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!
Please don’t use goldfish as a centerpiece. They are not meant to live in such small bowls without proper oxygenation. I’ve had my fish for more than ten years and he’s a sweet little guy. If you like the idea, why not get little plastic fish or something similar? And if you’re still not convinced, I would like to point out that goldfish produce a lot of waste (aka poop a lot). Do you want your guests to be staring at a big strand of goldfish poo dangling from your fish?
My friend had fish in her centerpieces and we didn’t see the poop. It was quite beautiful and was a hit at her wedding. She had a beach theme.
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
Has anyone actually used fish in there centerpiece, if so any pics??
The fishbowl centerpiece is a _horrible_ idea. Not only is it cruel and disgusting, it’s dreadfully overdone and boring. _Everybody_ does it, because they think it’s to “OMG ORIGINAL! CUTE! FUN! ENTERTIAINING!” Uh, no. It’s trite. And I know I certainly wouldn’t enjoy a wedding with a suffering animal sitting in front of me; I definitely wouldn’t be able to eat if it was dead or, in the case of the beta pairs (NOT. A. GOOD. IDEA.), fighting and bleeding (and then dying).
I think wedding reception venues should ban the practice. It’s cruel, and also a major hygiene hazard. Plus, males + alcohol + goldfish (small children + sugar + boredom + goldfish) = inevitable disaster.
As for the supposed short lifespan of “feeder fish” (how that makes it okay to subject them to living in a cramped, oxygen-depleted environment for 3+ hours I’ll never understand): our two “feeder” goldfish that we bought for 2-for-$1.75 at PetsMart are 3 years old and grew from one inch to SIX and EIGHT INCHES each. Why? Because we keep them in a large pond in the summer, and a 20 gal. tank in the winter. They are absolutely gorgeous fish, and have been trained to come up to the surface to be fed whenever someone approaches the pond or lifts the flap on the tank cover. Fish make wonderful _pets_, but they are not and should not be “easy” to take care of. They deserve a clean and healthy space to live in as much as a kitten or puppy does.
Idea #5, the mirrors and candles idea, sounds like it would look absolutely stunning in a cozy small reception room or in a larger reception hall with the lights dimmed down a little. You could use glass/crystal candle holders for tapers or some thicker pillar candles to keep the wax from dribbling all over the place (they’d be harder to knock over by accident, too, and would add extra sparkle and light reflection). Maybe get a large circular mirror (diam. ~ 1 foot?) and arrange two or three smaller candles of different heights on it. You could use coloured candles, and ribbon/fabric to cover the edges of the mirrors, that fit with your wedding colour scheme. I am ttly stealing this idea.
Hey, Bridezillas!
I don’t give a rat’s tail-end if you provide me with free food, a goodie bag, or your firstborn. Hypothetically - you are NOT doing ME a favor by inviting me to your wedding. I am doing YOU a favor by celebrating your happy day with you. Seriously, do you think people have nothing better to do than dress up, sit through a tedious ceremony, and then spend more hours at the reception celebrating someone else? HOURS of people-celebrating? Sure, if you’re my mom, dad, brother, daughter, son, sister - whatever. However, not all weddings are comprised of immediate family who care as much as you do. As such, it is just rude to expect your guests to shut up and deal with whatever you decide to throw their way. If that is what you expect, keep your guest list to those people who care as much as you do. Oh, and you better damn well feed me for taking up my entire day in a celebration of YOU. I’m sick of the prima-donna bride. Yes, it’s your day. Yes, we’re happy for you. But it being ‘your day’ and us celebrating your happiness does not devalue your guests to mere props to make your day more magical. Guests are guests, regardless of the event, and should be treated accordingly. I think Dr. Phil did a show about this, actually. :S
Dear Centerpiece People,
I once heard of a lovely centerpiece for a wedding. A black and white male betta, in a HEATED TANK, beside the bride and groom. The fish went home with them after the wedding.
