Five Easy Do-It-Yourself Wedding Centerpiece Ideas

Bobbie, I know others have posted links to this idea before but i feel it’s worth repeating because it is AMAIZING! Here is one DIY idea for you that comes from one of my favorite DIY couples : http://www.thisyounghouse.com/wedding-album/

They did a backyard wedding too. For their trees they used battery operated paper lanterns, i found some good ones here : http://asianideas.com/baopla.html

To adorn it a little more you could wrap a floral garden (available at most craft stores) or set up an arch in front of it where the ceremony will take place. Even after the ceremony is done, this creates a great place for pictures to be taken by not only the bride and groom but also other wedding guests. Plus, if you use fake flowers they will be cheaper, and last forever so you can reuse them later!

If you’re going for the country look for your centerpieces, you can put almost anything into a galvanized bucket (like on the website) or even those thin wooden apple buckets. You could do flowers that people can take home and plant, or food/drink of some kind. I dont know how “country” you want to take your theme but you could also place your centerpieces on hancerciefs (spelling?). There are so many cute ideas for that theme that can be really affordable!

Bobbie, i would pick out something you both like (like the beach
or hicking) or something that is spical that you both like and do thing like that around the tree hang light . the table a small vace of flowers of like the beach put some sand and a candle with shells. I hope this will help!!!!!!

Mason jars or jars from the $ store hanging from the tree with candles in them. once night time comes around they will look like fairies floating around

Stacey,
I love the tiered votives, where did you find the stand?

Thanks,
nicole

jeannie,
i would decorate the pier with garlands interwined or draped. another idea is simple yet elegant tulle or chiffon bows on each post, evenly spaced. you can use floral or greenery with ribbons. choice is yours!

tia,
for practical centerpieces edible would be best. make up batches of cupcakes or brownies etc, have them sitting on a tiered platter or a single crystal platter would do. if you already have favors stack them up in a pyramid in center of table. another idea is pictures of you and yours on the tables, with red rose petals scattered around frames, at different points in your relationship, you can bring them home and use later. one more idea, why not keep it simple and have clear vases with a single rose in center of table sprinkle rose petals and add votives. votives are the single most inexpensive idea. $ store they are $1 a piece. if you dont like floaitng candles why not have floating flowers? again, $ stores carry the greatest clear bowls or vases for this. my fave would be the edible centerpieces.
another fave of mine, if at a catering venue, is have simple rolls and butter just like a restaurant. think restaurant style and you will have it made. they have to leave room on the table for all that great food!!
roses in bulk can be pretty inexpensive at the right place. and depending on # of tables, you may not need many. last idea. are red plumes from a craft store put in vase and instant centerpiece.
*edible centerpiece
also google image budget wedding centerpiece

*wedding centerpiece

megan,
i have a pic for you. the only thing you need to buy are votives. this is a gorgeous and very inexpensive way to dress up the table. the dollar stores should have everything you need. dont overlook the ability to get a bulk price though. also craft stores. they will help you anyway they can.
*wedding centerpiece

Katie,

Something very simple and inexpensive you could do would be Big bright colorful daisies in tall glassware. It would be very springy and complement your lemonade pitchers. And you could have some wheatgrass to bring in the green too. It would be so cute! Here are a few pics of the daisies i’m talking about, if they are too colorful (like there could be such a thing ) you could use white or even some tinted in blue.

http://fusionbollywood.com/files/centerpiece_daisy_1_.jpg

http://www.do-it-yourself-weddings.com/images/daisy-color-vases.jpg

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb175/akbuilt/Love%20Honor%20and%20Cherish/GerberDaisyArrangementsAgainstAllWh.jpg

Hope some of those help out! I really like it! My fav part of spring/summer is having the fresh flowers and a nice glass of lemonade!

katie,
one idea. you could put small bowls of floating flowers around the pitcher or your favors. another idea is set the pitchers on round platters and put more lemons and tuck small flowers or greenery in and around the lemons. also tuck a small card with calligraphy writing within the arrangement if your numbering your tables or just want to name them for small bit of whimsy. i personally your idea is plenty and you need nothing else you can add more bulk with plenty of greenery spilling from the pitchers onto the table; gorgeous!!. leave plenty of room for guests to eat and relax. i think you might like this website…
*practical wedding ( make sure you check out the real weddings!!)
*younghouse wedding ( this is just one of the greatest weddings!!)

