Eight Incredible Centerpieces for Your Wedding
1. Don't get Bored, get Board!
In just about every wedding, there's a group of people who prefer just to sit around their tables and talk, often catching up with old friends and meeting new ones. Sometimes, these conversations can lull, leaving the people at the wedding who don't dance with little to do. This won't be a problem with a small collection of board games in the center of the table. This not only gives the guests something an activity, but provides an excellent opportunity for people to mingle at a table where guests might not already know each other.
2. Get Fishy Wid' It
Tired of that bowl of traditional flowers or shiny multi-colored balls? Why not fill it with live fish? Just fill simple glass bowls with a few small decorations (marbles add a nice touch to the bottom) some water and, of course, a few exotic goldfish. You could even include a small packet of fish food. If you've got kids at the table, the goldfish is sure to be a big hit, especially if you let them feed the fish. It's unique, cheap, and keeps both kids and adults entertained.
3. Write makes Right
If you've got a lot of literate friends, another unique centerpiece idea is an attractive journal that matches the theme of the wedding. It looks lovely on the table, and if you include a few pens (how about getting your names and the wedding date on them?) your guests can leave messages, congratulations, best wishes, fondest memories of the bride and groom, embarrassing stories, or anything they feel the bride and groom would enjoy reading as they reflect on their wedding day.
4. Bring it On, Cupcake
Never underestimate the power of a good cupcake. Small cakes or cupcakes artfully arranged on an attractive serving tray and decorated with small fresh or artificial flowers make a truly unique centerpiece. If you like, you can even use these as an alternative to the traditional wedding cake. This allows for more variety in decoration and flavors. Also, your guests can relive wedding memories by cutting the cakes at their table after the bride and groom.
5. Smoke and Mirrors
The combination of candles and mirrors can make for some dazzling effects as centerpieces. Place an attractive round mirror in the center of the table, and have several lit candles of different heights and shapes on the glass. If the light in the reception venue is dim, the light of the candles on the mirrors can produce an awesome effect. Make this tried motif more modern by placing square mirrors under square glass vases, delightfully filled with floating candles and/or submerged flowers.6. Gift and Grab Boxes
If you've got bigger tables, different-sized gift boxes can add a unique touch as centerpieces. Take three different sized boxes and wrap them in unique but complimentary wrapping papers, then glue them together at odd angles to make them unique. For a little extra fun, get some grab bags at a local dollar store and put them inside the boxes for children, or the children at heart.7. A Puzzling Venture
One idea that's growing in popularity is to have a jigsaw puzzle made from a picture of the couple as a centerpiece. It encourages the people at the table to work together to assemble the puzzle, and this serves as a great icebreaker.8. Champagne Anyone?
Another great and useful idea for a centerpiece is a collection of unique champagne glasses. Thrift stores and garage sales often have a lot of these at very reasonable prices, and with a little cleaning they can look as good as new. Arrange the flutes on the tables in random patterns as a centerpiece. They don't have to match — they just have to play well together. The unifying touch? Fill each one with wedding-friendly candy, such as translucent vanilla Jelly Bellies, champagne candies, or pastel M&Ms. The guests can then use the flutes for toasting — and munching.
Don't be stifled by traditional centerpiece choices. These unique ideas can not only give your guests a way to break the ice the wedding, but something to marvel over later for years to come. Break the mold, but not your budget!
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I cant get over all this bickering!!! Get over it!!! I come into this site to get an idea of a centrepiece and read all this stuff coming from so called ADULTS!!!
Bettamansions.com is the most unique rental centerpiece business i have every seen go to the website if you want unique
About the fish..do what you want. Only DON’T put 2 betas in the same tank!!!! They will eat eachother alive. Also if you have them in two seperate tanks don’t place them to close together.A friend of mine had her beta jump into his neighbors bowl and they both ended up dead.
Sadly that goes to prove what experienced fishkeepers have known for a long time- pet shop workers are usually very badly educated on goldfish. They have a memory of around 3 months- the short 5 second memory is a common myth. The air pump would help, but there is still the problem of sufficient care afterwards.
In response to all the religious stuff, I have to say “the good Lord isn’t worried about them being treated any certain way” is quite a cruel theory, and whilst I have nothing against religion, surely the idea of being kind to people and animals is a fundamental point of it?! I don’t think you can justify animal cruelty by saying God put them here so people can do what they want. And saying a goldfish is insignifigant is ridiculous. I know many goldfish owners who would do anything for their much loved pets, just as much as any dog or cat owner. I know I love my goldfish as much as my dogs, horses, and guinea pigs.