Obviously the issues of morality don’t bother some of you, or only bother you enough to make halfbaked excuses and cite so-called credentials while spouting incorrect information. The fishbowl centerpiece is not creative or unique. It’s been done. Endlessly. Much to the dismay of many dead and unhappy fish. Tell me, whatever happened to creativity? Whatever happened to NOT going out of your way to make another living creature miserable? It takes effort to put these fish through the stress of a rowdy, usually drunk group (which causes illness), temperature fluctuations, and ammonia content. You know what ammonia does? Eventually, it will eat away at their fins. It will burn their gills. You really think people will care for a fish that has been dumped in their laps without warning as a ’souvenier’? People, I have four fishtanks. I love fish - they are interesting, beautiful creatures. I will smack the next person who dumps a fish on me without warning. How do you think I wound up with four tanks to begin with?
Oh, yes, for the people hell-bent on using the fish centerpiece? Just to save your happy day, here’s a tip to avoid a bloodbath on all corners: Betta fish don’t go together. Period. Any incident of male betta living together is a freak occurance waiting to explode. Male betta have extremely powerful jaws, sharp teeth, and are always, always very territorial and agressive. This is pretty much common knowledge.
As far as female betta go, or female and male betta go - another DO NOT DO IT. Female betta can live together without resorting to a bloodbath. If you do it right. That means a heavily-planted 10 gallon tank, at least four (people usually use more) female betta. Why? Because they establish territories and a pecking order, not a schooling or shoaling community. Four fish minimum is advised so the literal pecking will be spread across the four fish and no one will get the brunt of the agression. Even then, sometimes it just doesn’t work that way. I have three female betta who refuse to live with other fish. Period. End of discussion. They had a heavily-planted 20 gallon tank to six fish. Believe it or not, fish can be ornary little pains and may often subvert any well-thought plans you have.
Males and females go through an agressive and nippy courtship ritual. Sometimes they’ll just kill each other, unless conditions in the BREEDING TANK are just right. After mating, the male will nearly always drive off the female to keep her from eating the eggs he watches over. If there is nowhere for her to go, guess what? He kills her.
It’s not cute. None of this. At all. Not something you or your guests (yes, who are important) want to deal with.
On my wedding day, I want there to be positivity and happiness at all corners. I want my guests to be happy, and I want me to be happy, I want my wife to be happy, and any animals present - I want them to be happy. I want waitstaff to be happy. I want it to be a giagantic writhing ball of happiness.
Dead fish do not contribute to that, neither do fish who start growing an odd fungus halfway through the reception because they got too stressed to fight it off.
Put that mind of yours to use. Seriously. Be creative, be romantic, make everything in your wedding truly positive and beautiful as a good start to a long, happy life. Sick/fighting/stressed/fungused fish are hardly a creative, romantic, or beautiful thing to be around.
The “feeder” goldfish sold at pet stores are mass produced and generally emaciated, overcrowded, and have logged more air time on an air plane than you or me probably have. All in a rush to get them to the stores to sell them before they die. How else would a pet store evn hope to break even on an animal that sells for only 12 cents if they actually had to house it properly or even feed it? Think about it, how would they even survive as a species if they all died within weeks of being born? The tiny little goldfish you see in the over crowded pet store tanks are only babies, many only a few weeks old. They mature into adults at around 3 years of age and will be about 9-14 inches long at that time. These are BIG fish and a pair of adult comet/common/shubunkin goldfish will need a minimum of 55 gallons to stay healthy for any amount of time and even more as they grow because a goldfish that is constantly bumping the sides easily falls ill, the scummy stuff that builds up on the sides harbors deadly bacteria.(you cant always see it and it only takes a day for it to come back after cleaning!) Goldfish are at their most majestic when they are adults, sadly not many people get to see adult fish. Fish keeping, the right way, is not easy! Fish are intricately tied into their environment and we are in charge of manipulating every variable to make the captive fishes home a livable environment for them.
I personally have over 20 goldfish some over ten years old, and they still have 20 years or more left to live! The world record longest living goldfish lived 43 years so we know they can make it at least that long with good genetics and good care. My biggest fish is a massive 15 inch shubunkin goldfish that has outlived my first dog and I dearly hope he will outlive my second.
These are long lived fish and I hope I inspired some of you to invest time researching these wonderful animals, they’re definitely worth it.
Ladies, I am amazed at the level of thinking here. Not one of you considered the inappropriateness of trying to give away a “pet” to your guests! Some of you did mention keeping or donating the fish (beta’s) to proper care which is great and responsible (and I’m on board with no goldfish and beta’s are prettier).
I think though, people will be people and mixed with alcohol…anything goes. It would be wiser to stay away from any animal in a center piece.
