Centrepiece Ideas

Wedding Centrepieces

Occasional lighting, flowers, candles, exciting decorations that are placed at the centre of the guests’ tables at a wedding reception deserve great attention as the table is where you and your guests spend much of the occasion, be it during speeches, meals and general relaxation and may even serve as points of discussion between guests.
Traditional centrepieces focus on floral arrangements. Be creative and use your imagination and that of your artistic and creative relatives and friends. Consider your budget and use this as a basis for the eventual decisions, some of the most unforgettable, unusual and special touches can exist even within a strict budget.

Some ideas for creative centrepieces:

* Candles
* Glass bubble bowls, lights could be incorporated in the use of this.
* Flower arrangements
* Ivy or some other creeper or decorative tree branches/leaves.
* Mirrors or a combination with small portable lighting/candles.
* Floating candles
* Foliage/flora

Using the items and ideas above create your own centrepieces but always consider the overall theme of the occasion.

Traditional considerations could be:

* Glass bubble-bowls with a pillar candle as centrepiece, decorated with a creeper like ivy.
* Floral arrangement in a unique flower pot, especially if it has your colour scheme. This could be a bit boring and/or unstable so consider supporting it with smaller pillar candles or the like.
* Mirror with a candle sitting upon it or a mirror box with light inside reflecting up unto the candle or arrangement
* A small basket of coloured flowers or petals to accentuate the wedding’s colour scheme

If pillar candles and flowers are not your ideal wedding centrepiece combination, you should consider the many alternatives. Visit one or two of the many hiring establishments and ask to see their stock of centrepiece items, use these together with your ideas to make memorable pieces. Listed below are a few ideas for simple and stylish wedding centrepieces.

* Glass dish with floating candles and river rocks or marbles
* Glass bowl with floating candles and petals
* Small metal pail with seashells, flowers, floating candles, etc.
* Hand-painted flowerpots with flowers or candles inside
* Small basket of flowers with love poem scrolls, each unique for guests to share.

When nature, the great outdoors and the simple pleasures of life are important to you, invite them into your special occasion, especially if the venue lends itself to such a mix. Let it be known how much you and your husband/wife to be enjoy the beauty and wonder of nature and a relaxing moment to revel in peace and serenity. Select a centrepiece to enhance the surrounds. Listed below are a few examples that will help to enhance a garden or country themed wedding.

* Painted birdhouses, colours to match your colour scheme
* Dainty teapots or teacups and saucers – you can even place a floating candle inside the cups!
* Hand-painted or stained wooden clocks
* Small basket of flowers, herbs, etc.
* Christmas ornament – get the traditional glass ball ornament personalized for your special occasion. Do it yourself with a paint-pen to save some money.

If you are still stuck consider some of the more eccentric guests and what they would find interesting, chances are the rest will remember your wedding forever and for glee.
For a contemporary wedding centrepiece, try:

* Lucky Bamboo plants, to share the luck of the newlyweds with their guests
* Bonsai trees, these could be expensive but can be hired in - remember what is broken or lost must be replaced.
* Candy jar with special chocolate bars like snickers, bar one,etc.
* Glass bubble bowl with a colourful beta fish (or other type of fish) and pretty stones or glass marbles to match – add floating petals and place a mirror below the bowl for a special effect. Please do consider the fish as they tend to be abused by some, maybe artificial ones would do just fine.
* Mini mailboxes or wishing wells with notepaper and pens for the guests to leave hints and advice for the newlyweds!

The exciting bit is choosing your own themes and colour schemes. Selecting the perfect centrepiece adds an element of creative control to the planning process. No matter what your budget, creative designs and decorative fashions can be easily prepared and displayed with a little bit of time and careful crafting.

Centrepieces for your Reception


A lovely centrepiece adds the finishing touch to your reception tables. During the course of the reception, your guests will probably spend more time looking at the centrepiece than they do at your gown, so you want it to be attractive and a focal point for discussion but yet not break your budget. Following are suggestions to consider when choosing centrepieces for your reception.

- Choose a centrepiece that is appropriate for the size of the table. A small arrangement on large tables look as odd as large pieces on small tables which clutter rather than enhance.
- Don’t choose a centrepiece too large and obstructive for guests to converse with each other or to see what is happening in the room. Either keep it low, or choose something that is tall and slender. You can quickly assemble a centrepiece by using a round glass bowl (12" or more in diameter), adding coloured rocks or marbles, coloured water, and either several petals or floating candles.
- To visually increase the size of your centrepiece, centre it on a mirror tile, a coloured napkin, a crocheted doily, a straw mat. These would be very cost effective and quick to arrange. Varying the colours between tables could also be a consideration always keeping the overall theme in mind.
- If you are planning an outdoor reception, choose centrepieces that can stand up to the elements, Cape summers can be blustery and hot and winters can be wet and cold. A centrepiece that is low and heavy is best. One that is tall can easily blow over. Flowers and candles left in the bright sun will wilt or melt, so a more durable centrepiece would be a better choice. Plants withstand heat better than cut flowers and the pots will be heavier and less liable to blow over. For a Continental touch, choose potted herbs, such as rosemary and basil. Tie the pots with a raffia bow, and place on a straw mat. The plants can later be given to family members or guests as a favour or a thank you, guests love favours and stretches the memory of the wedding further.
- For a classic look, place bowls of fruit on your tables. Hollowed-out pumpkins filled with flowers and petals and shrubbery can make a memorable difference.

Use your imagination and ask others for ideas, how they would love to see their ideas in use at your wedding day.