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Happy August to all my beautiful brides! I received such an overwhelming response to my two previous bridal posts that I decided to put together another wedding-related blog for ya.. today’s edition is all about CENTERPIECES!
Your centerpieces are important. Why? Because your guests will be staring at them for the majority of your wedding day – pretty much anytime they’re not staring at you, dancing, or standing in line at the bar. So, you’ll want them to be pretty, an appropriate size so that your guests can still see each other, & you’ll want them to encompass some personal elements.
Oh, & most importantly.. you’ll want them to be reasonably priced, because you will most likely be purchasing 12 or more of them. *Check with your venue first before using candles – some may be against the open flame aspect.
Depending on your themes & color schemes, here are some ideas to get you inspired & where to find the materials to get them put together:
Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links. If you choose to purchase any of the items I recommend, I may receive a small commission. Click here to learn more about affiliate links.
Painted mason jars with flowers are an elegant & inexpensive centerpiece option. You can buy the jars already painted & ready to go pretty much anywhere – Amazon has them in sets, & so does Etsy. If the pre-painted jar is a little too costly for your taste, you can also buy your own in bulk & paint them yourself using chalk or milk paint. Chalk & milk paints are BEST for providing full coverage of the jar, & giving them a vintage, rustic look like the one displayed in the picture above. If you want to take it a step further, you can buy glitter finishing spray & give your jars some added sparkle.
Add in season flowers or some real touch fake bouquets – & boom, elegant af with minimal effort.
You can’t go wrong with wood rounds. They tie the entire centerpiece together, especially if you have a rustic theme, or your wedding is in the fall. There are hundreds of different ideas you can use wood rounds as the foundation for. You can save extra coin if you have some old tree trunks in the backyard that you can slice up (then you just have to dry out the slices). Or, if a neighbor recently had some trees taken down, don’t be shy – go over & ask if you can take some of the pieces! If not, you can find them online in a few different places.
Another classic centerpiece accent is decorative lanterns like the Kate Aspen ones shown above. (They come in black, white, or a vintage teal color & you can buy them in packs of 12 for $65.) For a pretty summertime centerpiece, pair the lantern with some sand & seashells. You can either buy in bulk online or if you live near the beach, going out & getting it for free courtesy of Mother Nature. **just make sure you clean the shells! For the base of the centerpiece, you can use a charger plate to keep the sand contained.
A centerpiece with lights incorporated into it adds a little something extra to the ambiance of the room. (Whenever you incorporate light, keep in mind you will have to purchase something that is battery operated, if you are unable to use open flame.) Battery powered fairy lights look gorgeous inside of a vintage liquor bottle or mason jars. Pair this with a mirrored base to really accentuate the effect!
Another way to add light to your centerpieces is by adding these pre-lit tree branches – stick them in a flower bowl with some acrylic gems for filler, & you have the perfect fall/winter wedding centerpiece. If your wedding is in the winter, use this artificial snow in the bowl or frost the outside of the glass with this spray. Instant winter wonderland!
If you’ve got the time for a little DIY & you’re a bride on a budget, here’s a cheap centerpiece base idea that I’m doing for my own wedding! I bought a bunch of these mini wood pallets for $4.97 apiece (also available at Walmart), bought chalk paint in brown & gray colors, & glitter finishing spray. I then painted all the pallets & used the finishing spray on them (spray them outdoors!) while they were drying.
I made them look distressed by painting them with the brown paint first, then going back over small sections with the gray paint once the first coat was dry. You can get as creative as you want with these pallets, & utilize as many colors as you want! This option adds a little personal touch to your centerpieces, while saving you some money at the same time!
*the Waverly brand chalk paints can also be found at Walmart for about $2 per container
I LOVE these pre-lit birch trees for a fall or winter wedding. They’re clean, yet dramatic enough to stand on their own. At $23.99 for a 2 pack, you can keep things affordable too!
For spring/summer weddings, this pre-lit cherry blossom tree adds the perfect amount of light & color to any table. Added bonus – you can change the colors (there’s 16 of them!) or set them to alternate automatically if you can’t decide on just one.
For summertime/nautical themed weddings, this beautiful lighthouse candle holder is to diE foR. TA DIE. It can stand completely by itself & be perfect in every way, or you can add onto it by scattering seashells at it’s base. REALLY pretty, & REALLY easy.
Another wedding centerpiece essential is the table number – otherwise your guests might wander around confused for a bit. Pictured above is an unfinished, wooden option that you can easily paint to match your color schemes. For $16.99, you get numbers 1-20 which should be more than enough depending on how many tables you have.
A slightly pricier option is the acrylic table numbers shown above ($50). However, they have the stands included & enough for up to 20 tables. I also love the sleek, clean design of the acrylic. Plus, they’re transparent, so they’ll allow your other decor to show through.. leaving no minor detail hidden.
Table number cards are a quick & painless design format that you can utilize in various picture frame styles. This style comes in both silver & gold, & for $15 you’re covered from tables 1-30. I loved this idea, & I picked up a bunch of vintage picture frames from my local thrift store for $1 each to put the cards in!
If you decide to utilize a bottle centerpiece, these vinyl table number stickers are PERFECT. You just stick them on & you’re ready to party. This also keeps your tables from looking cluttered if you have a lot of other table accents.
I’ve said it a million times, but I’ll go ahead & say it again: I’m extra. I like shiny shit. Therefore, I couldn’t resist adding sequins not only to my bridesmaids’ dresses, but to my table cloths as well. They come in a bunch of different colors so you can mix & match depending on your color scheme/wedding season. Sequins will add a little twinkle to all your pictures, & let’s just be real.. they’re fun to look at.
I’ll add more as I go, girls – if you have any centerpieces you particularly loved or used, please post them & tag me! 🤍🤍🤍
*For other more wedding planning tips every bride should know, click here.
*For help finding your dream wedding gown, here’s a list of retailers to get you started!
