Let's Talk Centerpieces!

I have to apologize for my lack of blogging the last 3 weeks (was it really 3 weeks??!). A combination of severe poison oak and preparing for a large wedding got me off track.

Today I thought we could talk about centerpieces. This is one area where you can really let your creativity run wild. Your centerpieces can be very traditional or very unique. They can be very expensive or very inexpensive. They can be large or small. They can be romantic or whimsical. They can be the same at every table, or they can vary from table to table (while keeping the same color scheme throughout). This can actually be very visually stimulating to the eye and create an interesting flair to your reception.

The ideas are absolutely endless and I won't pretend that I could come up with even 5% of the ideas that exist. But here are some ideas that can get your brain working. Don't be afraid to brainstorm!

Rather than using flowers or candles, use these little romantic lamps.

For a themed wedding, use glass bowls filled with fun items. Place a candle in the middle for that romantic ambience.

Be fun ... use jelly beans to fill the bottom of your vase! You can add small dishes of jelly beans around the vase that your guests can munch on.

Don't be afraid to get fruity! Fruit comes in all different colors and can easily be used to fill vases and bring in the colors of your wedding.

Frame your favorite poem or a picture of the two of you. This bride & groom had a love of books, so they were a perfect addition to the centerpieces. It allowed their personalities to be showcased.

Floating candles are very inexpensive and can be quite beautiful. Group some of varying heights.

Here's another fun vase filled with fruit.

If brown is one of your accent colors, coffee beans can be a great, aromatic filler.

Simple can be beautiful. Each centerpiece consists only of a small wooden tray (painted), some small stones, a silk flower and a candle. Notice how the candle heights are not all the same.

For those of you who are crafty, it doesn't get much easier than this. Buy an inexpensive cylinder vase and glue bamboo sticks all the way around.

One great idea is to have either cupcakes or a miniature wedding cake on each table. This allows you have a small cake for the cake-cutting ceremony, and it allows you to use your desserts as centerpieces. You no longer have to worry about what to do with all of those centerpieces at the end of the reception.

(*For those of you who are getting married in the Yamhill Valley/Portland/Salem area, I do have a multitude of different candleholders that can be rented out as centerpieces. This will save you about 50% off the cost of buying them!)

Here's something that's great for outdoor weddings. You get the romance of candles without the fear of them being blown out.

So how 'bout it? Did I get your creative juices flowing?