wedding centrepieces

Does the venue gave anything you could use? I only ask because my venue is expensive but she has said that I can have a look at everything they have and use whatever I like.

Alot of people sell their stuff after their weddings on ebay or here, so keep an eye on that.

Do you have a theme or feel you want for your wedding? you could make something maybe?

Do you have a theme at all? Can you use candles? Always check with your venue as some will not allow naked flames.What area are you in as we have lots of items we hire out.

There are lots of alternatives to flowers that can be done on a budget, here are a few ideas:

very nice Sherrie

I was looking at ebay for centrepieces, I don't know what your budget is but there are

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110501642313&var=410001665492&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

for a tenner each

or

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/6-GLASS-TABLE-CENTREPIECES-FLOATING-CANDLES-WEDDINGS_W0QQitemZ190470799310QQcategoryZ46782QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp4340.m263QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DDLSL%252BSIC%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA%252BUA%252BFICS%252BUFI%252BDDSIC%26otn%3D8%26pmod%3D190467916268%252B190467916268%26po%3D%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D5153020289525120042

at a fiver each (they are not pink, it is coloured water). I nearly went for the cheaper ones until I managed to get some artificial topiary trees that matched my colour scheme for a fiver each.

It appears I can't post links, so sorry for the silly formatting but I've tried to make it easier for you to copy and paste the links.

Hi Kristal,

I haven't checked with the venue- thanks for that, I'll defo check!

My theme is romantic/ vintage/ classic. My dress is lace and as it's a spring wedding I thought pale, light colours.

I want to keep everything really minimal. I've checked ebay just for tealight holders and they were a pound each! I have found three for £1.75 in Primark- brilliant!

Gorgeous Sherrie- looks perfect! Lots of ideas there that i can work with. I'm in North London and so is the wedding venue

Thanks dotcomm, exactly the kind of things I like! The prices are good too. I'll check for the candles too...

feeling more and more to just go with what i find to be most affordable rather than totally perfect!

Welcome to Hitched Rizzie I am having a vintage/ shabby chic/ tea party theme and am on a very tight budget. We are having loads of tiny bottles/ jam jars/ tea cups/ tea pots etc and filling them with whatever flowers my florist can buy on the day in order to get as many as we can for the price we are paying. There will be some that can only hold 1 stem so this way is actually working out very cheap (I almost fainted when I saw the quote as it was so under what I htought it was going to be).

If you need any help or advice feel free to contact me. We cover Nationwide so London is an hour away for me.

Hi and welcome to hitched! You will find so much help on here! I have designed quite a few vintage style weddings this year and have recently presented a design book to a client with the same theme. To make it a bit different ( and they too were on a budget) I added in an additional theme of picture frames taken from the small ornate frames she had already bought for the tables and then saw these stunning table centrepieces and escort card table. They use very few flowers but by combing different vessels/bowls it creates a wonderful effect. Her grandmother works in a charity shop and is collecting teapots and teacups and now picture frames. We are going to place lace into the middle of the frames and paint the frames in her colours to co-ordinate everything. You can then use the frames in your stationery/table plans/ menus or tables numbers etc.

I also saw these cake stands in Homebase today for only £3.75 each!! You could either stand other vases/teacups/teapots etc on it, place a small display of flowers onto it or a collection of candles which you could then wrap pearl bead garlands around to add more vintage elements as well as scattering pearl beads onto the table and around tealights in votives.

http://www.homebase.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=20001&partNumber=771470&c_3=3%7Ccat_14522655%7CServingware%7C14522664&c_2=2%7Ccat_16849245%7CTableware%7C14522655&c_1=1%7Ccategory_root%7CFurniture+and+Homewares%7C16849245

Hope that helps a bit

Ruth

x

Hi Tinks and Ruth,

the teapots are such a novel and fun idea ? that would never have occurred to me to do! I will look in charity shops from now on too and get the frames...

Ruth, are you putting a sheet of lace under the glass in the picture frame and then putting the mane cards on top for before the wedding breakfast? How is it then moved over? I did see some really cheap teal light holders in Primark today but think I'll hold off now until I have finalised the exact look.