I have coordinated weddings for more than 20 years. There are so-o-o-o-o many other creative ways to do your centerpieces. Maybe you can do live blooming plants wrapped in beautiful paper/ribbon with extra’s inside them. Place them everywhere and give those away to your guests.
Thanks for reading and PLEASE remember you are ladies! Some kindness and respect can go a long way.
nicely worded, Hannah!
I AGREE!!!
I’m pretty sure it’s up to the bride and not the guests so ya’ll can shuve it
i had it at my wedding and i don’t care what people thought…the days about the bride and groom anyways….NOT to please the GUESTS with getting the approval…
did you guys pay for the centerpiece? Umm doubt it…so why do you all care anyways…
did you get free food? I’m sure you did…so SHUT UP!
ya’ll are killing me
Okay, I have no moral issues with the fish idea whatsoever, i think it is kinda funky. I entertained it myself until I ended up picking tree branches, spraying them gold, and putting fake birds on them.
However, keep in mind that maybe your guests WILL oppose to the fish. Also, don’t go the goldfish route. You are going to be so busy on your day, you won’t notice if one dies. How gross would that centerpiece be? I’m not saying it would be your fault if it died, but goldfish carry diseases. Also, one might get knocked over (although highly unlikely). The idea is cute it just carries some risks.
My daughter will be using Beta fish in fishbowls for centerpieces. We thought of topping off the bowl with a floating flower. Will it harm the fish?
I think its a great idea. I’m using Beta Fish as my centerpiece and then the guest can bring it home. I don’t see how its anymore cruel than fishing and gutting them open as a meal. At least these fish will get a good home lol!
I think using a fish as a centerpiece is cruel. People go to weddings and get drunk, and when people are drunk they are sometimes stupid. There is no telling what someone may find funny at the goldfish’s expense. There is also a chance someone may knock the bowl over. Please do not do this.
Hi Caroline,
1.5 years is fine for a small goldfish because when you buy them they are young. It’s just like many species of small crabs, they start in small shells then get bigger. In the wild, the gold fish live in the smallest areas possible, especially the smaller they are, as they are safer from predators. Until they are about 2 years old they can stay in a bowl. After that, it’s too small and they cannot grow properly and will die young. I recommend 1.5 years as fish shops keep goldfish for up to about 6 months. Explain to the people who will be taking home the fish that the fish will die young if they aren’t put into a tank in about 2 years; they will listen. No one wants innocent creatures to die.
The ammonia levels won’t even bother the fish for about 3 weeks for a bowl with 2 goldfish in them. The only time it becomes a problem is if detergent comes in contact with the water. For my fish tanks, I have seperate cloths that never touch a detergent for the safety of all my animals. They will love fresh water once a week. Everyday will put them under too much stress and will die sooner. Once a week will have plenty of air in the water for the full time; there will be more air in the water for the full period than in the stagnant lakes that they originated from.
Thank you so much Caroline for picking up my typo, a very bad typo. I mean 2 GOLDFISH. Please people, don’t put more than one Beta in, it will not be a nice wedding (unless you seperate them in different bowls).
If anyone else would like some more info on how to look after the Goldfish at a wedding without causing harm please ask on the bulletin, or email someone who specialises in keeping fish, not breeding fish, as there are different techniques in each situation for keeping the fish, and some breeders are quite cruel.
Once again girls, congratulations! Please do be careful with this; they are live creatures. Nicole; good idea putting a cover on the bowl to protect them
I am having an Oct, 2008 wedding & I am making fish bowl centerpieces for my wedding. I bought round glass bowls, lots of clear glass heart shaped rocks & filling the bottom of the bowl an inch thick with the glass rocks, in the middle of the glass rocks i’m putting blue & pink [1 color in each bowl, 8 bowls = 4 blue & 4 pink :P] lights to light up the rocks & water, the light is not bright, just a very light pink just enough to make the rocks glow, and the top will be covered with something just so nothing gets into the water, tied off with a ribbon of color to match the wedding theme! I can not wait until I put them all together for my wedding day!!! :?:P
I have a friend who breeds ryukin goldfish and keeping them in a bowl is absurd. They live 20+ years naturally, and so 1.5 years clearly isn’t right, and thus they won’t be comfortable. There is a difference between surviving and thriving. Changing the water daily could keep them alive for a bit, in a bowl, weekly is absurd because of ammonia levels and the lack of a nitrogen cycle.
