Creating A Grand Wedding Centerpiece: A Step-By-Step Guide

Planning a wedding can be an expensive and time-consuming endeavour, but making your own centrepieces can be a fun and creative way to save money and add a personal touch to your big day. From floral arrangements to fruit displays, there are endless options for DIY centrepieces that will wow your guests. Whether you're looking for something traditional or unique, there are plenty of ideas to choose from that will suit any wedding theme and budget.

Using fruit

Tropical Splash Centrepiece

Fill a large, overflowing vase with vibrant oranges, lemons, and pineapples to bring a tropical vibe to your wedding reception. This centrepiece will add a touch of the exotic to your decor and bring a sense of joy and festivity to your special day.

Bountiful Berry Branches

Incorporate branches laden with berries into your centrepiece for a unique and striking display. This idea combines natural elements with the vibrancy and colour of fresh berries.

Peachy Perfection

Fill a rustic wooden crate with fresh, juicy peaches. The soft orange hue of the peaches against the natural wood creates a beautiful aesthetic, perfect for a summer wedding.

Harvest Apple Display

Fill a rustic wooden tray with a variety of red and green apples. This simple yet stunning centrepiece celebrates the bounty of the autumn harvest, and the contrasting colours add visual interest.

Gilded Fruit

For a touch of glamour, consider spray painting apples, pears, or pomegranates in gold or silver. This will create a luxurious and elegant centrepiece that is sure to impress your guests.

Citrus and Greenery

Arrange slices of citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, and grapefruits in a large glass vase or bowl and add some inexpensive greenery. This centrepiece will be refreshing and budget-friendly.

Candles and tea lights

Hanging Candles

Hanging candles from the ceiling, a chandelier, or a tree branch can create a magical and surreal effect. Combine hanging candles with greenery or flowers for a natural and organic look. This idea works especially well for outdoor weddings, creating a fairy-tale setting.

Votive Candles

Votive candles are small, inexpensive, and versatile, making them a popular choice for wedding centerpieces. Place them in clear glass votive holders, mason jars, or vintage teacups for a charming and nostalgic touch. Group them together in clusters or scatter them across the table for a dynamic effect. You can also experiment with different scents, such as lavender, vanilla, or cinnamon, to add another layer of sensory appeal.

Pillar Candles

Pillar candles are elegant and timeless, creating a soft, warm glow. Use pillar candles of different heights and widths to create a dynamic and textured effect. Place them on a bed of flowers or greenery, or use them as a base for other centerpiece elements such as vases, lanterns, or figurines. Experiment with various colours, such as blush, gold, or navy, to match your wedding theme.

Floating Candles

Floating candles are an effortless and elegant way to incorporate candlelight into your centerpiece design. Fill vases or bowls with water and float candles on top. Add flowers or floating petals for a more intricate design. This idea is perfect for outdoor weddings, as the candles reflect on the water, creating a dreamy effect.

Candelabras

Candelabras create a traditional and elegant look. Gold candelabras, in particular, can easily elevate a simple display and create a formal soirée. For a vintage or eclectic look, scour thrift stores and flea markets for an affordable, mismatched selection of candelabras and candle holders.

Tea Lights

Tea lights are small candles that can be used in a variety of ways. Place them in gold-rimmed containers, hang them from trees in little glass circles, or suspend them from a chandelier. Mix and match metallic containers (each filled with a tea light) to create a simple yet modern display.

Flowers and foliage

For a classic arrangement, a clear glass globe or cube is a great choice. You can use hardy, large-headed flowers such as roses, which will take between 30 and 60 minutes to arrange. Depending on the size of your container, you will need about 50 to 75 stems. You can make these centerpieces the day before the wedding, but make sure you have your containers ready and filled with clean water.

If you want to add height and drama to your centerpieces, consider using tall vases or floral installations. These can be made with a variety of flowers and foliage, such as orchids, delphinium, baby's breath, amaranthus, anthuriums, cherry blossom branches, or hydrangeas. Tall centerpieces not only add visual interest but also allow guests to see each other easily across the table.

