A wedding reception is, without a doubt, the celebratory highlight of a wedding ceremony. The reception displays the mood and creative inspiration of the wedded couple and their desire to share this with their family and friends.  Wedding centerpieces play an important part of setting the mood for the reception. Remember, guests will be seated at the reception table for extended periods of time and the centerpiece will be a something they will focus on. Centerpieces can range from casual and fun to sophisticated and elegant. They can range from budget friendly to very expensive. Centerpieces can be purchased or can be a DIY project that family and friends can participate in. The possibilities are endless!!

Let’s take a look at examples of budget friendly, DIY, wedding centerpieces. They key to DIY centerpieces is to be creative and think outside the box. We’ve all seen the fish bowl filled with water, rocks at the bottom, and floating tea light candles…. We can do much better than that!

Flowers are usually the single most used decoration when it comes to centerpieces. Whenever using flowers for decorations, be sure to pick flowers that are in season. Flowers that are out of season tend to be more expensive. Decide whether the flower should be the main focal point of the centerpiece design or not. This example shows a large sunflower as the focal point of this centerpiece. The sunflower is simply placed in a clear glass bowl and is surrounded by lush and full greenery and accenting smaller flowers. Change the flower and add a ribbon that compliments the wedding party’s attire to personalize it for your wedding!

Candles are great way to add a soothing and elegant ambiance to any wedding reception. Candles can be bought in bulk for reasonable prices or you can even frequent your favorite $1 variety store to stock-up on similar candles over time. With the use of tall and short glass candle holders, white candles of varying sizes, and a cloth to sit upon, this centerpiece has sparkle and sophistication that can light up any wedding reception.  

I had to add one fun and creative DIY wedding centerpiece to the bunch! Here we see the centerpiece is made of a medium sized tin bucket and cupcakes situated to resemble a bouquet of flowers. Once could easily use color to personalize this centerpiece. Color could be added to the tin bucket, the cupcake wrapping, and/or the icing on the cupcakes to match the color theme to any wedding!

Cultured themed wedding are always fun and exciting to attend! One is able to become, if only for a short while, a part of a culture that may be unfamiliar to them. What a wonderful idea to carry the theme into the reception area. The wedding centerpiece is a great way to help bring the wedding theme to life!

The below is an example of a Japanese inspired centerpiece. Its use of a soba tray, pebbles, ivory candles, and one oriental lily is simple in construction, but very true to the Japanese culture. It’s simply beautiful!

This Indian inspired centerpiece is very bold and extravagant. The Indian culture is clearly visible with the use of colors and of course the gold and maroon detailed pot placed in the center of the arrangement. Their uses of colors tie into the overall color scheme of the reception to perfection. This is truly a centerpiece that guests will remember for a long time!

Here's a video showing how to assemble a tall balloon reception centerpiece. The end result is beautiful and can be tailored to match any wedding's color scheme. It's a very simple and affordable centerpiece that anyone can do!