Also beta fish are fighting fish so your advice to keep two in a bowl should be avoided, as they’d be fighting throughout the wedding if males.
Hi guys,
My best friend is the head of department of Zoology at the University of Western Australia, and specialises in aquatic studies. I’m completing a PhD majoring in Marine Biology at the Univeristy of New South Wales. She’s referred this to me to have a good laugh.
Um, I hate to break it to the greenies, but goldfish can live in confined spaces comfortably for up to 1.5 years. For a standard 25cm round fish bowl, 2 fish can be kept in it if you change the water each week, as this cleans the water and water through the tap has lots of air in it. They are hardy animals, and can handle one night in a fish bowl for a wedding, especially if it’s not bright as they love low light, and the vibrations of music and talking will not bother them as long as it’s consistent. I’m actually doing study on the soothing effects of music on aquatic life and found seaweed, most fish and some star fish grow faster with music due to it’s positive influence, the better with the heavier the music (heavy metal is most effective).
HOWEVER, do be careful. I recommend beta fish; they are more hardy and will LOVE the bowl. Whereas goldfish are content in a small place, but are also happy in large areas. Organise beforehand for guests at each table to take home the fish; they’ll look after it because it’s theirs. With flowers and candles, make sure there’s no toxic products in them. Limit 2 fish per bowl to be safe. Make sure nothing is cleaned with detergents as this will kill fish (most common reason for the behaviour reported at the weddings, as most people wash the bowls).
Congratulations, and remember - ask a professional about animals. A lot of website spout a lot of crap, especially about animal cruelty, because they get a good reaction.
Not at all, beta fish would be perfect for that environment, I’m sure they’ll enjoy the wedding!
ive considered beta fish at my october wedding as i am having vibrant colors similiar to the beta fish. it will be a smoke free enviornment and my guest dont get wasted and eat fish. i would donate the fish to the elementary school after the affair, where they would be taken care of. i know there is the question of loud music, but im sure many fish owners listen to loud music and the fish are ok or the table gets bumped with a vacuum. is there a cruel side im not seeing here? afterall, its only 4 hours.
I recently attended a wedding with fish as the centerpiece, it was very nice. But through out the night the grooms friends and wedding party started eating the fish, lol!
Plenty of fish to go around? There are also plenty of other animals around. Just because they are fish doesn’t make them disposable lives. What a sad world we live in.
this is so bad…. fish are beautiful and they can feel so i totally disagree with the idea of fish as centerpieces …. noone should buy this idea and maybe one day they’ll stop selling fish for wedddings
ok wow a lot of drama going on. I think it’s a great idea and i am considering it for my wedding. It’s ok there are plenty of goldfish to go around. Lol too funny. Well congrats to everyone planning a wedding.
Well said
I just attended a wedding with fishbowls as centerpieces. This was a bad idea. There were 4-5 fish in each tiny bowl and we had to watch them slowly choking to death because there wasn’t enough oxygen in the water. Even if they are just tiny animals, it’s cruel to kill anything by aspbhyxiation. They reacted to vibrations of the loud music and any time someone bumped the table. Watching a bowl of fish die slowly as I tried to eat and enjoy a party pretty much ruined my evening. Nobody wants to see that.
opps forgot the filling it with water part & the beta lol
I LOVE the fish centerpeice idea & will be using this idea for my centerpeices, October 18 [my wedding] Our colors are different shades of pink. I will be getting tall vases, filling them a few inches deep with pink & clear glass rocks & putting a pink glow light in the middle of the rocks to light up the rocks, & will top it off with a few flowers [same as in my bouquet]. I can NOT wait until its all put together!!