When creating your floral arrangements, start by organizing your flowers and materials. Remove the flowers from their boxes and straighten the stems, arranging them by color and size. Then, prepare your vase by cutting the floral foam to fit the opening and inserting it inside. Choose a large flower to be your focal point and cut the stem to your desired length before inserting it into the vase. Add two more flowers behind the focal point, forming a triangle, with one flower high, one in the middle, and one low. Continue adding flowers to create new triangles, alternating colors, sizes, and types.

To add height and visual interest to your centerpieces, incorporate foliage and leaves. You can use a variety of leaves, such as salal, to create an "armature" or frame for your arrangement. Add smaller pieces of greenery to "collar" and disguise the design. You can also use foliage to fill in any gaps or holes in your arrangement.

DIY terrariums

Use Preserved Flowers

Go for a rustic or bohemian vibe with preserved flowers, which give a warm, homemade feel. You can prepare these centrepieces ahead of time, and they are a great option if you want to include natural flowers in your design.

Hang Your Centrepiece Above the Table

If your venue allows, hang your terrarium centrepiece above the table instead of placing it on top. You can use lots of tiny terrariums instead of one large piece and add pops of colour with tropical flowers or tea lights.

Live Succulent Terrariums

Succulent terrariums are a great option if you want to create a horticultural project. They are visually striking and can be cheaper to make, as you can buy small succulents in bulk.

Full-On Floral Fantasy

Match your terrarium centrepieces with your bouquet or the flowers used in other decorations. You can use the terrariums to line the aisle during the ceremony to create a cohesive look.

Try a Wooden Frame

For an unconventional geometric design, use a wooden frame instead of a traditional glass container. You can get creative and dress up the frame with elements that suit your wedding theme.

Orchid Terrariums

Orchid terrariums are an effortless and elegant option for your centrepiece. You can use different coloured orchids or stick to a single colour scheme. Orchids work perfectly in any glassware, including a black Wardian case.

Create a Soft Lighting Moment

Use fairy lights or candles in your terrarium centrepiece to create a cozy atmosphere. Just be sure to follow safety precautions and avoid mixing electricity or fire with water or flammable materials.

Repurposing household items

Vases and Cylinders

A vase or cylinder is a versatile household item that can be transformed into a beautiful wedding centrepiece. Fill it with rocks, candy, fruit, sticks, twigs, or flowers. For a unique touch, try using a glass pitcher instead of a traditional vase, and add sliced limes to the bottom for a pop of colour.

Mirrors

Small accent mirrors can add character to your table. Place flowers or candles on top of the mirrors, or get creative and attach mason jars with twine and candles inside.

Candlesticks

Candlesticks are a great way to add ambiance to your wedding tablescape. You can find affordable options at IKEA or thrift stores. Paint them to match your wedding colour palette if desired.

Scarves

Scarves can be used as table runners or draped around a centrepiece for a whimsical touch. Choose scarves in colours that complement your wedding theme.

Fruit

Fruit is a trendy and colourful addition to centrepieces. Lemons, limes, oranges, or grapefruit can be displayed whole in a vase or cylinder, or sliced and placed in water in a jar. For a sunset-inspired colour scheme, fill a large glass bowl with peaches, oranges, and cherries.

Twigs and Sticks

For a simplistic and natural centrepiece, place tall twigs or sticks in a cylinder, especially for a fall or winter wedding. Combine with fruit or mason jars for added interest.

Baskets

Baskets are perfect for creating flower arrangements or displaying other items such as fruit or candy. They can be made from various materials to suit your wedding style.

Cake Stands

Don't limit cake stands to just cakes! Use them as serving trays or to display other centrepiece items.

Fabric

Fabric can be used as a table runner or bunched together in the centre. Burlap is a great option to wrap around jars, vases, or cylinders, especially for a rustic or holiday wedding.

Levels

Add levels to your centrepiece by using books or other items to create a staggered arrangement. This is a fun way to display serving trays and can work well for buffet-style receptions.

Frequently asked questions