Post by estatigua (Tiggy) on Feb 7, 2007 12:13:29 GMT -5
Handfasting or Wedding Toss of Herbs and Flowers from The Kitchen Herbalist
For centuries brides and grooms have been showered with herbs and flowers as they leave the ceremony as husband and wife. Herbal Wedding tosses are a special blend of herbs and flowers that have symbolic meanings of a variety of good wishes. These tosses are a romantic and meaningful addition to any wedding. Not only are they beautiful, but they are fully biodegradable as well!
Wedding Toss blends vary, depending on availability and preferences. I have given you an idea of one that has a wide variety of herbs and flowers. Set yourself free in how you put your toss together! It is a nice touch to attach a little card on the toss packets that explain what herbs and flowers are in the mix with their meanings.
Get creative on how you package the toss. You can use organza or silk bags, clear cellophane bags with ribbon, square envelopes tied with ribbon (see-through paper is nice), or even make “cones” out of a piece of a paper that can be filled by participants on the way out the door that are ready to toss from. Of course, you can make little packages from a square piece of fabric that is tied with a ribbon just as rice has often been packaged.
Use your Wedding Toss around the guest book table, the reception tables, in the flower girls’ baskets and even in the honeymoon suite! These sachets even make a nice shower favor. It is a nice gesture to give the bride and groom a special bag of the toss for a keepsake as well.
Consider having a wedding shower activity of making the potpourri blend or of packaging the toss packets for the wedding day. Maybe have a special gathering of close friends and family to make the packets together. Store the scented potpourri in an air-tight container until using to prevent evaporation of the essential oils while allowing the scent to permeate throughout the potpourri. Ideally, you will be able to make the potpourri blend at least one week before you plan to package it.
Plan on packaging the individual packets no more than a couple of weeks before the wedding and store those loosely packed in a container with a lid, like a large Rubbermaid container and then wrap the top on with foil to help seal in the air.
The loose potpourri can be stored for weeks in glass gallon jars with lids.
The amount to make depends on how much you want each person to toss! From a couple of tablesthingys to a third of a cup would be a good range to consider. The recipe I have given below is written in “parts” so that you can make as much or as little as you need to. You can have your “part” be a 1/4 cup or a cup or even one part equals two cups! That would mean:
If your part is one cup and the recipe calls for 3 parts, that would be a total of 3 cups of that ingredient. If your part is 2 cups, then 3 parts would total 6 cups (3x2cups) of that ingredient.
This recipe has a total of 40 “parts”, so it you want to end up with 40 cups, your part would need to be 1 cup. If you want to end up with 20 cups, your part would need to be ½ cup. If you wanted to end up with 40 tablesthingys, your part would be 1 tablesthingy. See how this works? It is very flexible after you get the hang of it.
Ingredients:
Ingredient Symbolizes Number of "parts"
Rose Petals Love 10 parts
Lavender Flowers Devotion 7 parts
Chamomile May all your wishes come true 4 parts
Cornflower Flowers Fun and Cheer 4 parts
Calendula Flowers Comfort and Health 4 parts
Rose buds Love 3 parts
Rosemary Remembrance and Loyalty 3 parts
Parsley New Life and Protection 2 parts
Green Tea Long Life 2 parts
Thyme Strength and Courage 1 part
Essential Oils of Lavender, Rose and Rosewood. Use approximately 8-10 drops of essential oil per cup of potpourri. Adjust to your preference. If the packets will be made ahead of time, use a little more scent for some will evaporate.
Method:
In a large bowl, mix all ingredients including the essential oils, tossing until well blended. Put mixture in a large glass jar with a tight fitting lid and let sit in a cool dark place for a week or more. (Can sit at this stage for more than six weeks if you wish to get a good head start.)
About 1-2 weeks before the wedding, package the potpourri if desired in individual closable packages and store them loosely in a container with a lid. Rubbermaid is OK for this but put foil around the top to better seal the container. Keep in a cool place until ready to use.
It is a nice idea to attach a little card with a list of the ingredients and their meanings to the pouches. Try using a printer to put on labels or business card sheets. Also, a label with the bride and grooms name on it is a nice touch as well.
