Message in a Bottle

Message in a Bottle is not just a Nicholas Sparks tear-jerker. It’s also a popular wedding idea for either wedding favors or table decorations. Our customers are an inspiration to us and we enjoy sharing their creativity with you. This idea comes from a label submitted by customer Alyssa S. from Texas. We’re head-over-heels for her wine label design. It’s a perfect mix of the popular chalkboard theme with a nautical twist.  Take a look at it in the photo below. Adorable right?

How to Make a Message in a Bottle Table Decoration

The idea is to have an empty bottle on each table at your wedding. Supply guests with paper and pen to leave you and your intended a special message. On your anniversary or other designated day you’ll open the messages and enjoy them while reminiscing about  your wedding. Here’s how you achieve this look.

 You’ll need the following supplies:

• Empty wine bottles – We found a box of twelve at our local wine supply store. The cost was $18.99 for the case. If you’re going for a green wedding you can always recycle the empties from friends and family, wash thoroughly and soak off the labels.
• Custom wine labels – In honor of Alyssa’s design we’ve made it easy for you to order our own version of Message in a Bottle which you’ll find here. You can add any message you like along with changing up the font style, size and color. Or you can Make Your Own from scratch.
• Note paper for messages – There are endless paper options out there for your guests to leave you a message. We opted for the simplest and least expensive way which was 3 in. by 5 in. glue top scratch pads from Office Depot.  A pack of 12 for $4.99. You might want to find a light weight paper and individually cut the sheets. In this way it’s possible to match colors of your wedding.
• Pens – Choose elegant fountain pens or colorful gel pens for your guests to write their message; whatever best suits the style of your wedding.
• Ties for notes – The simplest way for guests to tie up their messages is to use clear poly bands. They come in packs of 100 for $2.79 and can be found in the hair care section of Walgreens. We experimented with narrow ribbon which looks amazing, but to be honest, most of your guests won’t be dexterous enough to tie such a small bow without crushing the note.

Bottle Styles

As for what kind of bottles to use for your table decoration I didn’t have any trouble locating other styles besides the burgundy shape bottle at stores like Cost Plus, Marshall’s and our other favorite haunt, Tuesday Morning. Take a look at these bottles found for under $3.99. Some have cork tops and others have the clamp stopper. It’s a matter of what look you’re trying to achieve so keep in mind there are colors and shapes galore when you’re shopping for empty bottles.

Your florist may have ideas for decorating the table area around the bottles. We used crushed beach pebbles and shells which we found at our local craft store. Flowers, white sand, sea stars, mirror trays, bamboo place mats are some other ideas you might consider.

 Message in a Bottle Wedding Favors

The reverse of the Message in a Bottle table centerpiece is the Message in a Bottle wedding favor from the bride and groom.

These are small individual favors created by the happy couple and are for each guest to take home. They are usually a small bottle with a cork stopper and inside is a message from the wedding pair to their guests.

For the Message in a Bottle wedding favor we tied a small “love” charm on a single ribbon around the bottle neck. A 3 inch by 2 inch wedding label fit the bottle perfectly.

Each message is hand tied with a 3/16″ wide scalloped ribbon in a simple bow.

I hope you gathered some inspiration from this post. We get a lot of inquiries on making labels for weddings and other events. If you’re not sure where to find the custom label that fits your project be sure to email us at info@bottleyourbrand.com or chat with us live weekdays from 9 am to 4 pm on our website. We have a decade of experience with custom labels and we can offer help when you need it.