Budget Friendly Wedding Centerpiece Ideas
When it comes to wedding planning, I know: it's expensive. Every part of a wedding is expensive, and flowers are no exception. So when you're looking for ways to save a little money, I've got a few ideas for budget-friendly centrepiece ideas for you.
PILLAR CANDLES WITH UNIQUE COASTERS
Many wedding venues don't allow for open flame on the tables, for two reasons: 1) fire hazards 2) wax drips. If your venue allows for open flame, then you've got the perfect option for your centrepieces: pillar candles with unique coasters or dishes, to catch that pesky wax. Pillar candles are inexpensive to buy (hello, Ikea!), and will burn for much longer than your reception requires. Adding a coaster underneath, unique to your style and aesthetic, is a great way to pull it all together. In this case, we used marble coasters but if you're craft in any way, you could DIY something with concrete, wood, leather, glass...almost anything!
TAPER CANDLES WITH LOW-COST RENTALS
Taper candles immediately elevate the look of a table, and I personally love coloured tapers to deepen your colour palette. Clustering 3-7 taper candles together at the centre of a table is such a simple, elegant look for a reception. Here, I've popped them into vintage brass candle holders (rented for just $0.50 each) along with a low-budget cylinder vase. Easy to set up, easy to clean up, and cost-effective! If you want to create your own taper holder, I love this super easy modelling clay candle holder tutorial!
FLOATING FLOWERS
I'm not sure when or why floating flowers were forgotten about as a great option for cost-effective centrepieces. This style is easily updated depending on your style or wedding date: a single floating peony in a glass vase for a springtime wedding, or a few bright blooms in a fun copper bowl like this one from my inventory. I've also taken lined a ceremony aisle with galvanized buckets, and popped a combination of bright flowers with floating candles in them. Look for a pretty container than suits your style and test out a few different flower options (not everything floats well!).
BUDGET-FRIENDLY WEDDING CENTREPIECE TIPS
1) MIX AND MATCH: Alternate a higher cost centrepiece style with a lower cost centrepiece style to fit your overall budget. Just because you can't afford a $75+ arrangement on each of your guest tables doesn't mean you can't afford a total cost of $45 per table. You might alternate a fuller floral arrangement on half of your tables and something with candles on the other half of your tables.
2) WHEN IN DOUBT, KEEP IT SHORT: Floral arrangements that are short will almost always be more budget-friendly. The taller your centrepieces are, the more flowers that you'll need to create visual balance, and make a statement. So if you're on a tighter budget but want flowers on your tables, ask your floral designer to keep them low to the tables.
3) SINGLE-VARIETY ARRANGEMENTS: Keep centrepiece costs lower selecting arrangements that feature just one type of flower. An arrangement composed solely of stock is going to be more budget-friendly than a vase of roses, tulips, and stock. Why? Because all flowers come in bunches of 5, 10, or 25 stems and the more bunches that are ordered, the better wholesale price your floral designer gets on them. In most cases, it's also a lot quicker to design with just one type of flower than it is to work with several varieties.
4) STEM VASES ARE YOUR FRIEND: If you're looking to make a statement but want to keep you budget in line, ask your floral designer for stem vase options. You can cluster a few of these together with mini arrangements or single stems in each in the centre of a round table, or space out several stem vases down the length of a long table.
5) DON'T UNDERESTIMATE FOLIAGE: Just like stem vases are your friend, foliage is your FRIEND with a capital F. Some varieties of greenery are more expensive than others, but you'll always get WAY more of out 1 bunch of foliage than you will 1 bunch of flowers. A few stems of wispy greenery arching down the centre of a long table is beautiful, or a vase filled with foliage-only could make a unique and vibrant centrepiece.
Looking for more decor ideas for your wedding? Check these out!