Crafting Wedding Table Decorations: A Guide To Diy Centerpieces

Wedding decorations can be expensive, but there are plenty of ways to make your own table decorations for your big day. From simple, elegant designs to colourful, vibrant displays, there are endless ways to make your wedding tables stand out.

If you're looking for a budget-friendly option, simple wedding table decorations like textured runners and table numbers can bring extra style to your venue. Flowers and greenery are a popular choice for wedding tables, with floral centrepieces, garlands, and rose petals all making an appearance. You can also use flowers in other design projects, such as creating a flower wall or adding flowers to your place settings. Candles and lanterns can also add a dreamy glow to your tables, while also acting as accent pieces.

For a rustic wedding, consider using wooden crates, burlap table runners, and pampas grass centrepieces. Succulents and cacti are perfect for a bohemian or desert-themed wedding, while olive branches and slabs of wood can add a rustic touch. For a modern wedding, try a monochromatic colour scheme, clean lines, and acrylic or glass details.

The options are endless when it comes to wedding table decorations, and with a bit of creativity, you can make your own centrepieces and displays that reflect your unique style and personality.

Multi-level candles

Choose the Right Candles

Select candles of different heights and silhouettes to bring visual interest to your tablescape. Mix tall candles, such as taper or pillar candles, with shorter votives or tea lights. You can also play with colours and textures to create a unique and captivating display. Consider using tapered candles of varying lengths or skinny taper candles in trendy colours like peach fuzz or pastel tones. For a modern twist, opt for sleek cylinder vases or gold-rimmed containers for your candles.

Enhance with Candle Holders

Candle holders and vases can elevate your candle display and add to the overall aesthetic of your wedding. For a classic look, choose candelabras, either in gold for a formal feel or crystal for a romantic, intimate vibe. For a more modern or eclectic style, mix and match metallic containers, such as gold and silver candlesticks, or opt for funky coloured-glass holders. If you're going for a rustic theme, wooden crates or textured glass holders can be a great choice.

Create a Magical Atmosphere

Candles not only add visual appeal but also enhance the ambiance of your wedding. The soft glow of candlelight creates a flattering and romantic atmosphere and looks amazing in photographs. If you're allowed to use open flames, consider hanging tea lights or votive candles from trees or suspending them from the ceiling to create a magical sky-of-stars effect. For a unique twist, incorporate disco balls or hanging light fixtures with your candles to add a playful touch.

Safety Considerations

When using real candles, always prioritise safety. Check with your venue if open flames are permitted, and if not, opt for battery-powered flameless candles. Ensure that candles are enclosed and kept away from any greenery or floral arrangements to prevent fires. Consider using candle shields or lanterns, especially if your wedding is outdoors, to protect the flames from being blown out by the wind.

Other Tips

• If you're on a budget, buying candles and holders in bulk or from thrift shops can help you save money.
• Mix candles with other decorative elements like flowers, foliage, or disco balls to create a stunning and unique display.
• Candles with a signature scent can add another layer of sensory experience to your wedding.
• For a cohesive look, choose candle colours that complement your wedding theme and venue.

Rustic charm

Rustic weddings have become increasingly popular over the years, and it's easy to see why. The natural, uncomplicated details of a rustic wedding create a charming atmosphere.

If you're looking to add a rustic charm to your wedding tables, here are some ideas to get you started:

Burlap and Lace

Burlap is the perfect material to achieve that rustic look. Consider using burlap table runners, decorated with lace for added elegance. You can also create burlap and lace chair decorations, with huge burlap bows and lace centres, perfect for naming the chairs at your reception.

Flowers and Greenery

Flowers and foliage are essential for creating a rustic feel. For a simple, yet effective centrepiece, place a few sprigs of foliage and wildflowers in bud vases. You could also hang mason jar vases with lace or burlap and flowers of your choice from the ceiling or along the aisle. For a more extravagant display, create a flower chandelier using fresh or silk flowers.

Candles

Candles are a great way to add a warm, rustic glow to your wedding tables. For a simple centrepiece, opt for distressed wooden candle holders. You can make these yourself by buying candle holders from a thrift store and distressing them. For a more complex arrangement, create a rustic driftwood candelabra, decorated with succulents and taper candles.

Wooden Details

Wooden details are a must for a rustic wedding. For a unique ring holder, consider using a small wooden stump, personalised with your initials. You can also use wooden circles as table displays, holding mason jar vases or cake displays. For a fun DIY project, make rustic twig letters to spell out words or numbers for your tables.

Other Ideas

• Use wooden crates instead of vases for your flowers.
• Hang a rustic wish tree, where guests can leave cards and cash gifts.
• Create a rustic ladder display, decorated with wooden letters, flowers, or candles.
• Use wine barrels as gorgeous flower holders for your ceremony or reception.
• Opt for a rustic guest book, with guests signing their names directly onto a slab of wood.

With these ideas and a bit of creativity, you can easily add a rustic charm to your wedding tables.

DIY floral arrangements

Choose your flowers and colours:

Select flowers that complement your wedding colour scheme. You can use fresh flowers or artificial flowers, which tend to be more cost-effective and long-lasting. Roses are a popular choice, but you can also mix and match different types of flowers to create a unique and custom look.

Create a greenery base:

Start by preparing a greenery base for your floral arrangement. Cut eucalyptus or other types of greenery garlands into different lengths and assemble them together using wire and hot glue. This will serve as the foundation for your centrepiece.

