Homemade Jam Wedding Favors
Sometimes you just want to do something a little different for your wedding favors. Something a little more personal, yet something that’s sure to escape the clutter drawer.
Maybe you’ve thought the usual crop of wedding favor ideas fail to deliver a punch. They lack that sense of “here you are – I was thinking of you – yes, you.”
Maybe they lack the feeling that comes when you personally create something out of real appreciation for those people coming to be a part of the happiest day of your life. You want no hint of obligation or patness in your favors. You want the feeling that only comes from a woman standing over the cauldron of her kitchen, cooking with the magic of affection and reminiscence.
The thing about homemade jam is that it can be so unexpected. Some jams are nothing more than love potions dressed for convention. Some are astounding taste sensations that in truth, were made for adventurous palettes. Some gleam with a metropolitan flair. Some take you back to a toothsome moment you might have shared over biscuits or scones with an elderly uncle or aunt. Some brim with sunshine, like the sharp, wild and unforgettable jams of wild raspberry, blueberry, current and blackberry for those lucky enough to be near such things.
Perhaps you watched Like Water for Chocolate, and learned about the power of food made with love — of any accent, condiment, course or sweet distilled with imagination and care. It’s almost as powerful as the things we say to each other in person or in print.
Some of your homemade jam favors will be consumed immediately upon your guests’ return to their homes, over a thick slice of farm bread or some lemon pancakes. And some will sit in their smart raffia bows for years, patiently parked in your guests’ cupboards. Years later, a hand will reach in and twist off the lid, and the memory of your day will escape right there from the jar in all its sun and scent and spice and sweetness.
If you want to do something a little out of the ordinary, here are some ideas for "kicking it up a notch":
Fruit and Wine. Fruit and wine jams are captivating. Strawberry and champagne make a classic jam combination. Also consider raspberry, peach and champagne jam, or port and currant jam.
Hot, Hot, Hot. Jams spiced up with jalapenos and other hot peppers are sure to make a splash. Try raspberry jalapeno, peach jalapeno, hot pepper and mango/raspberry jam, or hot apple jelly.
American Gothic. Try gooseberry, currant, serviceberry, boysenberry, cranberry, plum or rhubarb concoctions.
Almost Aphrodisiac. Try jams that feature dark sweet cherries, strawberries, or figs.
Herbal Delights. Try rosemary and currant jam, blueberry lavender jam, strawberry lavender jam, or even tomato lavender jam.
Taste of the Tropics. Try jams made with exotic fruits such as guava, pomogranate, mangos, kiwis, limes, or pineapples.
Teddibly British. Black currant, orange marmalade, quince marmalade, tayberry, or even small pots of Devonshire cream.
The sweetest way, to end the sweetest day!
Wedding bliss, how sweet it is!
A spoonful full of sugar and two sweet kisses, now Jack and Jill are Mr and Mrs!
It is very sweet that you could make it!
Sweets from the Sweethearts!
Here are some sayings that I have collected and plan to use!
I’m wanting to can Dulce de leche for my wedding in April 2011 my soon to be in laws are from South America and want to bring some of the cultural to the wedding. But sadly have come to the conclusion that since it is a dairy product you can not can it because of the bacteria botulism?!?
Is that true? Have you ever canned anything dairy?
If so I’m thinking of canning hot pepper jelly. Do you have any suggestions for a “first timer” of caning?
Kimmie,
The dulce de leche had mixed comments on canning, usually they just made a batch and stored it in simple jars and refrigerated it. I coudlnt find anything on long term storage. One comment suggested hot water bath to keep bacteria down and others only listed cans of condensed milk process. The hot pepper jelly was simple to find….
* here is a recipe and method
* my mom cans and this is a site that will help alot
I wish you the best and sorry I coudl not help with the dulce de leche, I hope someone comments with more info on that recipe/method.
Has anyone done freezer jam for wedding favors before? How did it turn out?
I am making 200 4oz jars of strawberry jam as favors for my daughters wedding June2010. What would be a cute saying to put on the card? Thanks
Mother of the bride,
* this is simple and cute
* more cute ideas
Very cute, thank you so much!
a few sayings for jam:
“spread the love”
“jam packed with love”
“harvest from the heart”
Hi there, Where did you find mini jars? Thanks!
Hi! do you mind sharing what recipe you used to make 200 – 4 oz jars of jam? I want to try to help a friend whose daughter is getting married.
Thank you!
My daughter wants to make jam wedding favors for May 2011 wedding. Does anyone know how to exactly process the jars after I fill them since they come with screw on lids. I only can with normal canning lids.