So many great, and inexpensive ideas out there!

love this, want something like this myself!

No, these are escort cards, very American but I prefer them to a traditional table plan as it's easier for guests to find where they're sitting. You have a card with their name and the table they are sitting on laid out on a table (or any other way, hanging from a ribbon, tied around a tree, placed onto lollipops, so many ways of doing them)in alphabetical order and then you would also have a place card on the table too, unless you allow them to sit where they want on the table, but most people in this country like to know which is their seat.

I have sometimes put the escort cards onto trays and walked around the guests during drinks handing out the escort cards. Not only does this make sure I know that every guest knows where they are sitting, saving a bottleneck at the door to the reception room, but it adds a higher level of service and it makes it more personal. Guests can also enjoy the reception without having to go and spend a few minutes at the table plan. Not a big deal but it's the little things that people remember!

We're putting lace into the frame for the tables and then putting the centrepieces on top as opposed to having a mirror plate or something similar, just to add colour and texture to the table. We're painting the frames in Teal and Silver which are her colours to help pull the colours onto the table.

Thanks for the heads up on the tealights/votives in teal, they could be perfect for this scheme, will defo have a look!

Ruth

x

There are lots of ways of incorporating Vintage into centrpieces:

These are such lush pictures!! The tea pot/ cup and saucer is definitely something I'm going to now incorporate!

Think I'll add that, the frames with the lace, the pearls and tealights/ candles- what do you all think? Too much?

The escort cards look lovely but I'm not sure how well they can be managed or if the guests will 'get it' ! lol

x

I have to say that I think if I wasn't there 'advising' people or physically taking the cards round it could get over looked as people are so used to table plans. The other thing I would say going the other way is, give some thought as to who will be setting your tables up. I am obviously designing each table individually, so four tables will have smaller arrangements such as the ones in the pics and the other four are having 1m tall silver candelabras with pearls and individually wired flowers attached to them but still using the frames as the base on each table to tie them together. I will be there on the day to set up each table which would be hard to explain to a hotel co-ordinator and to trust they will get it right. If it is down to the venue, keep it simple

There are so many ways of using frames for a table plan. You could also put some mdf into frame painted with blackboard paint and write the names on (easy to amend if there are last minute changes, one word of advice, try not to go for a pre printed table plan as if you have people drop out, you can't change it without printing the whole thing again which if it's done professionally, very hard to get done in time!) or find a large mirror (The Range have fantastic large ornate framed mirrors for £35!!!) and write the names on in non permanent pens!

I found this & thought it was a fab way for a Vintage Theme:

OMG OMG OMG!!!!! I NEED THIS IN ONE OF MY WEDDINGS!!!! Totally Love it Sher! Fab xxx

Oooooo, what about an Orient Express theme, 1920'2/30's romantic, travel theme??!!!??? My brain is going into overdrive, so need to do this for someone now! lol x

And some more:

WOW Sherrie!! I agree, these pics are so cool! It's so Pirates of the Caribbean the treasure chest! I really love the pearls!!

Now you're just teasing me you naughty minx!

Haha!! i love the one with the pearls on the left of the chest, so elegant!!!

Now I have to look at how I can make this!

Ruth- i didn't even think about the pre-printed table plans- d'oh! I found a lady on ebay who is going to print it for me but I'm thinking the mirror idea is good...

loving this site ladies, you're all so fabulously helpful!! xx

It reminds me of a Titanic Theme! You could base the theme around pearls

Ha Ha Sher, you could give your guests all a life jacket!! (and off I go...on a tangent!)

I know my brain is doing overtime here too Ruth!! What's the song " Don't stop me now, I'm having such a good time"!!!

Well I will have to leave you to it I'm afraid.....have to get on and finish putting the decorations up, tree done, rest to do now and I really can't be bloody arsed!!! Have promised Charlie though it will be done for the morning.

Will check back later to see what else you came up with! Enjoy!

x