Simple, rustic flowers in jam jars...

I'm doing this for our wedding as we have a small budget and I wanted to do something a bit different from a typical centre piece flower arrangement. I just went on a wedding flowers course and learnt a few things about flower arranging, etc, and found it quite easy (okay so they won't look professional but they won't look rubbish either - I won't let it!). I've been collecting jam jars and glass bottles and I'm just going to put rose stems in them - you can make a hand tied posy quite easily, literally make a smallish bunch of flowers, tie them with brown twine (I'm going for a rustic effect) and then trim the stems so they stand at the right height in the jar.

Of course you can do this! I think it'll look lovely. I'm going to let guests take them home and I'm also going to plant flowers in a pot a few months beforehand and hopefully they'll bloom in time to go on the tables. I have the same worry as you about getting them set up on the day but if you're going for the DIY rustic look, then perhaps you can get a trusted person to go and lay them out on the tables, etc, and not worry too much about them being set up "perfectly". I think this is what I'm gonna do as I don't want to be near the venue on the day!

We're on the same page! I don't even really mind what they look like because we're village fete-y and I am happy with anything!

Where are you getting your flowers from?

Yay that's the theme we are going for too - our venue is a town hall so it will hopefully tie in nicely.

On the course, I was quite surprised that the tutor (who's been a florist for 30 years) suggested Morrisons! Apparently their flowers last really long and are good quality, but she said any of the supermarkets these days are pretty good - Marks and Sparks were another suggestion. Failing that, she said about going to flower markets - my nearest would be Covent Garden at the moment but not all the wholesaler will sell to public so she said you're better off buying from the supermarkets.

So, in the week of the wedding I'm going to go and raid Sainsburys (they do really good bouquets of gypsophilia) and just buy a load of flowers, cut them up/hand tie (i'm making the bridesmaids bouquets too) and then have them ready for the night before in their jars with a little water. Try and buy flowers that haven't bloomed yet so that they are just opening the day before and will be perfect for the actual wedding day.

I think it's fine to DIY this kind of thing if your theme is rustic/village fete-y/retro (ours is a real 50s town hall with a portrait of the Queen hanging up) so I'm going for a real 50s/60s look with the decorations and flowers; basing it on my mum's wedding..in a hall..in 1968 ?

Let me know if you need any more help x

We are doing this, have collected over 100 jars so far. Think we are going to get a load of flowers from our local wholesaler or supermarkets and have our grans arrange them the afternoon before.

Because it is quite an informal look it doesn't have to be perfect or 'properly' arranged.

I've been collecting jam jars and I'm going to put seaside gravel in the bottom and I have beach hut ribbon to tie round the top. I'm wanting daisies as I love them, but want to go for fake. Found some on eBay which are actually really pretty, but wondered if anyone knew anywhere that did them I might not have though of. Someone said Hobby craft but I can't a see daisies online.

I'm doing this too. Just tying lace around mine and filling with pretty flowers from the supermarket. Morrisons are best for fresh flowers IMO. They do a lovely selection and I have been looking each time I go to get an idea of cost etc. They do bunches of little roses and bunches of gyp for £1.50!

WW

I'm doing this too, so far I have about 80 little jars collected, they are all the same. I intend on tying lace ribbon around them, attaching pearl love heart buttons with a little bit of twine. Some I'll put tea lights in and others wild flowers.

You can get some amazing flowers these days, go with wild ones and get some relatives to help out the day before or even the people at the venue. It will look fab. Upcycling rocks!

This is great, thanks, and in a way the less polished the better. I am happy for it to look as though my son turned up with some handpicked flowers and I tied them together, lol.

I am really, REALLY pushed for time the day before, and won't be doing anything except getting ready on the day... How soon do you think I have to have these prepped? I am happy to do them, and happy to get someone to drop them off at the hall, but I don't quite know how much time I will have and I think we are busy most of the day before. Feeling really sad about this as I'd actually really LIKE to do them myself.