Anniversary couple shadow box SVG
A lady in a long gown and a gentleman in a top hat standing arm in arm in front of a full moon, with the roofs of the city on the skyline, a willow and a blossom tree behind them, and a street lamp, candles and champagne on the terrace. 5 sheets of card, cut and stacked with a gap between each, make the picture. The files are free, and every part of the scene can be moved, swapped or resized below before you download.
5 sheets at 8 × 10 in, zipped, with a note on putting them together.
Free for personal and commercial use, no sign-up. What you can do with it.
The 5 sheets
Sheet 1 is the back and sheet 5 is the front. Each one is a single piece with the same frame round its edge, so they line up when stacked. The colours shown are the “Blue dusk” set; cut them in any card you like. Cut sheet 5, “Terrace”, the slowest: at 0.8 mm it has the thinnest part in the scene, and sheet 5, “Terrace”, fills the most of the view, 33% of it.
| Sheet | What is on it | Narrowest part | Seen from the front |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Moon and stars | A whole sheet with holes for: 8 × Plain disc | over 2 mm | 17% |
| 2. City skyline | Flat ground, with: 2 × Low skyline border | over 2 mm | 8% |
| 3. Willow and blossom | Rolling ground, with: Weeping willow tree and Cherry blossom tree | 1.9 mm | 15% |
| 4. Couple | Rolling ground, with: Lady in an evening dress silhouette and Tuxedo silhouette of a gentleman | over 2 mm | 14% |
| 5. Terrace | Flat ground, with: Lantern on a lamp post, Champagne bottle and flute silhouette and Three candles | 0.8 mm | 33% |
Measured from the files at 8 × 10 in. The narrowest part is the thinnest neck of card that holds anything on; sharp tips are not counted. “Seen from the front” is the share of the picture that sheet fills once the sheets in front of it are in place.
Will it cut at your size?
The download is 8 × 10 in. The scene maker above makes the same scene at any of these sizes; the thinnest part scales with it.
| Frame opening | Each sheet | Narrowest part | Depth needed | Fits a 12 × 12 in mat | Rule of thumb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 × 10 in | 203.2 × 254 mm | 0.8 mm | 17 mm | Yes | Fine detail: sharp blade, slow speed |
Depth needed allows 3 mm of foam between sheets and 5 mm for the card itself and the backing.
Making this one
The moon is one large hole in the back sheet, so the couple stand dark against it: put a light, or a sheet of gold or silver paper, behind it for the anniversary. The two figures are sturdy, over 2 mm at 8 by 10 inches. The street lamp, the candles and the champagne flute on the front sheet are the finest parts, at about 0.8 mm.
- Cut all 5 sheets from 160 to 220 gsm card at the same size.
- Lay them out in order, sheet 1 at the back.
- Put strips of 3 mm foam tape round the border of sheet 1 and press sheet 2 onto it with the edges level. Carry on to sheet 5.
- Fit the stack into a deep frame with the front sheet against the glass. For a light box, run a strip of warm white LEDs round the inside of the frame behind the stack.
The zip includes these steps as a text file, each sheet as its own SVG and all 5 side by side in one SVG. More on paper, frames and lights is on the shadow box page.
The parts, on their own
Everything in the scene comes from the free SVG library, where each has its own page and file:
Questions
Can I add the names and the years?
Not inside the maker yet. Cut them from the lettering in the library and glue them to the bottom border, or write them on the back sheet beside the moon.
Can I use a bride and groom instead?
Yes. Select either figure in the maker and choose Swap: brides, grooms and couples are under Figures. Or start from the Bride and groom scene.
Can I sell boxes I make with it?
Yes. Finished pieces are yours to sell. The files themselves may not be sold or shared; send people to this page. See the licence.
Graduation day 
New Year fireworks 
Rainbow bridge 
Sleigh ride 
Fire engine 
Coastguard rescue