“Can I use a candle for wax seals?” and 10 other wax seal questions you were too afraid to ask

Wax seals are by far one of the easiest ways to kick your wedding invitations up a notch. I mean, they’re shimmery, gorgeous, and they give your envelopes a little extra heft (but not too much heft), which automatically makes your invitations feel high-end. Plus, they’re a great way to customize your invites from the get-go, making them feel more like you and incorporating meaningful details from your relationship – even if (ahem, especially if) you’re using a template.

But we’re often inundated with questions about doing wax seals properly: Can I buy them pre-made? Will they cost more to mail? How do I order a custom stamp?

Not only will I walk you through everything you need to know about doing your own wax seals, but I’ll tell you which companies we swear by and which ones we’ll never buy from again. I’ll even answer all those wax seal questions you were too afraid to ask, like Can I use a candle for wax seals? and Will wax seals melt in the mail?

What are wax seals?

A wax seal is simply melted wax (often imprinted with a design) that’s used to seal envelopes. Back before envelopes were glued shut, wax seals were the only way to keep envelopes closed and ensure that letters hadn’t be read or tampered with. Nowadays that’s not such an issue, so wax seals are purely used for looks and to make mail feel more special.

Where to buy wax seals

We’ve ordered sealing wax and stamps from a lot of different places. Some places we’ve loved and some places we’ve hated. Here’s what’s what:

Artisaire (the only place I’ll buy from)

I’m not sponsored by them and I’m not being paid to recommend them. I just love ’em.

Their wax colors are amazing. Their seal designs are gorgeous. And best of all, their customer service and shipping are top notch.

At the risk of tooting their horn too much, Artisaire is one of the few companies whose customer service actually impresses me. When I’m doing wax seals for a customer, I don’t want to wait weeks to receive my order, and Artisaire is the only company I trust to deliver my supplies 3 business days after I place my order. And I’ve heard from customers that their seals successfully withstand the stress of mailing without cracking or melting. Total bonus.

Amazon and Ebay

I have ordered from both Amazon and Ebay in the past, and it’s been hit or miss. While you can find sealing wax and wax seals for cheap, the colors and quality may leave something to be desired. If you’re looking for a reasonably priced wax seal kit, I’ve used this one in the past and it’s worked well enough for my needs. Just be forewarned, the wax isn’t quite as pretty or resilient as what you can get from Artisaire.

Stamptitude

I reeeaally wanted to like to Stamptitude. But when it boils down to it, I wouldn’t recommend them unless you’re in a pinch. Yes, they have pretty seal designs and a decent selection of wax colors, but their prices are high and their shipping absolutely stinks.

I ordered a seal and some wax samples for a custom order and it took them 3 weeks (three. weeks.) to fulfill my order, plus an additional 4 days for me to actually receive it (their website says to expect 7 – 10 business days for arrival). And that whole time I only heard crickets from them.

That’s all I’ll say about that.

How to apply wax seals

While you can certainly buy the glue gun, wax sticks and a custom seal—the whole shebang—it’s not the only way to DIY wax seals. There are 3 methods for making wax seals:

• Self-adhesive seals – Good news is that you can actually buy pre-made wax seals that come with a sticky backing. Simply apply them like a sticker to flat stationery, envelopes or escort cards (they’re not recommend for things like ribbon, string or curved objects). You can order them in both standard and custom designs as well as a variety of colors and edge types.
• The open flame method – Place small chunks of wax in a spoon and hold it over a candle flame until melted. Then gently pour the wax onto the paper and press shut with a seal. This is the first wax seal kit I ever used and I recommend it if you’re looking to save a few bucks.
• The glue gun method – Pick up a low-heat glue gun from the craft store and wax sticks from a place like Artisaire. Let the gun heat up and apply wax directly to the envelope.

How to make your own wax seals             

Supplies

• Wax Stamp
• Sealing Wax
• Either a low-heat glue gun or wax spoon and a candle
• Ice pack or bowl of ice
• Dish towel

Instructions

1. Place your stamp face down on an ice pack

2. Either using a glue gun or a spoon and a candle, melt your wax.

3. Pour a small circle of wax about the size of a quarter onto your paper.

4. Wipe off your chilled wax stamp on a towel to remove any condensation. Press your stamp into the wax and let it sit for 10-15 seconds while the wax cools. Don’t touch it!

5. After about 15 seconds, hold the paper with one hand and gently wiggle the stamp handle with the other. When it comes loose, place it back on the ice pack. Then set the envelope aside so the wax can harden completely.

Can I use a candle for wax seals?

Eh, not really. Technically, candle wax can be used to seal an envelope shut (and that’s how it was done back in the day). But… and it’s a big but… it might not withstand the mailing process. It could break, melt or leave oil stains on your invitations before it ends up in your guests’ hot little hands.

I recommend only using real sealing wax.

What is sealing wax made of?

The sealing wax on the market today is a far cry from candle wax as we know it. Commercial sealing wax is more of a plastic-y substance designed to be flexible, durable, color-fast and not greasy (which could potentially ruin your invitations).

Can wax seals be mailed?

Yes, it’s perfectly acceptable to mail wax seals. Most high-quality sealing waxes are safe to send through the mail and should arrive in one piece. But if you’re worried about them breaking or cracking, I recommend taking a couple of precautions to make sure they arrive safely.

• Mail sorting machines can break wax seals, so it’s best to hand-cancel your envelopes if possible. Hand sorting is offered by most Post Offices, but I recommend calling ahead to make sure.
• Place wax seals on the inner envelope and use an outer envelope to protect them.

Do wax seals cost more to mail?

In my experience, wax seals don’t add to the weight of the envelope, therefore they don’t require extra postage (obviously, this will depend on the type and amount of wax you use.) But the post office might require your envelopes to be hand-canceled, and that requires an extra $0.21 postage per envelope.

Will wax seals melt in the mail?

It’s exceptionally rare for wax seals to melt in the mail, but it can happen during a heat wave or in very warm climates. I haven’t had any customers experience this issue, that I know of.

How do I create a custom sealing stamp?

Companies like Artisaire, Nostalgic Impressions and GetMarked all sell fully custom wax stamps. Just upload a design that meets their specs (an invitation designer can help you make one if you’re not sure how) and they’ll take care of the rest.

The information contained on this Website and the resources available for download through this website are for educational and informational purposes only. I am only sharing what worked for me, and as such, I cannot guarantee that any products or processes will give you the same results.