I forgot to mention in my last post a neat idea i recently saw at a family friend’s wedding. Both she and her husband have a big sweet tooth so here’s what she did: She went to the craft store and got styrofoam shapes (mostly squares and circles of various sizes). Then she spray painted them all white (really more of an off white). She stacked 2 to 3 of the shapes on top of each other to look like a teired cake! She decorated them with ribbons in her wedding colors to hide the seams where the pieces met and she adorned them with fake flowers. Each table had an elegant (but not edible) wedding cake in the center! They did have a real cake too to serve the guests. Just another great idea for a low budget centerpiece!

kari,
google image red black white wedding also red black white wedding board. for even more results…google image red black wedding then red black wedding board also try red black wedding centerpieces. i am sure you will find something that jumps out at you.

rachel,
take glass vases and fill with a layer of fake snow in bottom. put white/ivory roses and curly willow in vase. it will look like they are sitting in snow and the curly willow will give it a wintry branch look. you can also take the curly willow;use spray glitter and give them sparkle. my fave is simple white glitter. just make sure to shake off any excess. if you are not fond of glitter on the tables. take spray glue on branches (or buy these before or right after christmas) and buy craft bags of faux ice crystals. mixed with white roses then votives lining between centerpieces will bounce and shimmer off the candlelight. another idea whcih can be free. take simple evergreens(if using pine boughs remember the sap that will seep onto tablecloths) and line them up on center of table mingle inexpensive white votives in clear votive or frosted votive holders among the branches. round tables? just have a fab setting with candles nestled among the boughs. simple, cheap, and elegant!!

Another idea for a winter wedding centerpiece would be to get tall votives or glasses and go to your local craft shop and see if they have glass etching supplies. You could stencil on snowflakes around the out side of the glass and even a wintry phrase if you wanted to like “Walking hand in hand in winter wonderland.” And inside you could put navy or cream colored candles.
I am all for placing smaller centerpieces on mirrored tiles because it not only reflects the light but also makes the centerpiece appear larger and appear to fill up more space on the table with out stretching the budget! To hide the edges of the mirror you can use the fake snow mentioned in Stacey’s post, or you could have some family members help you cut out paper snowflakes of various shapes and sizes and drop them around the tables lke confetti. This is a great look when your wedding is in winter but you don’t want a “Christmasy” look.

Also, I am on a not so large budget lol

katie,
heh! google image black and white garden wedding board.

you can do this one of 2 ways. make it outdoorsy or keep it clean and simple. its amazing what a single stem flower in each of glass vases grouped together looks like. just beautiful!!

this might be a silly question but did youwant white or a splash of color. cause green centerpieces would be a knock out!
google image black and green wedding

another idea if using green would be simple. greenery clippings.. if you live in a area or someones garden that would offer free branches. it looks amazing in clear glass vases filled with water. also google image white and green centerpiece. the green would pull in the outdoors and really make it look pulled together.

have you put this together yet, so that you could send me a picture?

I would love to see a picture

adrianna,
google image red wedding centerpiece. i do love the centerpieces with the single submerged red rose in cylinder vases or clear tall drinking glasses work too. or you could keep it simple, 3 red roses or chosen flowers, in vases surrounded by votive candles, or favor boxes would tie in at each place setting. sprinkle with rose petals.
*How to create a simple, yet elegant wedding table centerpiece

While looking at a wedding venue last weekend, I saw a beautiful centerpiece that we may try to duplicate. The table had a mirror tile and on the tile were three hurricanes, of varying heights, filled with water and red roses with the stems cut off. Each one had a white floating candle. Very pretty. I’m thinking I can find the hurricanes pretty cheap at Ikea.

1) Spray paint the bottom of a clay pot black, or whatever color you choose. Once dry paint the top rim a difference color.

2) Collect branches to put in your pots. I just cut branches from a tree in our yard and used one large branch per pot.

3) Fill the pot with rocks to help secure the tree branch.

4) Create the toilet paper ornaments by cutting a swatch that will cover the toilet paper roll. Don’t worry about getting all the way to the top and bottom because your accessories will cover it up. Once you have glued the fabric to the roll, punch two small holes in the top of the roll, one of each side and then thread wire or string through the holes as a way to hang it. Finally, glue beads to the bottom and add a small boa to the top - or whatever trimming accessories you choose. (fringe, ribbon, etc)

5) Collect gems with holes in the top to hang from the branches. You can find gems at Michaels and other craft or bead stores. Then thread with clear string or wire and hang from the branches.

