy your cakes and you can also order them online. Another option is to just cut cardboard so that it’s approximate in size to one of those trays and use special scissors to make a scalloped edge around the perimeter of the cardboard.
Apply adhesive to the silver side of the cake board or to any one side of regular cardboard. When using regular cardboard you might want to paint one side. On the other side, apply the glue, then spread a piece of fabric or decorative paper across the tray.
Print out a picture with any image you want. If you’re having a beach-theme wedding you might want a seascape picture. Or, make the picture a cake topper photo of a miniature bride and groom. Make the picture 5″x7″ so that the image is horizontal on the card or paper.
Apply adhesive around the two sides and the bottom of the card. Position the card near the bottom of the tray, in the center. This little paper will be the envelope in which the menu will be placed.
Poke holes in two areas at the top of the tray, slide a piece of ribbon through each one, then tie the ends in bows. Use the ribbon to hang the tray onto the back of a chair. Besides the menu, you can tuck in a silk flower, a few dried flowers, a sprig of berries, or another embellishment. The menu holders are simplistic but just charming.
Cake Tray Menu Holder