“We used feeder fish which cost 10 cents apiece and don’t have a long lifespan anyway. I put chlorine neutralizer in the centerpiece water. None of them died during the reception and survived just fine for a short time after. We put them in the base of our fountain after the reception and removed each one as they died. We also did not turn the fountain on during that time. Expecting a fish to spend a few hours swimming around a fishbowl is not any crueler than making a human sit in a crowded airplane. Get a life” -Removed them as they died? So you sat there for 25 years and removed each one as they died? Goldfish need filtration and oxygen, they hear via vibrations, at which a wedding or other party there will be lots of. The fish will become confused and stressed, and then more prone to becoming sick. I work in an aquatics centre, and many of these fish sold by other aquatics centres end up back at my fish shop with parents and their kids wanting “the cheapest” set up for the fish they were given - yes.. cheapest, it’s about £30 for the cheapest set up, which is too much for the majority of these people. Please think about these goldfish before you put them in bowls at your wedding or other party. Just because they only cost pennies, doesn’t mean that they don’t feel the same amount of distress as having, say, a puppy in a box on each table. Yes, fish have feelings too. What about the guests who will inevitably devise cruel ways to torment the fish? Pour a drink in the water and watch it slowly die from poisoning? C’mon guys, this just isn’t fair on the animals. What’s wrong with flowers? Or the glass fish which float via a glass air bubble? There are plenty more alternatives to using a live animal as a decoration.
To the person who in May said vegetarians eat fish: Vegetarians don’t eat fish. Fish is not vegetation.
As a party planner, I’ve used many types of fish at functions with out anyone offended- in fact, most guests found the idea unique and fun! It is best suited for a party with children- then why not invite them to take the fish home afterwards?
I have to agree with the fact that using goldfish is not the best idea for your center piece, I orignially planed to do that for my own wedding, but decided against it. While I don’t agree with keeping a goldfish in such a confined place, I also don’t agree with the attitude of some of the posts. Tellign someone they are dumber than a sack of bricks is not really the best way to sway them to your side of the argument. Goldfish definatly feel, but so do the people your posting about. On an end note good luck and warm wishes to everyone planning their wedding.
We used feeder fish which cost 10 cents apiece and don’t have a long lifespan anyway. I put chlorine neutralizer in the centerpiece water. None of them died during the reception and survived just fine for a short time after. We put them in the base of our fountain after the reception and removed each one as they died. We also did not turn the fountain on during that time. Expecting a fish to spend a few hours swimming around a fishbowl is not any crueler than making a human sit in a crowded airplane. Get a life
I had beautiful fish centerpieces at my wedding and the movement and color on the tables were unique.Everyone loved them.After the party we had a fish tank waiting to put them in.It is two years later and my fish are happy and loved being invited to the wedding.
Use betta’s and place the bowl on a small revolving light. it is very effective for a cocktail party. the party only lasts a couple of hours and the lights aren’t strong enough to hurt the fish nor warm the water that could harm them in any way. good luck with your event
Who wants to look at a fish swimming around trailing a string of poop out of it’s behind while they’re trying to eat their nice catered dinner? Anyone who’s ever owned fish knows exactly what I’m talking about…
Come on ladies…regardless of how YOU feel about the cruelty issue, gauranteed there will be guests at your reception who will not approve because THEY will believe it’s cruel and inappropriate. ESPECIALLY if something happens to the fish and your lovely centerpiece ends up featuring a dead fish floating belly-up. Why even go there and risk offending anyone?
And before anyone starts flaming me…I’m not choosing sides here. I just think that there are plenty of other creative alternatives that won’t potentially offend anyone.
Wow if you think trying to educate people to avoid animal cruelty is silly and pointless that’s quite sad.
My goodness…why is everyone fighting over a silly centerpiece for a wedding. This is so funny…I thought I was going to find wonderful ideas on this comment list but instead I found a bunch of silly and pointless remarks about a fish….HILARIOUS! I think I would try and sit down and make a list of other things I should be doing with my time…instead. ( :
I don’t think anyone is disputing the fact that it’s ok for bettas…
Ok, I think most people use betta fish when using fish as centerpieces and if any of you people would do your research, you would know that betta fish are perfectly happy in a small fish bowl with 1/3 a gallon of water in it. Don’t tell me it’s cruel because it’s what they prefer. Don’t tell them to do their research when you haven’t done yours.
Wow..just wow! You guys are a bunch of nuts…once again we care about a little tiny thing rather then something a little more important..I can give you a list thats is..hmm,like a human life? like the planet?
everyone who said goldfish are not animals must have an IQ similar to a bag of bricks. They are classified under the kingdom ANIMALIA. They have a brain,heart,nervous system and a LIFE. How stupid can any of you be who proclaim that goldfish are not animals and their quality of life does not matter? I keep a number of different exotic animals ranging from poison dart frogs to sea urchins and it is safe to say i know a thing or two when it comes to animal husbandry. Bowls are completely inadequate for a number of reason that i dont really want to get into due to the fact this a site for bored housewives who don’t really care about goldfish. If you are still interested there are a number of books and websites about this topic. Any gold fish caresheet will also confirm what i said earlier.
