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We’re jumping on the increasingly popular, Southern-inspired homemade jars of jam bandwagon! Can I get a Yeeeeeehaw? Just kidding!
This was a really easy decision for us. We didn’t spend a lot of time debating it like we did with other details. We just saw it, liked it, and said, done! It happened so easily and I couldn’t argue with a quick decision ’cause we hardly come by those!
One night when I was flipping through real weddings on one of my favorite wedding blogs, a certain something caught Mr. B’s attention (he was watching television). He must have seen it out of the corner of his eye, because I had no idea he was paying any attention, but he leaned over and said, “Oh that’s nice!”
It was a cutesy backyard, woodsy type of wedding and I guess because he had never heard or seen the jars of jam favors before, he jumped all over the idea.
“Those are perfect, let’s do that!” he said. Wha?? Really?? I honestly couldn’t believe he liked the idea. It was one of those things I was planing to bring up later when he was in a really good mood or something. The more we discussed it though I should have realized his love for this type of thing. It’s quaint, fun, Southern, and all the things we want our wedding to be about.
Don’t know how to make jam?
No biggie!
That’s what wedding blogs are for!
One reason I love wedding blogs, is because of the vast array of information available to brides at the click of a button! Check out all of these great recipes for jams from our favorite wedding places online!
As luck would have it, Mr. B’s nana makes preserves!! This is an awesome opportunity to include her in the planning process and do some bonding with my future grandmother-in-law! I’m going to plan to spend a weekend at her house making the favors, but before I go, I’m going to collect up all our materials, which luckily, shouldn’t be too expensive!
We’re going to need fabric. I love the fabric Jam Jar Toppers (and free printable labels} here at Domestifluff. We’ll also need jars! There’s a bunch of awesome resources for reasonably priced mason jars, such as this Commercial Square Glass Jar from for $1.99 by the Container Store here. And labels, which can be found here at iDiY.
We just have to figure out what we want our labels to say… I’ve seen “Spread the love,” which is a very clever (and popular) jam jar label. Or how about, “How Sweet it is?”
So I love this idea because it’s budget friendly, homemade, garden-inspired, and everything else that goes right along with the theme and feel of our down-to-earth wedding! I know our guests will love these favors too and better yet, they’ll use them!
A lot of favors usually end up in the trash, but not these! I can see our guests waking up the Monday morning after our wedding and using the jam on their morning toast, hopefully reflecting on the fun and fabulous wedding they attended the night before!
What were your wedding favors?
Do you like “Spread the Love” or “How Sweet It Is” for our label?
Isn’t it hilarious when the boys randomly jump on an idea?! It’s like, “whoa, seriously?! Do you know who you are and what you just said/did?” I love such moments 
Can you send any extras to Texas? Yum! I love “spread the love”.
I love the idea of jam favors, totally wish we could’ve done something like this!
Make sure you get proper canning jars. I’m sure your grandmother-in-law-to-be will tell you this too, but you can’t can something safely in that container store jar, unless you find a canning lid that will fit it. You could certainly put jam in it, then keep it in the fridge, and tell people to eat it within a month or two.
My mum always told me to use the two-piece canning lids - the type that come with the jars (you can also buy them separately).
FI and I had pretty much settled on maple leaf cookie cutters for our favors, until last weekend, when we were at his parent’s house, and his mother offered to make her famous toffee as favors, and as set as D had been about the cookie cutters, he was more set on his mother making the toffee (as was I!).
I loved the idea of homemade jam, but we have a very short engagement (just over 3 months!) and it was just not something I felt we had time to do.
I love “Spread the Love”!
I’d just make sure they’re the right size to be able to be taken on a plane cause I would hate to have to check my luggage for a jar of jam… do they let you take glass containers on a plane?
@peachplum09: Haha! So true! I love those moments too. @rycrafty: Oh! Thank you! I didn’t know that. I will have to keep that in mind!@FutureMrsMcK: Ouu toffee! That sounds delicious!!
@squirt: I didn’t even think of that. It’s such a good point though. Luckily, we don’t have a lot of guests flying into the area. Most are driving.
We are doing Strawberry Jam in small mason jars wraped in toule and ribbon. My Mom is going to help make the jam with us as she is the Strawberry Jam Queen. It is something that represents my side of the family since I grew up on farm and well, my fiance just loves to eat it… LOL.
@Miss Broch - I think you can use any jar you wish as long as you put a thin layer of parafin was over the jam. Double check though.
I love this idea and want to do jam too but I’m not sure strawberries will be in at the time we need to make our jam…so my backup plan is to use the mini mason jars and bake cupcakes into them I <3 “spread love”
I have a feeling I’m going to love everything you choose, considering I’m doing a a Southern vintage/garden pink and green wedding too! haha!
@MissBike: Wax is not suggested these days. For beginner canners I recommend the standard Ball Canning book, and the blog Food in Jars. http://www.foodinjars.com/
Modern canning uses a lid with the rubber section built in, a screw band for the boiling water process, and the jar itself. If you’re interested in canning, it’s a good idea to see what the USDA suggests http://www.foodsaving.com/canning_guide/ before you begin.
“spread the love” is such a charming label! and that blueberry jam recipe by 100 layer cake sounds heavenly
for our little beach destination wedding, since our favorite family and friends traveled across the ocean, we’ve opted to give our favorite family and friends a favor trio all tucked in a natural linen pouch - fleur de sel caramels, lavender camomile “tea for two,” and a mixed cd of our favorite tunes.
but if i was having a hometown wedding, i would definitely be on the jam bandwagon too!
Fabulous and delicious! We made homemade vanilla in little glass bottles, with stickers that said “Love Grows Sweeter By The Day.” I was amused to hear that one of our groomsmen loved them so much that he was scooping up left-behind jars at the end of the night to take back home with him.
Very cute, sweet favors! I love the fabric lids too. Show us how they turn out, yeah?
I like “Spread the love”. How sweet it is has gotten cliche. Everyone uses it.
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Mrs. Brooch, Arlington, VA Age and Occupation: 25, Writer/Editor Fiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Front Desk Manager Engagement Date: October 3, 2009 Wedding Date: April 2011 Venue: Oxon Hill Manor About Me: I’m an indecisive girlie-girl with a motor mouth, can-do attitude, and knack for making others laugh. I dream of becoming a best selling novelist like Elizabeth Gilbert or Julie Powell (a girl can dream, right?), and love long road trips, a beautiful countryside, music, blogs, books, and all things vintage/thrift/antique/or homemade. I’m a Virgo, i.e. overly sensitive, emotional, and critical, and there’s no such thing as short and sweet in my world. I want to say and do it all. Mr. Brooch grounds me. I point where to go and he figures out the way. He’s a pragmatic fancy-pants who enjoys video games and movies. We both adore our mutt, Rocky, and spending time with our amazingly supportive family and friends. We’re planning a garden wedding with a formal reception with lots of whimsy and unique, Southern-inspired details.
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