Your wedding centerpieces play a huge part in creating the ambiance of your celebration. They help to create anything from a glamorous affair to a rustic backyard bash, and inform guests of the overall style of the couple. It may seem tricky to narrow in on your wedding centerpiece design, but these guidelines will help you find your style.
Before jumping into the centerpiece design process, there are a few pieces of information that you should know:
Budget. Of course, your budget is the number one thing you need to know before diving into centerpiece design. Centerpieces can be costly, especially if you are including fresh flowers, so be sure to know your budget and stick to it!
Style and Color Scheme. Your centerpiece design should be an extension of your theme and color scheme. Keep this information in mind to help guide your decisions.
The Number of Centerpieces Needed. This number will be influenced by your guest count (and therefore the number of tables you need), so you’ll need to have those general numbers available before you get started. If you’ll need to decorate a lot of tables, you may need to scale back on your design in order to stay within your budget.
Table Size and Shape. You should know your table sizes and shapes before picking a centerpiece design, as centerpieces are not one-size-fits-all. Round tables, for example, can look elegant with a single design piece in the center. Long rectangular tables, on the other hand, will need a centerpiece that fills more space.
Choosing Your Florals
As you begin to choose the florals for your centerpieces, you’ll want to keep a few things in mind. Perhaps the most important is that you choose flowers that don’t have an overpowering scent. Since guests will be eating their food in close proximity to these flowers, you’ll want to make sure the smell doesn’t distract them from the delicious food you’ve picked out. Guests who are sensitive to strong scents will also appreciate this attention to detail.
Start with some of your favorite flowers, including the ones you are planning on using in your bouquet, and narrow down your options from there. Of course, you will want these flowers to mesh well with your color scheme, so keep that in mind as you go through your options. As you are deciding, keep the color of your tablecloth in mind as well. Contrasting shades will help the design really pop, so consider light color flowers if you are using a darker color tablecloth (or vice versa).
Picking the Vessel and Design Elements
Before rounding out your centerpiece design by choosing the vessels for flowers and other design elements, you’ll want to check in with your venue to see if there are any restrictions you need to keep in mind. Some event spaces don’t allow potentially dangerous design elements, such as open flames or tall glass breakable vases. Make sure you are aware of any restrictions so that you can work around them.
When choosing the vessels to carry your florals, play with textures and materials that match your theme. Glass, bronze, mercury glass, wood, ceramic—the options are endless, so have fun mixing and matching different materials that fit your aesthetic.
For the vases and platforms for your centerpieces, you may decide to play with the vertical space you have available by adding taller elements, or keep things closer to the table. You can also play with height by combining tall and short elements to add visual interest.
When it comes to design elements to add to your florals, think of your chosen flowers and vases, and allow these additional elements to echo the theme they are portraying. If you are going for a more outdoorsy aesthetic, you can add natural elements, such as seasonal fruits or vegetables, garlands, or branches. For a bit of romantic flair, you can place tea lights around your centerpiece (or battery-operated flameless candles), or fairly lights down the center table runner. For couples going for glamour, consider adding crystal or gold vases and elements.
Keep in mind that, although traditional wedding centerpieces include florals, you may choose to forgo them all-together and choose a design element that is more in-line with your style. You can play up any of the above elements and make them your own unique centerpiece. Other great non-floral centerpiece elements you can look into include potted plants (such as succulents or herbs), lanterns, books, vases filled with sand, coral and seashells, or photos of the couple.
Don’t Go Overboard
While the centerpiece is important for transforming the overall aesthetic of the space, keep in mind that the primary function of the tables is for people to sit and eat. Guests will still need adequate space to eat without feeling cramped, and will want to be able to see their friends and family members on the opposite side of the table. As you are picking out your centerpiece design, keep functionality in mind, and don’t let your vision cloud what is practical.
If you are in the process of planning your wedding, come to the next Georgia Bridal Show near you. You will have the chance to meet with wedding professionals from Georgia and the Southeast who can help bring your vision to life!
Georgia wedding vendors, as well as other wedding professionals across the Southeast, can contact us about opportunities for exhibition and online marketing with Georgia Bridal Show.