Centerpieces and Decorating with Centerpieces
Table Centerpiece Tips
Here are some tips to help you with centerpieces
Vary the size
Vary the size and style of your centerpiece (vases, baskets, etc.).
It gives a much more interesting and unique look to the room and overall
decor.
Be careful of tall centerpieces.
You want to make sure that they don't block the view of your guests or make
it difficult for them to converse with each other across the table.
Add sparkle to your table setting
Try sprinkling some glitter or confetti around the center of the table.
Don't choose flowers with a strong scent.
It can distract from the taste and enjoyment of the meal.
Ask your reception site if they have anything to offer
for centerpieces.
Some will include table centerpieces with the rental of your hall at no
extra charge. AND -- some will even give you a choice. However, some may not
offer this up for free, unless you ask.
Make a small centerpiece look larger
Use a mirror. You can rent round, flat mirrors from your local florist or
other party supply stores.
Great Centerpiece Ideas
Potted plants
Candles
Fresh Flowers
Party Favors
Bridesmaid Bouquets
Candy dishes
Floating Candles
Framed pictures (or poems)
Themed items (use your imagination to incorporate your theme into your
centerpieces - teddy bears, garden items, baby items, sports equipment).
Email us if we can help!
Fruit/Vegetables/Candy
Cheese and Crackers w/ fruit
Wishing wells filled with pens and paper for guests to leave words of
advice, best wishes, etc.
Baby pictures of guest of honor(s)
mini ice sculptures
Instant Centerpiece Ideas
Put lemons inside a regular florist's vase, fill with water and add
flowers.
Fill a shallow bowl with fresh fruit (apples, pears, oranges, etc.). Place
three tall flowers in the bowl and tie them together in the middle with ribbon.
Fill a vase with tulips. Place it inside a handled brown shopping bag and
cover the top of the bag with shredded paper.
Floral Centerpieces
Before meeting with a florist, or deciding on the types of flowers you
wish to use, determine a budget, and stick to it! Fresh flowers are
spectacular…nothing beats the glorious scent that fills the room…but they are
also costly.
If you have selected a theme for your party, use a theme-related item as the
base for your fresh floral centerpiece. For example, for a "Hollywood" theme,
ask your florist to place the arrangement inside an upside down flocked or
metallic top hat. For a western theme, an upside down cowboy hat or "glass boot"
mugs work perfectly. For a star theme, request that your florist add some
die-cut shimmer stars "shooting" from the top of the arrangement (they can use
floral wire, or metallic pipe cleaners).
Work with your florist to create centerpieces with flowers that coordinate
with your party theme colors. Be certain that the arrangements will not be too
large and overwhelming so that your guests cannot see each other across the
tables.
Instead of table numbers on each of the tables, use a different type of
flower on each table to represent the table where your guests are to sit. Create
full centerpieces of only one particular flower, working within one color
family, and place them on each table. When creating your place cards, write the
type of flower in place of the table number. Hint: Use easily recognizable
flowers that most people will be familiar with.
Use a single flower placed in our imprintable clear cylinder vase at each
place setting. Imprint the vase with your theme slogan or other special message
and ask your guests to each take one home as a thoughtful party favor.
For a less expensive floral centerpiece, consider using silk flowers
instead of fresh. You can create beautiful yet inexpensive vases by taking old
glass vases, found at garage sales, auctions and in your basement, and gluing
colored pieces of tissue paper along with confetti to the outside. Use a color
of tissue paper that will coordinate with your party theme colors.
The centerpieces don't have to be large and expensive. A simple vase with a
single flower and greenery can look elegant. Couple the vase with a mirror
surface and a few scattered gemstones or votive candles. This creates a
complete centerpiece at a fraction of the cost of a traditional arrangement.
Alternatives to Floral Centerpieces
CENTERPIECES WITH CANDLES:
Place three or more votive candleholders (clear, frosted or cracked ice) in
the center of your tables or clustered together at evenly spaced intervals on
a banquet type table. You can increase your brilliant light by placing a
mirror under one or two of the votives. Place the other candles around the
mirror and enjoy twice as much flickering light from the reflection. To add a
bit more glitz and glimmer, sprinkle confetti or place gemstones around the
votives. These will also reflect the light and add sparkle to your tables.
Use a confetti color that coordinates with your theme colors. Finish off your
centerpieces with your choice of votive candle color. Choose the color that
works best with your color scheme and enjoy the fabulous scent that will fill
the air.