Use glass fish! You can actually find them pretty cheap on the internet. You can skip the water, so no one will get gross things in the bowl, and you have exactly the same look, without the cruelty. If you must have something moving around, there are fake fish you can put in water that do move. Think of the fish. Even ignoring the fact that they won’t be happy in the bowl with loud music and all, they will not all be properly cared for after the wedding.
Beta are an exception and have entirely different needs to goldfish and are quite happy in smaller homes.
We used beta fish in our centerpieces. At the end of the night they were taken home by our guest. One is still living 2 years later.
Yes, anyone who keeps a fish in a bowl is subjecting it to suffering and that is cruel, whether through ignorance or not. I don’t know about in America but here it is finally becoming more well known that goldfish bowls are unsuitable.
Also, fish are animals. An animal is any living organism that has the power of voluntary movement and requires oxygen and organic food to live.
You are basically saying that cruelty is ok because we eat some animals. So we eat beef so it’s fine for people to beat their dogs. Yes, great point there…:D
Caroline, Exactly my point. We eat animals that are killed for us so we can eat them and people are worried about a goldfish in a bowl. Goldfish are not even animals. There are children all over the world that have goldfish as pets in little bowls. Are they cruel too? I don’t think that people are thinking about how cute a lamb is when they are eating it.
We eat lambs. Would you condone having them caged at a wedding for their cuteness factor?
To everyone saying using fish is cruel, that is just silly. We eat fish for dinner I think that is a little more “cruel” than using a fish in a fish bowl for a center piece. FYI fish are not animals they are fish, unless everyone who posted comments are vegetarians I think you have done your fair share of being cruel to animals. Even vegetarians eat fish! Give me a break 8-| . I like the fish idea. :D>-
I am a goldfish addict…I have two 55 gallon tanks, a 37 gallon, a 29 gallon and a 10gallon. I have 15 goldfish. I have 4 cats and 4dogs. I believe any animal you take into your life(dog,cat,fish, etc.) you need to research how you can best meet THEIR needs. Goldfish need a minimum of 10 gallons of water per fish…again Minimum!
Goldfish are very beautiful and I can see why people would want that beauty at their wedding. However, when you truely look at the needs of the goldfish, the risk of death due to drunk guest eating them, kids squishing them or pouring drinks into bowls, people tapping the glass and loud music and light shows that often scare the fish into injuring themselves…you have to ask if you truely want to put these gentle creatures in harms way so you can have a pretty wedding.
Also…what would happen to the fish that survive that night…do guest really know how to care for the fish? Do you have 100 gallon tank for 10 fish?
Please reconsider having goldfish at you wedding. Please prioritize the welfare of the fish. I have been to many beautiful weddings and not one included goldfish!
To the poster below- you should really do some research as there is heaps of evidence that goldfish bowls are not a suitable environment for goldfish. You may have had a goldfish who lived in a bowl, and whilst this does occassionally happen, surely the quality of life matters? You should check the very professional and experienced website KoKo’s Goldfish World- and this page in particular which mentions how bowls cruelly stunt goldfish- http://www.kokosgoldfish.com/care.html. I know someone who kept a stunted goldfish alive in a bowl for only five years. Goldfish have a lifespan of 20 years or more with sufficient care and can grow to a foot in length.
One evening in a goldfish bowl would not kill a healthy fish, no, but nor will it be comfortable for them and fish enthusiasts do not advocate the use of bowls for any breed of fish.
Also, ‘feeder’ goldfish should not have a short and delicate lifespan, unless you purchase them sickly from a poorly run petshop. They are generally commons or comets and therefore more hardy than fancy goldfish.
Talking to petshop staff will generally not help as the majority give out false advice on a regular basis, whether through selling overstocked tanks to make a profit or through sheer ignorance.
I have to disagree with the idea of a fish centerpeice being inhuman - quite the opposite - if done right, it is a very eco-friendly option - nothing dies (like flowers), no garbage, etc.
