The Center of Attraction at the Wedding Reception is the Centerpiece

Creating a beautiful reception area is an important part of the wedding plan. However, this can be quite overwhelming in addition to the other wedding plans. But, with some simple forethought, the reception area can look appropriate with the simple addition of wedding centerpieces for the tables.

The way you decorate the centerpieces on each table reflects the style and tone of your wedding. Centerpieces are the center of attraction for your guests throughout the duration of the meal. Elegant looking centerpieces can make a great difference in the overall impact of your wedding event.

The first thing that naturally comes to mind when we think of centerpieces is flowers. There are hundreds of varieties of floral centerpieces as they can be made from several kinds of flowers such as the lily or rose. You need to take some time and put some effort into shopping around various wedding suppliers. Once you've finalized your guest list, you can easily determine how many centerpieces you have to buy - one centerpiece is required for every table.

The easiest way to achieve nice wedding centerpieces is to simply have the wedding florist make centerpieces which use the same flowers as the wedding flowers. This will complete the look of the wedding décor and using the florist will ensure that the work will be done without adding to the stress of the wedding couple. This is a great idea for wedding centerpieces if cost is not a factor.

However, flowers do tend to be costly for a wedding. The bride can ask the florist for a less expensive style while still using the same floral theme. This may provide a good option and most florists are understanding of the need to stick to the wedding budget.

Another option that can save you some money is to go directly to the wholesaler and buy the flowers yourself. You can then ask some of your friends to design their own centerpieces using perhaps six or more tulips in a vase of glass.

If the floral decorations just become too costly for the wedding centerpieces there are other options.

You can altenatively use potted plants as the centerpieces. You may choose plants that match your color scheme and put them in decorated terracotta pots to produce a great effect. Or, you can place flowers on round mirrors to expand their appearance on the tables.

If you don't want to decorate the tables with floral centerpieces, there are other options as well.

Take a day and shop for some unique ideas at craft stores where your imagination can be inspired. A simple and very inexpensive idea is to use colorful confetti. The confetti can be cut into appropriate shapes such as bells or doves or it can just be cut into geometrical shapes. Sprinkling the confetti on a white table cloth will make a nice centerpiece.

Another cost effective option would be to use china teapots and teacups that the wedding couple or their family members own. These teapots and teacups do not need to match. Their beauty is in the individual designs. This is a nice way to bring a little bit of home into the reception. If the family doesn’t own much china the bride may consider purchasing some china for both the wedding centerpieces and then as the gifts for her attendants. This will help to cut cost by combining them.

Another possible idea for wedding centerpieces would be to use some clear glass jars or inexpensive vases. Filling these with water colored with food coloring and then adding a single long stem silk or fresh flower would be simple and economical. Using a color which complements the wedding colors would complete this look.

You may choose to use candles for centerpieces. They're beautiful and inexpensive. Timing of the reception is also an important factor if you want to decorate tables with candles. Candles are not advisable for afternoon receptions, however, candles look beautiful when the light at the venue is dim in the evening.

You can give a personal touch to the centerpieces by putting poems in your own writing or photographs of your family in decorated frames.

Creating a Themed Wedding Centerpiece
With a little imagination you can think of a wedding centerpiece that is truely special. A few months before the wedding, call your attendants together and brainstorm ideas; make it fun. Perhaps you are known for your love of chocolate – consider a variety of chocolate bars tied with decorative ribbon or designer hot cocoa for a winter wedding centerpiece. Fruits along with other eatables like chocolate, candy, lollipops or Hershey's kisses are also used as centerpieces. Perhaps someone knows how to make Christmas ornaments from clear glass balls – perfect for a pre-Christmas ceremony. Birdhouses are popular and they would be perfect for a spring or summer wedding; they can be made of either wood or ceramic, for indoors or outdoors.

Which decade did you absolutely love? Do you remember music groups such as Foreigner, the Steve Miller Band, or Aerosmith? The 1970s were fun, and there are plenty of retro and collectible stores where you can pick up items with which to create a decade-related centerpiece. Albums are available at most thrift stores (like Goodwill Industries) for as low as fifty cents apiece. Melt the vinyl record over a bowl in the microwave to serve as a base for the 1970s wedding centerpiece, then shop for little items that will remind guests of the era. Centerpieces don’t have to match – you can even create them for different decades or music genres.

Are you a police officer? Or, do you love Law & Order, CSI, the First 48, or other TV shows based on true crime issues? Consider a wedding centerpiece made with fake weapons, which are available anywhere – including a party supply store. Find plastic (or real) handcuffs, a squirt gun, and a badge, throw in a can of silly string (mace) and have a ball. You could even have silly string fights outside (because it can stain furniture, hardwood floors, and clothes).

Consider using tickets and/or playbills to create a theater-related wedding centerpiece. Small theatrical masks can be found almost anywhere, sometimes for as low as a dollar apiece. Run ribbon through the ends, fold, or roll up the front page of a playbill, and use black and white candies to decorate around the piece. If you have a favorite show or two (or three), make each wedding centerpiece slightly different, to reflect particular shows. If playbills are not available, download theater-performance graphics from the Internet and try designing something around the artwork.

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