18 custom menu holders with CO₂ laser cutting and engraving for an anniversary

Introduction

A personalised element for a celebration does not have to be complicated to add value. For this project, we made 18 tabletop holders for a couple from Belgium who wanted to use them during their anniversary celebration.

The objective was very specific: they needed to place printed drinks and menu sheets on the tables, but wanted to do so with a personalised holder that formed part of the table presentation.

The result was 18 wooden pieces manufactured using CO₂ laser cutting and engraving, with a base that keeps them standing, an engraved upper section and an opening through which the ribbon holding the printed sheet passes.

A simple holder designed to perform a function

The photographs of the finished result clearly show something that should be established from the start in manufacturing: a piece for an event should not be designed only to look attractive when it is empty. It has to work when the exact item it was created for is placed on it.

In this case, the menu sheet covers almost the entire front. That is why we left the upper wooden section visible, where the decorative engraving with the word “Dranken”, drinks in Dutch, and the ornamental elements were added.

The opening beneath the engraving allows the ribbon to pass through and hold the sheet in place. In this way, the paper forms part of the overall piece while remaining separate from the holder itself.

This has a practical advantage: there was no need to engrave the entire menu directly onto the wood. The personalised holder could be made as a stable, reusable piece, while the information specific to the celebration was handled by printing it on paper.

Why we used CO₂ laser cutting and engraving

For this type of job, we need to perform two different operations on the same material. On the one hand there is cutting, which defines the outline of the pieces, the base and the necessary openings. On the other hand there is engraving, which marks the surface of the wood without cutting through it.

This difference between cutting and engraving is important. In our laser cutting and engraving service in Girona, we use CO₂ technology for non-metallic materials such as wood, and each operation requires the file to be correctly prepared before manufacturing.

For a single unit this may seem less relevant, but when 18 identical holders have to be produced, working from a properly prepared file makes it possible to keep the dimensions, engraving position and cutting elements consistent throughout the entire batch.

For anyone who wants to explore this part of the process in more detail, our guide on how to prepare a file for laser cutting, scoring and engraving explains why correctly separating the operations before sending the job to the machine prevents many problems during manufacturing.

Designing around the paper, not just the wood

One of the interesting aspects of this project is that the holder and the menu are two different elements that need to function as one.

Before manufacturing a piece like this, the actual size of the sheet that will be placed in front must be taken into account. The visible space for the engraving, the position of the ribbon opening and the total height of the holder depend directly on those dimensions.

If you first design an attractive piece and only afterwards try to adapt the paper to it, problems can easily arise: the menu may cover the engraving, sit too high or make the overall composition look out of proportion.

Producing 18 units also requires repeatability

Another difference between making one piece and producing a small batch is repeatability. The first holder may be perfect, but the job is only properly resolved if the same standard can be maintained across the other 17 units.

That is why, before producing a batch, it is worth checking dimensions, fits, cutting and engraving positions and the behaviour of the material. With wood, it is also important to remember that it is a natural material and that the tone, grain and engraving contrast may show small variations.

The choice of board also matters. Not all woods or plywoods react to the laser in the same way. Composition, inner layers and adhesives can affect both the cut and the appearance of the edge. We explain this in more detail in our guide to materials for laser cutting and engraving.

The result on the tables

The photographs we received from the event show the project in its real context. The holders were placed in the centre of the tables alongside the floral decorations, glassware and other elements of the celebration.

This confirms something we cannot always check from the workshop when we deliver a piece: the proportions work in the environment for which they were designed. The holder has enough presence to make the information easy to find, but it does not compete with the table decoration.

The coloured sheet provides the main contrast, while the wood remains visible at the top and at the base. The engraving adds personalisation without turning the whole piece into something excessively decorative.

This job demonstrates that in digital fabrication, value often comes not from making the design complicated, but from making a few decisions correctly: what the piece needs to do, what elements it needs to hold, which areas need to remain visible and how to manufacture several units while maintaining the same result.

A CO₂ laser can cut and engrave with great precision, but the machine does not correct a flawed concept. If the proportions, fits or content position are not properly resolved in the design, that precision will simply reproduce the error 18 times.

That is why at Vanco Studio we prepare the work by thinking first about the real use of the piece and then about manufacturing. This applies to these menu holders, but also to signage, displays, boxes, templates and many other laser-cut pieces.

Custom CO₂ laser fabrication from Girona

This commission came from a couple in Belgium, while manufacturing was carried out from our workshop in L'Estartit, Girona. It is a good example of how a custom project does not have to be limited to customers located close to the workshop.

At Vanco Studio, we work on digital fabrication and personalisation projects for customers in Girona and the Costa Brava, as well as Catalonia and the rest of Spain.

If you need to manufacture holders, event elements or any other custom piece using laser cutting and engraving, the most useful approach is to explain from the start what the piece needs to do, the dimensions, quantity and material you have in mind. From there, we can assess technically how best to manufacture it.