How do you make "cement or concrete filled containers to hold flowers outside on tables for weddings as decor.

I need to make little bases for holding flower and balloon arrangements outside as decorations for tables. I need something fairly heavy so they don't fall over. Can I use cement or concrete of some kind and which does the best job. I would like to fill little flower pots with the "cement" and then put small arrangements of balloons and flowers inside. These will be used for several occasions. What are your suggestions?

How do you make "cement or concrete filled containers to hold flowers outside on tables for weddings as decor.
If your talking about concrete, check in your area for concrete blocks and get them in half the size they usually are made. You can wrap something around them to make them look presentable. There is a hole in the middle or you can get them filled in so watch what you are given.
Reply:I'll bet sand would work.

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Reply:I had the same situation with my son's wedding party at a park where I knew it would be windy. I got metal pails at a craft store. These came painted different colors. I was filling them with wrapped candy so I couldn't use sand. So I put a can of tuna fish in the bottom, then covered the bottom with a piece of crinkled up tissue paper, then added the candy. I also tied helium balloons on the handles and they did not fall over.



I think that clay pots would also work. Be careful to get them big enough that they won't be top-heavy and tip over easily. If you are putting fresh flowers in them you must plug up the hole in the bottom with some cement, putty or caulking. If you want to use sand to weight the pots down, I recommend you put the sand in zip-lock bags first. That way it will be cleaner and less messy if a spill happens.



I don't know what your style is for this wedding, but some other items that would work would be baskets, unique glass bottles, assorted pitchers, canning jars (wrapped in colored tissue or fabric), inexpensive fish bowls, decorative gift bags with inexpensive vases set inside, and topiaries (google this).



Have fun and Good luck!
Reply:Sounds like you need to have weight and cement is a good heavy source of weight. I have made custom cement anchors for a boat. I also recently watched my landlord make a large flower pot for his yard. He used a plastic garbage pail for the mold but the pail started to bend from the weight of settling cement and so he had a hard time with it.

Here is how I would do it.... find a small plastic pot the same size as the pots you will use to hold the flowers and balloons. It should be a tad smaller than the one you are using. Pour about a quarter of pot with the cement. Place plastic straws in to make holes for the plants to rest in. You also might want to place one "O" shaped bolt in the center so you can tie off the balloons on it.

Once the cement dries you should be able to remove it from the plastic by sliding it out or poping it out by turning it over. Place your new cement anchor in the actual pots you will be using. You may want to keep the straws in to hold the stems of the plants- or you might want to remove them and use the hole now made by the straws. If the latter is the case you might want to remove them before the cement is completely dry.
Reply:I would use those pretty glass rocks and that way you would not have to worry about anyone seeing the cement or trying to "cover" it up.
Reply:Use plaster of paris available at craft stores.
Reply:Take a 4" clay pot, fill partially with "Mortar mix" or "Sand mix" [concrete mix will have larger rock pieces in it] , push a 3" clay pot inside, wiping off the excess that squeezes out. The pots can be painted or decorated after the mix hardens.