How to Make Wedding Centerpiece

Wedding centerpieces add color and style and carry on the theme of a wedding during the reception. Placed in the center of the tables, a wedding centerpiece can range from a simple floral arrangement, to a cornucopia of fruits and vegetables, to a display of natural items such as pebbles and seashells. In an elegant location, the wedding centerpieces may be a personal element the couple brings to the reception, and should reflect the mood of the event.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Vase
• Flowers
• Ribbons
• Shells
• Pebbles
• Pumpkins and pinecones

1. Choose what style will accent the theme of your wedding. Select from a vase-contained centerpiece, or a sprawling collage of items. Do you want a tall, slender centerpiece, or a shorter option, so guests can easily see across the room? Should the centerpiece be edible, such as mini wedding cakes staggered on a display, or should it be fresh flowers with a sweet scent?

2. Incorporate colors from the wedding into the centerpiece. Add ribbons or select items in the appropriate colors to complete the centerpiece. For example, a fall wedding focused on orange and chocolate colors might incorporate mini pumpkins, pinecones with brown ribbon or cinnamon sticks.

3. Coordinate the centerpiece with the wedding reception surroundings. Select floral elements for an outdoor gathering, or sand and shells for a beach-side celebration. If the attendants carried rose bouquets, consider a rose-themed centerpiece to tie the elements of the wedding together.

4. Measure the wedding reception tables to calculate how much space you have for the wedding centerpiece. Round tables offer more space than rectangular tables. Make a long centerpiece for a rectangular table, and plan on a square or round design for a circular table.

5. Make one of the centerpieces first, before purchasing all the elements to make all the centerpieces. Practice setting up and disassembling the centerpiece. Make sure it can be transported, and learn how it will need to be packed for transportation. Test live elements, such as flowers, to make sure they can last several hours before wilting.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider getting a price quote from a flower wholesaler, if the wedding centerpieces will include live flowers. Check grocery stores and farmer's markets for pumpkins, gourds and fruits at a low cost.

References

• Do-it-Yourself Wedding Centerpiece Ideas