A Do It Yourself Wedding Centerpiece Idea for Under $10: Tissue Paper Mason Jars

One of the cheapest do it yourself wedding centerpiece ideas is to arrange your flowers in decorated mason jars. Mason jars are cheap, available anywhere and come in several sizes to create a variety of wedding reception centerpiece arrangements. After all, spending hundreds of dollars on vases is a waste if the flowers are the main visual element of your wedding centerpieces.

Be sure to check out our Do It Yourself Wedding Centerpiece Ideas page for many more easy centerpiece projects!

Mason jars are available in:

• 1/2 pint
• pint
• quart
• 1/2 gallon

For the following project, quart size mason jars are used that were purchased at a grocery store in a box of 12 for $9.00. Mason jars can be purchased online, in grocery stores, warehouse stores and often in thrift stores or on eBay.

Materials for this do it yourself wedding centerpiece idea:

• quart sized mason jars
• tissue paper
• ribbon (ribbon with wire in it is recommended as it retains a nice shape, but any ribbon will work)
• flowers

Mason Jar Wedding Centerpiece Idea Cost Breakdown:

• $0.75 per mason jar (purchased at a grocery store in a box of 12 for $9)
• $0.05 per tissue paper sheet (purchased at a paper store 400 sheets for $20)
• $0.50 per 1.5 feet of wire ribbon (purchased at same paper store 3 yards for $3)
• $5.00 for 2 roses and a handful of other flowers (purchased roses by the dozen and two other flowers in separate bunches from local Whole Foods Market)
• $6.30 Total*

  *All purchases were made at retail, no special bulk discounts were given and none of this was comparison-shopped, so it is likely you could find these products for even cheaper. The item that will affect your cost the most is your choice of flowers. Using just a couple roses with a mixture of other in season flowers brings down your cost dramatically for this wedding centerpiece idea.

• use two different colors of tissue paper and layer them
• fabric can be used instead of tissue paper for a sophisticated look. Consider satin, silk, velour or velvet for very elegant looks. Cotton, burlap or linen would be playful, earthy and casual.
• bridal tulle (the thin white see-thru fabric used for veils) is another affordable option
• cellophane comes in numerous colors and textures, including metallics
• newspaper could even be used. No, really. An acquaintance of mine, who is a comic book illustrator, used the colorful comics section of newspapers and it was quite the conversation starter. The guests read the comics off the centerpieces - they loved it! This idea might not be for you unless it applies to you the way it did to this couple. Try to think of unique things you can do for your wedding!

It's your wedding, do it the way you want!

Return to the Wedding Centerpiece Ideas main section for tons more DIY ideas!