A second option to consider is to use tapered candles. The elegant lines of
taper candles can dress up any table. Group them together in odd numbers
1,3,5, etc. At the base of the taper candles, place greenery, gemstones,
wired garland, puddled gossamer, or confetti. Place fresh flower petals
around the candles for an elegant touch.
If an enclosed flame is a must, try decorative candle lamps. These lamps can
be personalized with the date and theme slogan of your party or can be left
unimprinted. Place at the center of each table with flower petals, ivy
strands, confetti or curled ribbon scattered at the base.
Floating candles make a beautiful centerpiece for any party table. Delicate
candles in the shape of flowers, hearts or circles can easily be placed in
bowls, snifters, or other wide-mouth glassware pieces. Simply fill each
candle bowl with water (about halfway) and place a floating candle in each
bowl. Add color to the centerpieces by placing a sprig of greenery or
colorful confetti around the base of the glass. Add a few drops of food
coloring to the water if you wish to tint it to match your theme colors.
Another color option is to add gemstones inside the glass container.
CENTERPIECES WITH BALLOONS:
Balloons are an affordable and easy product to use to create centerpieces.
Select balloons and curling ribbon to match your theme colors. Inflate the
balloons (always use an odd number-3, 5, or 7) with helium and let the
colorful bouquets float above the table. Make sure the balloons float well
above eye level so guests can easily see each other across the table. Secure
the balloons by tying the ribbons to Mylar covered weights, floral vases,
upside -down top hats, or other theme-related items.
If you prefer not to use helium, attach the balloons to balloon sticks and
holders and create a bouquet with balloons. Fill a simple vase, metallic
tote bag, or other colorful base with metallic shred, gemstones or brightly
colored tissue.
GLOW CENTERPIECES:
For a fun-festive centerpiece, place glow necklaces in a vase to create
glow-in-the-dark magic. Place the necklaces in the vase prior to creating
the circular piece.
UNIQUE CENTERPIECES:
Use a pedestal-style cake platter as a centerpiece to display a combination
of flowers and fruits. For example, pears and apples blend beautifully with
a mixture of white flowers. Around the base of the pedestal, tie a flowing
streamer of gossamer or wired organza ribbon. The fruit can easily be added
with toothpicks to a block, cone, or sphere of floral foam.
Place tall topiaries in hand-painted or sponged flowerpots. Fill the
topiaries with sugared or fresh fruit, dried or wild flowers, or lemon
leaves. Twist gossamer streamers from the top of the topiary to the base,
and allow the streamers to flow 10-15" down the table.
Fill crystal or glass bowls with colorful glass ornaments to match your
party theme colors. Place the bowl on a bed of metallic shred or confetti in
complementary colors.
A goldfish bowl filled with little colorful fish is unique and guests can
choose who takes the bowl home.
A large collage of photos featuring the guest of honor makes a wonderful and
personal centerpiece idea.
A large ornate candelabra is both unique and grand.
Decorative oil lanterns (perfect for Western or Victorian themed
parties).
Fine China teapots are great for Garden Parties, Tea Parties, Victorian
Parties, or afternoon receptions.
Elegant feathers in theme colors make simple but elegant centerpieces.
Use gossamer bows to "gift-wrap" tables. Create a large bow in the middle of
the table, and then drape the ends of the ribbon to the floor.
Silver bowls filled with exotic fruits make elegant and edible centerpieces.
Ice sculptures are perfect for winter gatherings.
Small statues of angels, Cupid, and other ancient figures are
romantic. Sprinkle gold or silver confetti around the statues for extra
glitz.
Spray paint seasonal fruits and/or vegetables (for example for a fall party,
choose pumpkins, various gourds and autumn leaves) with either gold paint,
or a color to complement your theme colors. Twist strands of gossamer
streamers through the arranged pieces for a stunning effect.
CENTERPIECE BASES:
To create a simple color theme under your chosen centerpieces, cut squares,
circles or other shapes of gossamer and layer them down the center of the
table. As the gossamer overlaps, different color hues will be created to
match your color theme.
Mirrors are a simple base piece to create the illusion of size. Place a
single mirror or several mirrors together to start your centerpiece and add
flowers, balloons, candles or other decorative elements
Back to Decorating Main Page
Themed Decorating Tips
ReasonToParty is pleased to provide this
free information to you to help you plan your upcoming party or event.
Would you like to help us keep this information free? Then please
consider donating. We thank you sincerely!
ReasonToParty has your Centerpieces
|
