How to Make Wedding Rice Bags

Throwing rice at weddings is a traditional way to send off the bride and groom. The rice toss began as a way to send off the newlywed couple with good luck and prosperity. Throwing rice was thought to bring wealth and prosperity (rice representing plentiful crops), and fertility to the new couple. If you’re looking to save a little money on your wedding send-off, packing baggies with white rice is a great way to do it.

Things You'll Need

• Pre-cut mesh sheets
• White rice
• Bags of various herbs, namely lavender
• 2 large baskets
• Various ribbons (according to weddings color scheme)
• Large bowl
• Spoon
• Small rubber bands
• Wooden spoon

Instructions

1. Buy pre-cut fabric mess-sheets and ribbon at your local craft store. You can find them in an assortment of shapes, colors and sizes to suit your needs. If you can’t find the colors that match your wedding colors, pick up a neutral white, and use ribbon to match them to your color scheme.

2. Decorate two large baskets with ribbon that matches the color scheme of your wedding. Set aside.

3. Grab a couple of bags of rice at your local grocery store. The amount you have to buy is dependent on the number of guests you have coming to your wedding. Buy the cheapest rice you can find; there’s no need to buy good rice.

4. Use your hands or a large spoon to combine the various herbs and the rice in a large bowl.

5. Take your pre-cut mesh sheets and spoon some of the mixture into the center (1 to 2 tbsp.). Gather the sides and bring them together to close. With your pointer finger and thumb, close the bag so that the rice is secured in a tight pouch, and you have about 2 inches of leftover mesh. If you don’t have enough room to close the bags, remove some of the rice.

6. Secure the bag with a small rubber band, and finish by tying a ribbon around it. Don’t make the closure too tight. People will need to open them and they should be able to do so with ease.

7. Display your rice baggies. Place the baggies in your decorative basket. Set them on either side of the doors that lead to your venue so that guests can pick them up on their way in.

Tips & Warnings

• Wedding toss bags can be filled potpourri, bird seed, flower petals or confetti as well.

• Though contrary to popular belief, rice does not cause birds to explode. It is unhealthy and can cause serious damage to some types of birds. For this reason, rice tosses are illegal in many states, so check with the state you are getting married in to see if it is allowed.