Also someone said people including myself on here were complaining without offering a solution. I have in multiple posts offered the solution of using betta fish- and as you can see above, this very website offers other solutions. What I and any other educated goldfish keeper would agree is that keeping a goldfish in a bowl during a wedding with no plans for a good life afterwards, is impossible to justify.
Well done to all the sensible people on here who have supported thinking of less disgusting centrepieces.
for the ladies going nuts about killing fish and how cruel and terrible it is, listen to this:
Goldfish will go belly up by the end of a wedding. Do you know why? It’s because there isn’t any oxygen in the water to keep it alive. You need an air pump or air stones to keep them alive. For $1.99, one air stone, the fish will stay happy and alive. After all, goldfish have the attention span of 5 seconds, give or take. Using them as centerpieces aren’t cruel. Stupidity and ignorance is. Research.
Second, if you don’t want to spent that extra two bucks to keep your goldfish happy, use a beta fish. They’re adorable, with long fins and gorgeous colors. They’re also very hardy. They go up to the surface of the water to get their air, so no need to buy those expensive air stones, ladies.
As with any living creature, or anything in general, as long as you do it with common sense, a little research, and half a brain, you won’t destroy it.
Happy weddings, everyone!
(I worked at a pet shop for 7 years. People come in all the time to get beta fish and goldfish for weddings and events. I know what I am talking about. (: )
I think everyone who is worried about a fish…a flippin fish dying or being treated cruel…is absolutly crazy!!! For those who talk about being cruel to ” God’d living creatures…” well those creatures don’t have sould and the good Lord isn’t worried about them being treated any certain way…if that was the case he wouldn’t have put any animal on earth! He gave us these animals for our survival anyways…so it’s reduculous to worry about something as insignifigant as a fish being treated cruel…there are def more important things to worry about like actual people who are dying and going to hell everyday b/c they’ve never accepted Jesus and been saved…put your energy into that one! By the way…Jesus Saves!!!!
What you don’t realize is that it was only after the flood we were given the right to eat meat, but sparingly. We were also given the task of being good stewards of the land according to Genesis. We must not fail to show love for God’s Creations and mercy for God’s creatures. Besides, since when is a bunch of diseased and dying “feeder” goldfish trapped in dirty, oxygen deprived bowls necessary for survival?
You know, it is kind of mean to kill something (even if it is a stupid fish) just so you can have centerpieces.
BUT
Aside from that, I have been to a wedding that used them, and in the middle of dinner, the fish started to go belly up. It was pretty disgusting to finish my halibut with a slimy floating guppy in front of me.
P.S. Stinky nasty fish in little cheap bowls is an ugly centerpiece anyways so…
Okay…so my wedding is October 18th, 2008 and I’m totally stuck on what to do for centerpieces for the guest tables and the wedding party tables. :((
I realllllly like the submerged flowers in water idea but I’m using roses in mine and my my girls’ bouquets but I don’t like the way the roses look when they are submerged in water….what other red flowers look good with roses and would look good submerged in water??? Do you think I could use a little pink in the bouquets and centerpieces even though my girls’ dresses are all (apple) red? Any ideas would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!
Okay, you all talked me out of the fish idea. It definitely would be cruel.
I’m surprised at the immaturity of SOME of you ladies getting married. How sad to be so shallow to hurt an innocent animal, that can’t be good Karma. I’m sure there are plenty of other cool center piece ideas out there. BACK TO MY SEARCH.:-?
I just want to add on the live fish point.Even tho they may be cheap,its still really cruel to submit these guys to this.People take them home where they leave them in these small bowls and the fish suffers.Goldfish are naturally high waste producers,and grow very large.So even if they do get cleaned once a month,in such small living quarters will leave them highly deformed.Please find another idea to entertain guests.And on the idea of bettas,just,no.They are pretty and wonderful pets if cared for properly,but most people dont even know that they need warm water…As a breeder,i will say these fish deserve alot more than what people give them.They need upwards of two gallons to be healthy and active.Temps of 79 to 82 and filtered water.or at the very least a good water change schedule.Otherwise they get finrot,which literally eats their fins right off.and columnaris,Dropsy,swim bladder problems ect ect.They all have different personalities and get to know the people who care for them as someone that they can trust.Sticking these wonderful fish in small cold bowls is cruel,and no one should even think its ok to do such a thing,especially on such a day.
goldfish (other than keeping as a pet since I have three of my own) also make great catfish bait.
i’ve been to plenty of weddings with fish for centerpieces and i plan to do the same thing. if anyone would actually pay attention most of the fish people use are feeder fish that are normally $.12 at walmart. yeah they might die but the main point in selling them is for food for other fish which is what i’m doing with mine after the wedding. your wedding is suppose to be the best day of your life and if you would like to use fish for a center piece that’s your option and no one else should tell you otherwise. if you take care of them and your reception isn’t long then they probably won’t even die during the reception!
