Make a wonderful gift for the weddingcouple to treasure for years to come.

The idea is to let the guests at the wedding write a word which describes what they wish the happy couple for the future. Words like "happiness", "passion" and "adventures" are written down on a piece of paper, put in a small bottle and with flowers transformed into a bouquet. The bouquet is then placed on a lid of a jar that works like a keepsakebox where the couple can add items from their wedding that don't fit in a photoalbum. Every time they take a look at the bouquet they are reminded of the wishes their family and loved ones had for them on their big day.

Step 1: You Will Need:

Items:

Jar with a big corklid (my jar is 11x11x14cm)

Flowers (I used fabric and paper)- Small bottles (mine are 1.5x3.5cm)

Metal wire and crimp beads (this wire is around 1mm in diameter) Make sure the wire is a bit sturdy, but easy to work with
Paper

Distress inks (I used: tea dye and antique linen)

Piece of ribbon (to wrap around the lid of the jar, about 20cm)

Piece of chain (around 30cm)

Two charms

Any embellishments you want to add like buttons, plaques etc

Tools:

Wirecutters and pliers

Glue/gluegun

(Tweezers)

Step 2: Preparation

Tear small pieces from standard copying paper and ink them with distress ink. Measure how big they need to be by wrapping them around the bottle to see approximately what size the papers should be. Prepare as many pieces as you will need. Do you want each guest to write down a word? One word per pair of guests? I used one piece of paper per table (which also makes a good conversation topic when each table needs to agree on one word) It gave me 10 words as there were 10 tables. Remember: each word makes one bottle and the more bottles the bigger the bouquet.

Step 3: Go to the Wedding

Go to the wedding. Distribute the little papers (add instructions) and get them back before the wedding reception is over. Preferably keep this a secret from the wedding couple so when they get the jar they will be surprised.

Step 4: Add Textrolls to Bottles

After the wedding when you have all the pieces of text roll them and put them inside the bottles with the text out and UPSIDE DOWN! Don't forget this (like I did every other time which made me have to drag the little papers out and flip them upside down) Use tweezers to facilitate.

Step 5: Making the Flowerpistils

Cut a piece of wire. I cut 15cm, but it doesn't have to be so long if you want to save the wastage. It's easier to work with a longer one though. Try what works for you. (If you want the optional bouquet solution with the owl pot cut longer wire pieces)

Make a little loop on one of the ends and wrap the wire around the neck of the bottle two or three times. Twist the wire's ends together and adjust so the long end of the wire faces down (the direction of the cork).

Continue this way with all your bottles.

Step 6: Add Flowers

Thread the "bottlepistils" through different flowers and embellishments like buttons etc. Make some flowers longer than others. This will help you make a nice shape on your lid and allow room for the other flowers as opposed to them being cramped together on the same height.

Secure the bottom of the flower with a crimpbead. This stops the petals from sliding down the wire. If the crimpbead is too small and the flower slides over it anyway add a regular bigger bead first (see last image)

Step 7: Continue With All the Bottles

Do the same thing with the rest of your bottles. Vary in the size of your flowers. I used five big roses and five smaller flowers.

Step 8: (Alternative Presentation)

If you want to present the bouquet like a centerpiece you can do that by adding a piece of floral foam into a beautiful bowl or pot. Then arrange the flowers by sticking down the biggest ones first evenly and then putting the smaller ones in between where there are gaps.

Step 9: Decorate the Lid With Your Flowers

Cut down the wire so it's about 1cm long. Add glue and stick the flowers in the big corklid. Start by adding the biggest flowers in an even pattern and add the smaller ones in the gaps. Continue this way until all gaps are filled. If you run out of your "bottleflowers" you can add plain flowers to cover the gaps.

Set aside to let the glue dry.

Step 10: Decorate the Edge of the Lid With Ribbon

To cover any remaining gaps on the edges and to make it look better add a piece of ribbon on the top edge of the lid. It's trickier to do it when the flowers are assembled, but on the upside you won't get any glue on the ribbon. It's up to you which step you want to do first.