How To: Make Beach-Themed Wedding Centerpieces

These beach-themed centerpieces are quick and easy to make – not to mention inexpensive. Below is a list of materials and instructions for making 15 centerpieces. I have included the location where we purchased each item, and the price – however you may be able to find these same items in a different store for another price if these stores are not available to you.

MATERIALS

15 Clear Plastic Plant Pot Liners, 14” – We bought ours at Frank’s for $1.59 each. You will need one for each centerpiece. If you have a little extra money, consider purchasing clear glass liners instead for a more elegant look. If you stick with the plastic liners, you may also consider purchasing or making a round wooden board to place under the centerpiece, as the flimsy plastic is hard to move about once the sand has been added. The board will allow you to easily move centerpieces to different tables, and make clean-up go much quicker.

1 Bag of Playground Sand, 25 lb. – This we purchased at Home Depot for $4.00 a bag. One bag was sufficient for 15 centerpieces.

We purchased the following items at A.C. Moore’s – a local craft store – however these items can be found in many other craft stores, such as Michael’s or Frank’s, if you do not have an A.C. Moore’s near you.


15 Baskets of Shells – We found these on sale for $1.00 per basket. We purchased one for each centerpiece. Surprisingly, we found purchasing large bags of shells was more expensive than buying the individual baskets for the same amount of shells. Also, you can use the left over baskets for out-of-town guest baskets. We filled ours with some Easter grass, a scented candle and some homemade soap, and left them in the hotel rooms we had blocked.


1 Can of Gloss Varnish Spray – This cost about $4.00, and one can is sufficient for all of the centerpieces. Use this to give the seashells a shiny look. The varnish also makes colored shells look more vibrant against the sand. If you’d like, you may sprinkle some glitter on the wet shells just after spraying them with varnish to give them an extra sparkle. Be sure to spray the shells in a well ventilated area – we recommend outdoors. Allow the shells to dry for at least 20 minutes before placing them near a burning candle.


45 Votive Candles in Clear Glass Votive Holders – The votive candles we found at 3 for $1.00. The votive holders were $0.69 each. You will need three candles and three holders for each centerpiece. Make sure to check the labels on the votive candles to see how long they will burn. If you are having a four hour long reception, consider buying votives that will last at least 6 hours. This way, guests may take home the centerpieces and use them to decorate their own homes.


15 8” by 3” Pillar Candle – Purchase one pillar candle for each centerpiece, again checking the label to see how long it will burn. Ours cost $2.00 each.


1 Bag of Pearled Planting Marbles, Flat – We used about 10 - 15 marbles for each centerpiece. The bag cost approximately $5.00.


Total Price for Each Centerpiece: $10.53


ASSEMBLY

Spray the shells with varnish at least the day before the wedding and allow them to dry thoroughly overnight.

Place the pot liner on desired table and center the large pillar candle in the middle of the liner. Pour sand around the candle to secure in place. We used about 2 – 3 cups of sand for each centerpiece, however use your best judgement to distribute the bag of sand evenly among the number of centerpieces you are making.

Wiggle votive candleholders into the sand. Try to space them out evenly around the centerpiece, so that each side of your table will enjoy the candlelight. Drop shells randomly around the centerpiece, again trying to give each side an equal number of shells. Allowing shells to randomly fall into place will give the centerpiece a more realistic beach look. Toss a few marbles into any spot of sand that looks bare.

And that’s all there is to it. Be sure to keep matches handy and coordinate with a few of your wedding party members or catering servers ahead of time. Let them know what time to light the candles so that you will not have to worry about it throughout the evening.