6) Glue orchids randomly on the branches and finally, cover the top of the pot with flowers or moss to cover the rocks.

Have fun!

Red apples are inexpensive and go get with the september wedding since it’s almost fall.

I just helped my best friend make her centerpieces. We filled large glass vases with (green) but you can buy red crystals from a craft store. Then we placed some wood branches and some big white flowers in them. They came ou beautiful.

why not a vase full of red tulips i dont know how big you need them red is a hard color or use a tall vase with orchids and red stones in the bottom of the vase. the red apples are nice also in a cylinder filled with water and apples

Vicky, the real question is do you really need slip covers? I’ve been to weddings with rented chairs, and as long as they were all matching chairs it didn’t take away from the look at all. Also it saved the brides and grooms a good bit of money by not having them.

If you really want the nice look, i would first ask the company that you got the chairs from if they offer them (for an additional fee). They may give you a deal since the chairs and covers will be together. If not, there are many many online resources such as http://www.eventswholesale.com/-strse-201/Folding-Chair-Covers-for/Detail.bok that you can buy from. I’ve found them ranging from 3.95 - 15 a piece. Fabric is expensive when you start looking into multiple yards, making your own might end up being more costly than you had expected. However if you are dead set on personalizing your own, most fabric stores sell patterns for slip covers, and if your local walmart has a fabric section, they often have a 1-2 dollar a yard section, that could help with the cost too.

Rachel,
that is a nice color scheme is nice i would try a nice bowls with a floting candle. or a nice big wide mouth vace with small rocks and a small fish. that is if that fits your pocket book. The doller store have some small bowls and little rocks as well. try craft store for the bigger vaces. look at the bigger shopping center, like the crossing. they have glass thing they would sell in a larger amounts. i hope this help and look luck

rachel, if i were you i would use this exact centerpiece,pink rose petals and beautiful candles on a white and black table! gorgeous!! but i do love the submerged rose. of course go to your supermarket and see what pink flowers are cheapest, but roses can come in bulk and are usually cheaper overall. add floating candle in water filled cylinder and buy cheap white votives and holders and voila or scatter petals around base and axe the petals.
*Is it possible to get centerpieces-floral/silk flowers/candles for less than 35
*How to create a simple, yet elegant wedding table centerpiece

also google image both of these: cheap wedding centerpiece and rose petal wedding centerpiece.
candles are by far the cheapest and since you would use white youcould buy black ribbon and tie around candles and sprinkle a few pink petals in and among candles. or dolike this…
so elegant!!
*Candle Centerpiece

rachel you could take taller glass cylinders and fill with black coffee beans then top with a fuller pink flower or pink votive or alternate both flowers and candles it would also look need to have three different hight containers and groups in sets of thee on the tablethen scatter pik petals around them.

You might try getting some small tree brances from outside, staining them the right color (if needed), then arranging flowers or butterflies on them. Maybe get some plastic or shiny gems to scatter around the table.
You could also use flower pots (decorated if you like) with plants in them already, or pick your own…then handmake ornaments that will catch the sunlight.
Not only are you being Green, but hopefully that plant will live long just like your marraige!

Tammy Frank,
*Think of Your Theme ( rocks in vase, floating candle pic)
( you can buy these at a dollar tree or only a buck for a buck, then go to a craft store or walmart or better yet a landscaping store, get a big back of pretty rocks, you may have to wash and dry them?!? but for inexpensive i would!! smile. buy a bunch of cheap floating candles and voila!! instant chic. i love the flower added to vases! it has burgundy and with the shades of tan and brown in the rocks it would so fit!! ( i think this would work so well with your color scheme) glass bowls would work too. if you are having favors why not let them serve double duty as your centerpieces? i love edible centerpieces bread and butter( think logans roadhouse! omg! that is all i need that bread is sooo good, take the florals please!!) or cupcakes. I had a friend that had a fish fry/crawfish reception at home, one of the best reception ideas ever! so laid back. she chose silver paper towel holders and paper towels for the centerpieces to some it may sound tacky but it really wasnt! it was a great idea cause of the style food, would be good for a bbq or any country style theme( think outside the box) , or depending on the meal you are having. Or have bowls full of mixed wrapped candies ( chocolates etc) your guest will love it!! another idea is a single bloom with a large flower head like hydrangea, dahlia, or large rose etc. why not do like the restaurants and have 1 flower in single vase it looks nice and serves the purpose. i personally love the simple centerpieces cause larger ones leaves less room on table. another idea is using simple and free clipped greenery, just buy containers to hold it.
*budget friendly wedding board ( look at all of these such great lil’ boards and lots o’ tips!)

