Hello! I’m Tina Albin-Lax, and I’m a product designer with a passion for rock climbing, a wicked coffee addiction — and bad case of wanderlust.

At Better Off Wed, I design one-of-a-kind heirloom wedding cake toppers made from laser-cut wood + fabric.

Each wedding cake topper serves as a keepsake for generations to come — and can be transformed into a bespoke objet d'art, a framed wall adornment, or even a holiday tree ornament. Best of all — each token arrives in a custom gift box, perfectly-packaged + ready to tote along to your wedding venue. Hello, sweet romance!


… HOW IT ALL BEGAN ...

I never dreamed I’d become a professional artist + designer — in fact, I started my career as a labor union organizer! — but planning my own off-grid, unconventional wedding inspired me to get into a studio + start crafting with my hands.

Better Off Wed was born out of the romance + wild excitement of my own DIY wedding — and in less than a year, it’s bloomed into a profitable business — attracting thousands of sales, dozens of media mentions, blog profiles in Style Me Pretty, Brides.com, Green Wedding Shoes and even a shout-out in Martha Stewart Wedding Magazine, as one of the best wedding cake toppers of 2012.



… HOW I MAKE MY MAGIC ...

My creative process? My husband calls me “the tornado,” if that gives you any idea.
I love plunging into all-out, full-on, crazy-town work sessions where I get messy, spread my materials everywhere and dig in for hours + hours.

For my Better Off Wed cake toppers, I sketch out my ideas on paper first, then design them in Adobe Illustrator, laser-cut the wood and fabric, and (finally!) piece it all together by hand. A lot of time, love + attention goes into each and every piece. And I’m pretty sure it shows.


… MY WISH, FOR YOU ...

I genuinely believe that you can design the life, career + relationship of your dreams —
if you’re willing to stare down the NO’s, break a few molds, and bring every ounce of your grit + commitment into the mix.

I want to make a positive dent in the universe — and I want you to do the same, in your own exquisitely original way.

Here’s to love, affection + reckless abandon!