Most personalized sign listings are designed for English. The example photos show English names, the default fonts are Latin-character, and the personalization fields assume Latin characters. If you want a sign in another language, the process needs a few extra steps. Here is what to know.
The font issue
The single most common problem is fonts. The fonts that look great on English signs (Garamond, modern scripts, clean sans-serifs) often don't support non-Latin alphabets, or support them badly.
Spanish signs work fine in almost any font because the alphabet is identical to English plus a few accented characters (á, é, í, ó, ú, ñ). Most makers can produce Spanish-language signs in their normal font set.
French signs work for the same reason (Latin alphabet with accents).
German signs work, including umlauts (ä, ö, ü) and the eszett (ß), in standard fonts.
Hebrew signs need fonts that support right-to-left text and Hebrew character set. Standard wedding-sign fonts usually don't include Hebrew. You need to specifically ask for a Hebrew-capable font.
Arabic signs are the most challenging because Arabic is calligraphic (letters connect to each other depending on position) and right-to-left. Few personalized sign shops have proper Arabic font support out of the box.
Russian (Cyrillic) signs need a Cyrillic-supporting font. Many modern fonts include Cyrillic, but the specific aesthetic fonts used for wedding signs often don't.
Chinese, Japanese, and Korean signs require Asian language fonts and special handling for character spacing. These are usually custom orders.
The right-to-left problem
For Hebrew and Arabic, text reads right to left. This affects how the sign is laid out. A simple name plus date in Hebrew won't look correct if the maker just substitutes characters into a left-to-right template.
What to clarify with the maker: confirm they handle right-to-left layout, not just right-to-left characters. The piece needs to be designed in the correct direction.
How to order: the practical steps
Step 1: contact the maker before placing the order. Ask whether they can produce signs in your target language. If their listing offers personalization but doesn't mention language support, message them first.
Step 2: provide the exact text you want, in the target language, in the correct script. Don't transliterate (writing Hebrew names in English letters and asking the maker to convert them). Send the actual Hebrew or Arabic text via the messaging system.
If you can't easily type the non-English characters, use Google Translate's text input or copy from another source. The maker will paste this directly into their design file.
Step 3: confirm the font with a proof. Ask for a digital mockup before production begins. Check that the characters are correct and the layout works.
Step 4: confirm any name spellings with the actual recipient or family if you're not a native speaker. The wrong accent or the wrong character order in a name is a real problem in non-English languages.
Common mistakes when ordering non-English signs
Mistake 1: providing romanized names instead of the original script. 'Yosef Cohen' as Hebrew is יוֹסֵף כֹּהֵן. If you send 'Yosef Cohen' and the maker types it in Hebrew letters, they might get it wrong. Send the Hebrew.
Mistake 2: assuming accents are decorative. In Spanish, 'año' (year) and 'ano' (anus) are different words. The tilde is required. Don't skip it.
Mistake 3: using English date formats in non-English signs. American format is MM/DD/YYYY. European is DD/MM/YYYY. East Asian is YYYY/MM/DD. Pick the format that matches the language and culture of the sign's destination.
Mistake 4: skipping proofing. For Latin-alphabet languages this might be okay. For Hebrew, Arabic, Cyrillic, or Asian-language signs, the proof step is essential. The maker doesn't read the language and small errors are easy to miss without your review.
What to consider for bilingual signs
Some couples want signs that include text in two languages. This is more complex but works if the layout is designed for it.
What works: a sign with the family name in the larger primary script and a translation or transliteration in smaller secondary text. Names in Hebrew and Latin script side by side, for example.
What doesn't work: trying to fit two full lines of text in two languages on a sign designed for one. The piece becomes cramped and hard to read.
For weddings between two different language traditions (Jewish-Christian, Muslim-Christian, etc.), bilingual signs are increasingly common. Plan for slightly larger pieces (18-24 inches minimum) to accommodate both scripts cleanly.
The 'we don't speak the language' case
If you're ordering a sign for someone else and you don't speak the target language, here's the safest approach:
Get the exact text from a fluent speaker. Don't trust Google Translate alone for the final text, especially for important phrases or names. Have someone who speaks the language confirm.
Send the text exactly as it was given to you. Don't try to retype it; copy-paste only. Manual retyping introduces typos that you can't catch in a language you don't read.
Always request a proof from the maker. Send the proof back to the fluent speaker for verification before production.
This three-step process catches almost every potential error.
What we can produce
For our shop specifically: Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese signs work in our standard fonts with no issues. Hebrew, Arabic, and Cyrillic require us to specify the font and we'll send a proof for confirmation. Chinese, Japanese, and Korean we treat as custom orders and quote separately.
If you're considering a non-English personalized sign and have questions about whether we can produce it the way you want, message us through the contact page before ordering. We'll let you know what's possible.
For the standard catalog, the family name signs collection is here. Everything ships in 1-2 business days from Fairfield, New Jersey.