example of greenery centerpieces in picture of waiter. christina had a great idea of the plants. southern living had a wedding on a simple budget ( home and backyard). thats all it was on white tablecloths, oval galvanized tub was the beverage holder, the food was on silver platters. it had greenery garlands and ribbons on front of cake table. the floral plant centerpieces were reused or returned back to their owners( they did have them in urns to make it more sophisticated) and what i loved about it was it was the centerpieces ( flower plants) didnt match just like you’d see different flowers in a garden. it was so elegant!! another idea is like in medieval weddings it was common to place flowers or plants around the room instead of on the table, that was saved for the food.

tammy
for my weddign i took mason jars my grandma had bu they are also pretty cheap to buy and then o found burgundy khaki plaid material and cut it in strips and tied it in bows around the top of the jar. i also bought rusty metal hearts at a craft site and glied them in the center of the hear then i filled the jars with cinnamon scented fall potpurri but you could also do candles or what ever you wanted.

Renny,
hi!!, i can tell you an idea that could be free( well except for simple containers like glass bowls or square glass vases, at your local Dollar tree or only a buck, even regular $ stores)
have your cake and other decor in pink and orange. add inexpensive pink, orange and white paper lanterns. even if its during the day, no matter cause they will add pops of color. ask a family friend or member, or check your own yard for greenery you can clip, make sure it drapes and is not poisonous. i had a friend that did this, she used crystal pedestal cake plates, she incorporated her colors in napkins, and other decor around the room, it was so beautiful. you would never be able to tell it was free. i would use bowls for outdoors, though, with pedestal cake plates it can slide off. bowls of wate with floating flowers is another. look at the summer garden party link, with hydrangeas which is fall friendly but expensive, see what pops of color can do! i just love this, i actually bought this magazine when it came out just for this article.( could you imagine this with greenery and add colored napkins? wow!!) it looks chic, simply elegant, and so easy on your $$$. you could alternate orange and pink napkins. you could add gerber daisies or roses( which believe it or not, in bulk is one of the cheapest flowers) instead of hydrangea. and dont 4get! ribbon can do absolute wonders, just secure to table linens, as in posted pics. stunning!! who needs alot of flowers with this!! also here is a pic i used recently, tying ribbons around napkins. or use clear glass containtainers fill with water and lime slices add flowers and voila! you can even get clear glass containers, food dye the water a shade of pink or orange and fill with the opposite color flowers and greenery. i hope this will give some ideas. But i will stand assured on the greenery( plus its my fave) and mother nature will give whats in season so it will take the guesswork out of that!! have a great wedding!
*Summer Garden Party
*Inexpensive Centerpieces for Budget Weddings

OMG, I just had to reply that my wedding is also August 1st, 2009, outside and my colors and pink and orange. Great brides think alike.

I just wanted ta say thanks to Stacey and Amanda. I havent been on here in quite awhile but your ideas are helpful! Thanks much!

sheila, hi! take those bowls and fill with water and have floating flowers. wonderful flower heads are daisies and gerbera daisies. google image floating flower centerpiece and you will see lots of pics , this is inexpensive and beautiful. also floating candles are very nice, sometimes craft or warehouses such as sam’s have bags of floating candles.adding a colored water would be nice consider adding white flower heads into green or yellow food dyed water. supermarkets have beautiful bouquets of flowers that can be clipped or talk to a florist and see what they can do. you may walk away with almost perfect blooms that have been culled.(even if they are assorted colors it would still be beautiful) silk flowers may bleed color into the water.

* Beta fish centerpieces…
( scroll down to floating candles in bowl) this is another option having floral petals mixed with 1 nice candle. if the bowl is not very big have water and 1 simple bloom.(google image inexpensive centerpieces)

* Inexpensive Centerpieces for Budget Weddings