As soon as we knew we were going to be styling a Nantucket Inspired Wedding, our minds immediately went to oysters. They are a quintessential part of coastal life and we knew we just had to have them be a part of our decor. Now, how to use oysters in a chic and elegant way that was fitting for a wedding? That was the conundrum. But then we thought, “how amazing would these oyster shells look if we gold foiled them?” and we had our answer! We decided to make these naturally gorgeous shells into beautiful gold foiled place cards and couldn’t be happier with how they turned out.
Begin by shucking and completely cleaning out your oyster shells. We bought ours from a local seafood market. To ensure the shells were clean, we placed them in boiling water for 15 minutes and then put them in warm, soapy dishwater and finished them with a cold water rinse.
Dip one of the paintbrushes into the Mod Podge and add a thin layer of the glue to the outer edge of the under portion of the oyster. Make sure to spread out any large drops of Mod Podge that may collect within the crevices of the shell. This will ensure your Gold Foil lays flat when applied.
Take your second, clean, dry paintbrush and brush away the excess Gold Foil. Any foil not attached to the Mod Podge will be discarded, leaving a gorgeous, golden layer on your oyster shell.
Take the calligraphy pen from the Hunt Lettershop Calligraphy Project Set and write the name of your guest on the interior of your shell. You may need to go over the lettering a few times to ensure the ink is dark enough.
Lastly, hot glue a Pearl Bead below the name on the shell. You now have a uniquely beautiful place card! We placed them atop a DIY Wood Planter Box and absolutely adore how they turned out!
These were a fabulous addition to our recent Nantucket Inspired Wedding!
Make sure to check out our Nantucket Inspired Wedding, DIY Salt Water Taffy Favor Bag and recipe for Homemade Salt Water Taffy for even more wedding inspiration!