I have had goldfish who have lived for many many years - in a goldfish bowl none the less. There is no reason why one evening in a goldfish bowl would kill a healthy fish - unless you are using feeder goldfish which are breed as ffod for larger fish and have a very short and delicate lifespan. Talk to your local pet store owner on the best strategies for keeping the fish healthy and happy.
Make plans for AFTER the wedding so the fish are not “wasted” - if you aren’t planning on keeping them and caring for them properly, talk to the local pet store about “renting” the fish - when you are done, bring them back and they can resale them to another pet owner. You will still have to pay for them, but at least they are not getting left to die afterwards.
Poor goldfish. They can’t breathe in bowls, do some research- it has been proven time and time again how cruel it is to keep them in bowls. Anyone who loves animals won’t fully enjoy a wedding full of slowly dying fish. And afterwards if any are still alive what would you do with them? A mass killing of them? How inhumane. They ARE meant as pets, but require 20 gallons of water in a clean and filtered fish tank to live happily. Their lifespan is actually well over 20 years when given the correct care. Just because they’re cheap and plentiful doesn’t mean their lives can just be thrown away
I love the gold fish idea and plan using it at my reception. I am just trying to come up with ways to make it elegant but still keep the fun.
The fish idea is just cruel and disgusting. Fish are living creatures, not wedding decorations. Shame on you for suggesting it in the first place.
Caution with the fish: Know your crowd.
I’ve been to wedding receptions with fish in small bowls for centerpieces, which are very pretty, but I’ve also seen competitions/dares between male guests (usually a bit tipsy) involving swallowing the poor fish.
Try Bettamansions.com. They specialize in betta fish centerpieces that are safe for the fish and cost effective for you. I saw their sevices at a wedding I DJ’d and the centerpieces were elegant. The staff answered questions and had me inform the crowd that “Non fish were harmed in the making of this wedding” thecrowd laughed and enjoyed watching the movement at the table. Good luck.
It depends on the type of goldfish. If you purchase the cheap, feeder goldfish, you have a pretty high risk of them not living long. That is because they naturally have very short lifespans and are bread to be sold as food for larger fish. They are not meant to be kept as pets.
The wedding location is something to consider as well - fish may not be a good option for an outdoor wedding in hot weather. They are better suited for room temperatures.
You will also want to keep the bags that the goldfish came in so that you can put them back in the bags to be safely travelled home after the wedding. If you are worried about them dying, talk to your local pet store professional for advice on how to make it as pleasant for them as possible:D
The fish bowl idea is cruel and evil that is so sad my cousin did that for his wedding and more the half of the fish ended up dying and the people who took the fish home some left it in there cars accidentally its a mess its so cruel to the poor animal.
the fish centerpice idea is wonderful! Only thing is how would the guest take the fish centerpiece home? wont it spill?!?!
My daughter was the flower girl at a wedding where they had goldfish as the centerpieces and the children got to take them home afterwards. For that one, they had two gold fish together in each bowl - a couple:D
I love the fish idea. We are planning a corporate event, and we are using the fishbowl idea, and using them as table giveaway prizes!
A nice centerpiece to use would be a different picture of the bride and groom in nice but cheap picture frames on each table surrounded by lit candles in a bowl full of marbles or colored rocks.
For my center pieces we took bright gerber daisys and stuck them in 3 different sized vases. The biggest one we used 3 flowers and cut up oranges and placed them in the vase with the flowers. and then the 2 one we used 2 flowers and used lemons and limes in the vase. and the third one we used baby grapes and used one flower. it not only looks good but smells good to.
For my wedding, this june, our color scheme is blues and we are getting blue beta fish. we will be putting them in a vase with blue marble like stones in the bottom and we will be putting a couple of blue spider flowers floating in the vase.
why you give the gold fish to kids and guests as gifts!
For the fish centerpiece you would just get a bowl and buy a cheap goldfish or something— put whatever you want in the bowl.
BEWARE! I have been to a wedding where they used a bowl with a goldfish and put a flower to float on top of the bowl but as the night went on some of the rowdy guests reached in and started squeezing and coming up with other ways to kill the fish as “fun”. So, that is sad. Also, after the wedding what will you do with all the fish— if they are still alive?
I really love the idea of fish as centrepieces. Do you know where I could find them in Toronto, Ontario?
Thanks.