DIY Foam Board Name Sign for the Dessert Table

Part two of our foam board series! Nothing personalizes a celebration like the guest of honor's name in beautiful oversized letters above the cake. Custom name signs cost a small fortune — foam board gives you the same look for the price of a few sheets.

What you'll need

• 2–3 sheets of foam board (20×30" makes letters up to about 12" tall)
• Printed letter templates — type the name in a bold rounded font, size each letter to fill a page, and print
• Craft knife, spare blades, metal ruler, cutting mat
• Repositionable spray adhesive or a pencil for tracing
• Paint, or self-adhesive glitter/metallic sheet for a luxe finish
• Ribbon or fishing line for hanging

Step 1: Choose a forgiving font

Thick, rounded letterforms cut far more easily than thin elegant scripts — save the delicate calligraphy for the invitations. Bold and chunky reads beautifully from across the room, which is the whole point.

Step 2: Template and trace

Lightly attach each printed letter to the foam board and cut straight through paper and board together — or trace around the letters in pencil and cut freehand. Cutting through the template gives crisper results for beginners.

Step 3: Master the tricky bits

Inner holes (the middles of A, O, R) come out cleanest if you cut them before cutting the letter's outer edge, while the board around them is still stable. Poke the knife tip through the center and work outward to your line.

Step 4: Finish like a stylist

Paint the faces and don't skip the edges — painted edges are what make letters look store-bought. For extra glamour, cover the faces with self-adhesive gold sheet and paint the edges to match your palette.

Step 5: Hang the name

Tape ribbon to the back of each letter and string them as a banner, or mount the letters directly onto your foam board backdrop from part one of this series — the layered look is our favorite.

Our styling note

Center the name above the dessert cart or cake table, then keep the tabletop styling in the same two or three colors. When the sign, the sweets and the little chairs all speak one palette, the whole corner looks professionally designed.