May all your blessings be with you and others forever more!
For centuries brides and grooms have been showered with herbs and flowers as they leave the ceremony as husband and wife. Herbal Wedding tosses are a special blend of herbs and flowers that have symbolic meanings of a variety of good wishes. These tosses are a romantic and meaningful addition to any wedding. Not only are they beautiful, but they are fully biodegradable as well!
Wedding Toss blends vary, depending on availability and preferences. I have given you an idea of one that has a wide variety of herbs and flowers. Set yourself free in how you put your toss together! It is a nice touch to attach a little card on the toss packets that explain what herbs and flowers are in the mix with their meanings.
Get creative on how you package the toss. You can use organza or silk bags, clear cellophane bags with ribbon, square envelopes tied with ribbon (see-through paper is nice), or even make “cones” out of a piece of a paper that can be filled by participants on the way out the door that are ready to toss from. Of course, you can make little packages from a square piece of fabric that is tied with a ribbon just as rice has often been packaged.
Use your Wedding Toss around the guest book table, the reception tables, in the flower girls’ baskets and even in the honeymoon suite! These sachets even make a nice shower favor. It is a nice gesture to give the bride and groom a special bag of the toss for a keepsake as well.
Consider having a wedding shower activity of making the potpourri blend or of packaging the toss packets for the wedding day. Maybe have a special gathering of close friends and family to make the packets together. Store the scented potpourri in an air-tight container until using to prevent evaporation of the essential oils while allowing the scent to permeate throughout the potpourri. Ideally, you will be able to make the potpourri blend at least one week before you plan to package it.
Plan on packaging the individual packets no more than a couple of weeks before the wedding and store those loosely packed in a container with a lid, like a large Rubbermaid container and then wrap the top on with foil to help seal in the air.
The loose potpourri can be stored for weeks in glass gallon jars with lids.
The amount to make depends on how much you want each person to toss! From a couple of tablesthingys to a third of a cup would be a good range to consider. The recipe I have given below is written in “parts” so that you can make as much or as little as you need to. You can have your “part” be a 1/4 cup or a cup or even one part equals two cups! That would mean:
If your part is one cup and the recipe calls for 3 parts, that would be a total of 3 cups of that ingredient. If your part is 2 cups, then 3 parts would total 6 cups (3x2cups) of that ingredient.
This recipe has a total of 40 “parts”, so it you want to end up with 40 cups, your part would need to be 1 cup. If you want to end up with 20 cups, your part would need to be ½ cup. If you wanted to end up with 40 tablesthingys, your part would be 1 tablesthingy. See how this works? It is very flexible after you get the hang of it.
Ingredients:
Ingredient Symbolizes Number of "parts"
Rose Petals Love 10 parts
Lavender Flowers Devotion 7 parts
Chamomile May all your wishes come true 4 parts
Cornflower Flowers Fun and Cheer 4 parts
Calendula Flowers Comfort and Health 4 parts
Rose buds Love 3 parts
Rosemary Remembrance and Loyalty 3 parts
Parsley New Life and Protection 2 parts
Green Tea Long Life 2 parts
Thyme Strength and Courage 1 part
Essential Oils of Lavender, Rose and Rosewood. Use approximately 8-10 drops of essential oil per cup of potpourri. Adjust to your preference. If the packets will be made ahead of time, use a little more scent for some will evaporate.
Method:
In a large bowl, mix all ingredients including the essential oils, tossing until well blended. Put mixture in a large glass jar with a tight fitting lid and let sit in a cool dark place for a week or more. (Can sit at this stage for more than six weeks if you wish to get a good head start.)
About 1-2 weeks before the wedding, package the potpourri if desired in individual closable packages and store them loosely in a container with a lid. Rubbermaid is OK for this but put foil around the top to better seal the container. Keep in a cool place until ready to use.
It is a nice idea to attach a little card with a list of the ingredients and their meanings to the pouches. Try using a printer to put on labels or business card sheets. Also, a label with the bride and grooms name on it is a nice touch as well.
May all your blessings be with you and others forever more!