The Brief

A couple getting married came to us with a lovely idea — instead of a traditional wishing well or card box, they wanted something that would actually be a feature at the reception. Something their guests would notice the moment they walked in. They wanted a miniature wishing well, decorated with trailing plants and lattice, where guests could drop their well wishes and cash gifts into the bucket for the newlyweds.

It had to look elegant enough for a wedding, sturdy enough to survive a night of celebrations, and memorable enough that people would be talking about it long after the last dance.

The Build

We started with the structure — a classic wishing well shape, laser cut from timber in flat-pack panels and assembled to create a solid, freestanding piece. The lattice panels were cut separately with a fine crosshatch pattern, giving it that garden trellis feel without being too heavy.

Early on, we tested the shape and proportions to make sure the scale felt right on a table. Here's where it started taking form:

The base and walls came together first, with the roof structure sitting on top. We refined the fit between panels, making sure everything locked in tight and looked seamless from every angle.

Once the structure was solid, we moved on to the finishing — a soft white paint finish to match the wedding palette, with faux greenery and trailing plants woven through the lattice. The plants gave it a natural, romantic look that tied it right into the table setting.

The bucket hanging from the crossbar was the centrepiece — guests would write their well wishes on cards and drop them into the bucket along with any gifts. It was the perfect touch, keeping everything collected in one spot and looking beautiful while doing it.

The Result

On the day, it sat pride of place at the entrance to the reception. Guests loved it — half of them thought it was a real garden piece. The trailing plants and white finish caught the light beautifully, and by the end of the night the bucket was overflowing with well wishes.

The couple kept it afterward as a keepsake. Last we heard, it's sitting in their garden room with a small plant growing out of the top. Not a bad second life for a wedding prop.