DIY Table Centerpieces for Weddings

You probably want to know how to make DIY table centerpieces if you're hosting your own wedding reception, or if you're trying to save money on decorations. After all, weddings can be expensive, and it's great if you can save money without sacrificing quality. Luckily, it's fun and easy to do!

The examples below are based on my sister's backyard wedding reception, and require only a few easily available materials. You can follow the steps exactly, or change them to suit your own needs. The only limit is your imagination!

Note the use of functional items (in this case, salt and pepper shakers) as decorations. I simply tied pieces of white fabric around each shaker with pretty white ribbons, and voila! Useful table decorations were born.

A Great Choice

Ivy makes a great addition to your wedding decorations for a variety of reasons. First of all, it's fairly easy to obtain, and it stays fresh for a while after being cut, meaning you can lay it on the table without worries of it wilting.

Additionally, ivy is traditionally seen as a symbol of marriage and fidelity, making it the perfect decorating choice. Check out this link for more information about the meanings of wedding plants and flowers.

Readily Available and Easy

I don't know about you, but I really love the luminescent quality of shiny gift-wrap ribbons.

For creating my table centerpieces, I purchased the type of ribbon spool that has multiple strands (in this case, three). I grabbed hold of the three ribbon ends on three complimentary ribbon spools, stretched them out to the desired lengths, then cut them. After that, I simply laid the ribbon on the table along with the ivy and wire garlands to create a simple, "tousled" look.

1. Visit your local thrift or dollar store. Decorating several tables can add up fast. Look for inexpensive places to buy basic materials. These kinds of places also have cool stuff, and are great for inspiration!
2. Buy in bulk. You'll often end up needing more items than you think. As long as you keep the cost per item down, it's okay to get a few extras. This is especially important with glass items, which sometimes break at the worst times!
3. Keep it simple. Simple is elegant. Like Coco Chanel removing one piece of jewelry before leaving the house, there's a definite point where anything more would be too much.
4. Have fun! Decorating for a wedding is one of the times when you'll really get to exercise your creativity after all the tedious details of seating charts and who to invite.
5. Let your personality shine. Really make your table centerpieces your own by integrating your favorite color combinations, flowers, and little trinkets that remind people of you.

Learn more about making candle holders on the Table Candle Decorations for Weddings page.

Flowers are an integral part of any wedding table centerpiece. We used a combination of homegrown and store-bought flowers, including zinnias, roses, Peruvian lilies, and babies breath. To make these decorations, we bought inexpensive glass vases from the dollar store, filled the bottoms with glass gems (careful; we had some breakage issues), and tied them with white, gold, and silver fabric ribbons.

Note that if you can find vases that are hourglass shaped, it's easier to tie the ribbons around them.

This person used flower petals, a mirror, a piece of cloth and a few other materials to make a simple and elegant centerpiece.

Or just say hi, if you prefer :)