DT, here is a solution, instead of using a living animal as a decoration and then ‘feeding to the kitty” how about… wait for it… not using gods living creatures as mere decoration and sticking with one of the other unique, creative centerpiece ideas above.
Okay if ANYONE has had a fish as a pet. They die. All animals die. It isn’t like we kill them in cruel and unusual ways. Also, you don’t have to clean them up, you don’t even have to see them. Besides, I am using birds as my centerpiece, maybe even rabbits. Only on two or so of the tables. It WILL be awesome and I will take them home as a pet. Heck it might stink a little at the end, but it will be worth it.
:D>-
Very cruel idea to use live animals! You know that most of them will end up dead either at the reception or on the way home.
Horrible!
and what happens with the fish after the wedding? sorry, thats ridiculous. A fish is an living being, not a toy or decoration item. a little bit of respect,please for animals.
I’m not gonna say that using fish in your centerpiece is inhumane or animal abuse. That is a whole huge other subject. What I will say is that I attended a wedding that used fish in bowl surrounded by rings of flowers, which seemed neat and different, until the little fishies started turning belly up in the middle of dinner. Yuck!
To clarify, sans dry humor. I wasn’t talking about all messages, just about complaining without offering a solution:
“The fish idea is just cruel and disgusting…shame on you for suggesting it in the first place.” (Jennifer, May 2nd)
“A mass killing” (Caroline, May18th)
“Fish enthusiasts do not advocate the use of bowls for any breed of fish.” (Caroline, May 22nd)
“A major hygiene hazard.” (Amber, March 13th)
I don’t think a take-home 55 gallon tank at each table is feasible, so here are some more realistic solutions: bait for fishing trip; feed to kitty (cats love goldfish, dogs too); wash your hands before eating and don’t play with them during dinner.
Or perhaps the best solution would be to just lighten up a bit.:P
That’s just weird, dunno if it’s meant to be funny but… people have given solutions- “use betta fish” being the prime example! And lots of people have pointed out that goldfish live over 20 years not 1.5 if you look after them rather than putting them in a bowl with the wrong water parameters.
All of you save-the-goldfish bleeding hearts need to provide solutions rather than just whine about problems.
Example of whining: I can’t blah blah blah you don’t blah blah blah the pain and suffering blah blah blah feeling just like people too blah blah.
Example of a solution: give excess goldfish to any of the groomsmen who are avid anglers so that they have some live bait for a fishing trip Sunday afternoon. Guys take the kids along fishing and let the ladies have a girls’ afternoon off to relax and sleep off the hangover. Everyone knows most kids would rather ride in a boat and catch a few real fish for Sunday dinner than watch some stupid minnow swim circles in a tiny bowl. This is especially true knowing that after 1.5 years said fish will likely die, leaving only broken hearts behind, and then must be flushed down the one-way whirpool to be consumed by the pet alligators from previous weddings that are now over 10 feet in length. The fishing trip plan works especially well during bass and panfish season, which coincides nicely with prime time late spring / early summer weddings.
So there you go…solutions! Think a bit outside the box. It’s all part of the circle of life!
Yes ,I used real fish, when I sent out invites I included an invite for parents to adopt a fish or two for their kids. Most of them were local, no travel issues, the fish lived several years and we gave food and care kits as a gift to those willing to take home a fish. Most of them were named after my hubby and I. We had a tropical /Carribean theme, 9 years ago, it has been done a lot. One alternative I thought of while looking in an Oriental trading catalog shortly after our big day was decorative glass blown fish that float in the water by a plastic bubble and clear momofilament. They were 4.99 for 6 fish. My cat really was quite entertained by them too. Good luck. In my humble opinion, do what works for you. Hopefully your guests are more respectful that to allow the fish to be hurt in anyway. Becky