How can I print and bind a document in a way that is gift-worthy?

August 17, 2015 6:55 AM

I am looking for a pretty/creative way to print/publish/bind a document to give to my friends as a gift.

My friends just got married and wrote their own wedding ceremony and I want to gift them a printed/published version of the ceremony. What is a good way to do this? Details:

- I want it to look nice and last a long time.
- I am not at ALL crafty.
- It's about 10 pages in a Microsoft Word document.
- I'm willing to pay for fancy paper, printing, binding, etc. but I don't really know anything about those things.
- I have access to paper stores, print shops, etc.

Thanks for any thoughts!

posted by trixie119 to Grab Bag (6 answers total)

Staples (or your local print shop) these days has a billion options you can look through, and they all look and last really well.
posted by xingcat at 7:02 AM on August 17, 2015

Agreed, a local print shop will definitely do something like this for you. I've had various things bound over the years, from smaller to 100+ pages, and I've found the folks at my local shop are great about recommending which binding options, etc. will work for different sizes/looks/etc. and helping me pick out things that will fit what I want. Of course this could vary depending on the employees at your particular shop, but definitely worth a try!
posted by rainbowbrite at 7:23 AM on August 17, 2015

Best answer: Do you have iPhoto? Integrate the text pages with pics from the wedding and it gets bound in a high quality hard-cover book for you and mailed. There are pages where you can insert your own text so cut/paste. I use iPhoto books for gifts a lot and they're always a hit because the quality is so good and the level of personalization so detailed.
posted by nologo at 7:35 AM on August 17, 2015 [2 favorites]

Seconding the iPhoto idea. A friend had a hardcover book made from family photos and artwork that looked fantastic. Basically an "art" book.
posted by bonobothegreat at 7:39 AM on August 17, 2015

Look for acid-free paper. All-cotton would be nice.
posted by the_blizz at 7:41 AM on August 17, 2015

What a nice idea! If you have a larger budget and want something really special, you could have some (e.g. a cover page) or the whole thing printed in letterpress or hand calligraphed (maybe just illuminated letters, their names, or the final "I do"s).
posted by JackBurden at 7:48 AM on August 17, 2015