Jackie,
* here is water bath canning.
Is the processing time for one piece lids the same as the 2 piece lids and bands? Will they seal just like the 2 piece set? I have been canning for over 20 years and never used just the screw on lids
I essentially did the water bath canning, but left the jars out after filling & ‘lidding’ them. I wasn’t sure either, but they turned out just fine.
Hi, Jackie! My jam favours were screw lids too, and I processed them the same as I would have with the canning lids. If you’re not comfortable leaving them as is, I suppose you could put a wax layer on the jam itself, or dip the jars upside down in melted wax , then leave them to cool right side up. I did them all about 3 months before the wedding, just a few hours, and they were done! All the best!
I need a champagne jam recipe- I’d like to use strawberry and peach. I am a beginner, tho. I also need to know if there are preservatives or how long homemade jam keeps (my wedding is in Oct 2010. I plan to use these as favors. Please help me, all you preservative pros out there!!!!
Hi, Emily! I made my jam favor months before teh wedding, and the great thing about preserves, is that it’s well named! Here’s a Strawberry Champagne Recipe link, and if you want to do peach, just substitute fruit for fruit.
http://www.realepicurean.com/2007/08/whb-97-strawberry-and-champagne-jam/
hey i had a question. is there anywhere i can find empty mini jam jars. My brother and his fiance got engaged in a strawberry feild, so they were thinking it would be sweet to make there own jam and have them as favours. But it would be nice to find some empty jars.
Thanks
http://www.specialtybottle.com out of Seattle is where I got mine, and they come in many shapes & sizes. They were absolutely perfect as wedding favours! If you want to size up, then as Erin wrote, Zellers (presuming you’re Canadian) has great end-of-summer deals on canning supplies.
Just found another site: http://shop.hawthornecountrystore.com/browse.cfm/canning-supplies/jars/2,325.html
Have fun!
Were you able to “can” these or did you use the bands to seal them?
Hi, Cheryl! I got my jam jars at http://www.specialtybottle.com, and even with paying the customs fee ($16) it was well worth it. I bought the Avery labels at staples, and played around with images & wording until it was perfect, then printed them from the computer. I also went to Fabricland and got some craft netting, and cut squares to fit the size of the lid, and narrow ribbon to tie it on with. If you want to add the tags, buy some cardstock paper from Micheals, and print the labels by hand (like I did), or print them from your computer.
Hello… We want to give jam or jelly perserves for wedding favors.. I need about 120 or them. We want to add our own person THank you tags, but would like nice labels on the jars. Can you help me.. The wedding isn’t until Oct/08
For my late August wedding (among the crabapple trees at my parents farm) we made homemade crabapple jelly in squat mason jars (about 1/2 cup) that my mother found at Zellers $4/12 jars. We cut squares of brown craft paper and then tied it off with a brown ribbon. To attach the little card I printed off the computer we glued on mini clothes pins found at a dollarstore. Everyone I have talked to loved the jelly and altogether cost less than $0.50 per favor.
For the kids favors we put together candy apple making kits (apple, stick, caramels, smarties and instructions) in brown lunch bags tied with ribbon.
This is what we’ve done for our favours. My fiance’s aunt and uncle grow strawberries so, earlier this year, we got all the berries from them and made the jam. Last week, my mom and I found some nice houndstooth material with which we cut with pinking shears and covered the tops of the jars. We used rustic twine to tie around the materials and I had favour tags made up with our names and the wedding date on them. They look great and who doesn’t like homemade jam!? Plus, I like the idea of the favour being made personally.
Thanks, Christina, I was just unsure if the tiny jars were to be treated the same as the larger ones.
Sandra, I have been told for proper canning ensure you boil each jar and lid, fill with your jam, honey etc and seal they should keep for a while
thanks for the tip about jam jars I have been searching for over a month now. Again thanks alot
I got 1.5 oz jars from specialtybottle.com, based out of Seattle, Wa. I had wanted to order through Canada, but nobody was willing to give me the deals that they did. They’re great- now I’m trying to find information on properly treating the jars prior to canning.
Sandra… if you’ve never canned before, I definitely recommend you find a “canning grandma” to help. hit up your local retirement home, and recruit a few ladies for a day of canning lessons. make homemade goodies for a treat, and pick their brains. run a few trial sessions before you start the “official” batches, and do them in small batches if you can. maybe 5# at a time until you get the hang of it. good luck!
Anyone have any ideas on where to source jars for homemade jams?