As the provider of superior formalwear for children, the staff at KidsFormal.com has had the pleasure to be involved in many weddings over the years. We’ve helped brides of all budgets complete their wedding parties’ attire and have seen a number of centerpiece ideas as a result. If you are planning a wedding and haven’t been able to decide on your centerpieces, then you might find the following ideas helpful.
Mirrors and Candles – One of the more budget-friendly centerpiece ideas we’ve come across is the use of both mirrors and candles to create a romantic atmosphere at the reception. Most rental companies have square mirrors (1’x1’ or 18”x18”) available. This will be the base of your centerpiece, placed in the center of the tables. Then, you will need to either rent or provide your own candelabras to place on top of the mirrors.
Now, you can have each candelabra the same for all the tables, or you can create a more vintage effect (which can be quite elegant) by placing different candelabras on each table. For instance, say on one table you have a silver candelabra that holds 4 candles. On another table, place 3 individual candle holders (all different heights) to create a different effect. One thing to consider if you choose to use different candle holders on each table is that they should at least match in color. And, spray paint is a great, affordable way to achieve the matching look/color that you desire.
Cakes or Cupcakes – If you are working with a limited budget and are expecting a large number of people at your wedding, then you will most likely be looking for a way to feed everyone at a reasonable price. Consider using small (feed 8-10 people) cakes in the center of each of your tables at the reception. Since these aren’t wedding cakes, they won’t be nearly as expensive, and you can save even more money if you choose to create the cake illusion by grouping several iced cupcakes together instead of actual cakes. This will allow you to purchase a smaller wedding cake and groom’s cake because all of your guests will already have cake at their tables. And, you’ll be taking care of your centerpieces at the same time!
One thing to remember if you choose to use this idea is to be mindful of the color of icing you will have the cakes/cupcakes decorated with. Young children wearing formal boys’ suits and girls’ dresses can be messy so it may be best to stay away from colors that can stain easily.
Flowers and Water – Finally, you can create a very elegant and romantic feel by combining flowers and water for your centerpieces. All you have to do is purchase vases of various sizes, realistic looking flowers (have a rubbery feel to them) to match your colors and glass beads for the bottom of the vases. You’ll cut and place the a flower in each of the vases, securing it with the glass beads and then fill the vases to the top with water (covering the flowers). This is a very simple and inexpensive centerpiece idea that looks amazing.
Regardless of what type of centerpiece you decide to go with, you need to consider your guests. If you are going to have a large number of children present, you may want to limit the amount of fire that you have present as it can be easy for young girls’ dresses to catch on fire…or even little boys in tuxedos. Another consideration is brightly colored food. If using food for your centerpieces, try to keep the icing colors muted to avoid staining clothing as well as mouths, especially if pictures will be taken during the reception.