Add flowers to the design:

Now, it's time to add the fun part – the flowers! Begin by placing the largest or your favourite flower in the centre of the greenery base. Then, surround it with other flowers to form a diamond-shaped or asymmetrical arrangement. Alternate between different types of flowers to create a unique and interesting design.

Prepare a freestanding base:

To create freestanding floral arrangements, cut flower mud to fit into a half-dome base or a decorative pot or vase. Cover the bottom of the base with cardboard and secure it with hot glue. This will keep the flower mud in place.

Add greenery and flowers to the base:

Cut individual branches of greenery and insert them into the base, starting with the largest branches in the centre and surrounding them with smaller cuttings. Then, add flowers one by one, concentrating on the base of the design to draw the eye upwards. Secure the arrangement with hot glue.

Extras and personal touches:

Consider adding extras to your floral arrangements, such as a tablecloth in your wedding colour palette, a floral swag, or signage with the newlyweds' names or a warm greeting. These small details can make your DIY floral arrangements even more special.

Other ideas:

• Use wooden crates instead of vases for a rustic look.
• Intersperse bud vases with wildflowers and colourful taper candles for a pop of colour.
• Incorporate seasonal touches, such as autumnal reds, oranges, and browns, or summery citrus fruits.
• Elevate your arrangements with tall floral centrepieces or elevated frames to create a dramatic statement without blocking guests' views.
• Herbs like lavender, mint, and basil make great low-cost centrepieces and add a gorgeous scent to your table.
• Potted plant centrepieces are a sustainable option.
• Blossom trees or fairy lights create a romantic and whimsical atmosphere.
• Choose bright and bold flowers like tulips, daffodils, or poppies for a simple yet impactful statement.
• Use fruit to add a unique dimension to your decorations, such as apples, pears, figs, or berries for an autumnal display, or citrus fruits for a summery feel.

Remember, your wedding table decorations should reflect your personal style and chosen wedding theme. Get creative, and don't be afraid to add your own unique touches!

Creative place settings

Channel a Destination

Choose a patterned plate that reminds you of your wedding destination and build the rest of the design around that. You could also opt for Mediterranean-inspired blues or other colours that reflect the locale.

Unique Plates

Ditch plain, flat plates and go for something with plenty of texture. You could also use clear glass chargers with gold detailing, allowing a watercolour menu to stand out.

Play with Layers

Start with a neutral charger and add a coloured plate and other dishes on top for a multi-dimensional design. Tie the stack together with ocean-inspired napkins and place cards.

Favours

Give out favours at the beginning of the night. For example, a natural stone with a card explaining its significance or a custom cookie with a tile-inspired design.

Linens

Play with contrasting linens and napkins. Even a napkin in a contrasting shade can work with a printed tablecloth if they are within the same colour family. Alternatively, stick to neutral linens and napkins and dress them up with simple white place settings, bespoke candles and flowers.

Customise

Add a personal touch with a wax seal on each place setting. You could also add your new monogram as a married couple, embroidered on napkins, or add guests' names to napkins for a personalised touch.

Weave in Neutral Textures

Woven or wooden chargers are an excellent way to bring warmth and texture to a place setting. Balance these with printed tablecloths or napkins.

Earth Tones

Incorporate earth tones for a bohemian wedding. Select a neutral charger, a simple white plate, and dress it all up with velvet and sprigs of dried grass.

Minimalism

Stick to a simple place setting with all the essentials. Dress it up with a single sprig of greenery for a hint of natural colour.

Bold Colours

Incorporate bold colours through patterned fabric napkins or coloured glassware. Alternatively, stick to a neutral colour scheme and add layers for interest, such as differently sized plates in the same hue.

Moody Aesthetics

For a moodier aesthetic, use dark napkins and deep-hued menus. Finish the look with a richly hued flower, like an orchid.

Beachfront Wedding

For a beachfront wedding, decorate table settings with natural elements. Use deep blue napkins and illustrated menus, with beautifully calligraphed seashell place cards.

Baby's Breath

Baby's breath flowers add a touch of life to each place setting and work beautifully with a black-and-white colour scheme.

Customised Linen Menus

Adorn your tables with fabric menus to take your tablescape's elegant look to a whole new level.

Single Bright Blooms

For an organic look, use wooden chargers and beautifully designed menus. Add a rust-coloured napkin tied in a knot and a single bright bloom to make a statement.

Seasonal touches

Spring

Spring is a time of new beginnings, freshness, and joy. Embrace the season with your table decor by incorporating pastel colours, spring florals such as ranunculus, greenery like eucalyptus, and light, sheer fabrics. You can also add a spring of rosemary on top of each menu for a subtle nod to the season.

Summer

Celebrate the vibrant summer season with bold, bright colours, and seasonal blooms like sunflowers, roses, or dahlias. Add some gold accents reminiscent of the sun to your table decor. Potted plant centrepieces are also a great choice for a sustainable summer wedding.

Autumn

Autumn is a favourite season for many, with its rich oranges, reds, and browns. Bring these colours to your table with flower centrepieces, or use red apples, pears, figs, and berries to add a touch of decadence. Leaves, gourds, squash, maple branches, and acorns can also be used as decorations.

Winter

Create a cosy winter wonderland with white and silver as your colour palette. Use fragrant evergreens, pinecones, and candles to set the mood. You can also add some glitter snowflakes or red berries for a festive touch. If you want to deviate from the traditional red and green, consider using flowers in muted, moody colours like plum purple or mauve.

Frequently asked questions