How To: Wedding Centerpiece Alternatives

Although the trend in floral centerpieces is now to have smaller, tightly clustered bunches of peonies, tulips, roses, or other flowers, the price tag is still high for each one. If your budget is better spent on the menu or your gown, you might consider skipping the pretty floral centerpieces in favor of non-flower items.

Candles are a popular option today, as many brides are choosing white or pale hued pillar candles of varying heights with rose petals sprinkled on the table around the base. The look of flickering candles around the room is a lovely, romantic option compared to the traditional look of floral pieces of yesteryear.

Fruit sculptures are not just fruit baskets, but elegantly arranged stacks of fruit in pretty glass bowls. No dye lot does as wonderful a job of producing lovely hues as Mother Nature, and you may find that a bowl of ripe pears matches your maids’ gowns exactly. Consider pale lemons, green apples, or a collection of exotic fruit such as star fruit and kiwi, papayas, mangoes, and plantains.

You maybe have seen the simple breadbaskets on your table at a restaurant, but your centerpieces may be an overflowing collection of Italian rolls, marble rye, pumpernickel, grissini, and other mouthwatering breads. Have your caterer provide a selection of spreads such as garlic butter, spiced butters, whipped vegetable cream cheese, virgin olive oil, or tapenade. Your guests will love digging into your centerpieces.

For a beach-theme wedding, nothing is easier or less expensive than a glass bowl filled with some sand and a collection of seashells. Craft stores carry bags of shells for just a few dollars, and in my personal opinion, a starfish should be included in each one. It adds a little something to an already wonderful centerpiece.

Topiaries are a wonderful and lovely idea for a garden wedding, or just a simple outdoor wedding. Placed in the center of the table with a few fall, spring, or summer leaves would make an elegant and rememberable centerpiece.

Nothing will get your guests mingling more than a display of family wedding pictures and lovely shots of the two of you. Family members there will remember those weddings and love to describe it to other guests.

If you have wrapped your favors, the wrapped gifts can be stacked attractively to make an eye-catching centerpiece.

For an elegant look, a polished silver candelabra can provide romantic lighting and ambience.

For a fall wedding, you can get miniature pumpkins to place on the tables with fall confetti tossed around them.

These are just some ideas to choose from or to elaborate from. If you will have a theme wedding, your centerpiece may reflect your theme. If you will have a child’s table, you might supply coloring books and small, quiet, handheld computer games to occupy the kids’ time and attention. The options are up to your creativity and budget, and to the vision you have for your wedding day.