Vow books are a beautiful addition to your big day. Vow Books are aesthetically pleasing to capture for your wedding day photo album and are convenient if you want to avoid using electronics during the ceremony. The best part is that you can DIY and customize the vow book to your liking, all while staying within budget. My name is Mariann from @madebymariann, and I am here to share tips on how you can create your own vow book. Let’s get started!

Materials Used:

For Vow Book

  • 5in. x 5in. Pocket Notebook (premade)

or 

  • 5in x 5in. Pocket Notebook with Handmade Cotton Paper 
  • Lined Paper
  • Deckle Edge Ruler (optional)

For Writing 

For Styling

  • Fringe Chiffon Silk Ribbon

 

Assemble Vow Book

  1. If you purchased a pocket notebook, you may skip this step. However, incorporate this step if you are assembling your own vow book. To begin, pick a material that will bind the book’s cover and backing and choose the type of paper for the pages inside (either lined or blank paper).
  2. Size down the cotton paper to 3.5in. x 5in. with a deckle edge ruler or with scissors. Then cut as many pieces of lined paper as needed and fold them in half to fit inside the cotton paper cover. Finish assembling by binding the book with glue or staples if the lined paper does not already come with a binding.

 

Customize Vow Book

 

  1. Here comes the fun part - starting with the customization! Generally, we see His/Her Vows or Bride/Groom customized onto the vow book in various prints (ink and font) and finishes. This example shows a variety of customization using Zebra’s brush pen and Zebra’s G nib, accompanied by my ink color of choice. The Zebra brush pen (fine tip) makes it easy to create precise fine lines in brush calligraphy. Additionally, the Zebra G Nib is sturdy and durable on thicker paper so it is one of my go-to nibs. The printed word ‘vows’ can be traced, free-handed, or in this example - a vinyl cut. 
 

 

Style Vow Book

  1. One step closer to completing this project - styling the vow book. This is an opportunity to style the vow book to your liking and aesthetic. In this example, I have tied a bow with a fringe chiffon ribbon. Another beautiful alternative is using a velvet ribbon. You may choose a thinner or thicker width depending on the look you are going for.

Use Vow Book
  1. Now you are ready to complete the vow book by writing in it! I like to begin writing directly into the book with a pencil first. The Zebra Z-Grip Max Mechanical Pencil is one of my favorite pencils to use because it is easy to grip and is not strenuous on my hand after writing for long periods of time. Afterward, I like to use the Zebra bLen Retractable Gel Pen to go over what was written in pencil. The ink of this pen is so smooth, and my favorite feature of it all - it does not smear. I also love that the casing has a grip and comes in two options - a white and black color.

I hope these tips were helpful and give you the confidence to create something special for your big day! Please tag me on Instagram - @madebymariannwhen you recreate this. I would love to see your work!