Unconventional Centerpieces - thoughts?

jessicarabbit501 · March 2010

i'm trying to get away from the traditional, floral centerpieces. besides the fact that i think you pay way too much for them, i want something that's functional, that won't be dead or worthless in a week (no offense to those of you having floral centerpieces they're pretty and all but just not my thing) and that i don't have to beg guests to take home at the end of the night. We're having our reception at a french/american place thats decorated as such -- french chateau meets santa barbara. anyway, im thinking of two things for centerpieces:

1) a french picnic basket of sorts, filled with wine and our appetizers (cheese, bread, fruits etc.) - i have lots of family members with baskets who'd be willing to me use them for the reception.

2) an edible centerpiece - i dont like the edible arrangements so maybe something using the appetizers listed above or some other kind of food that wil most likeyl be gone by the end of the night

3) cupcakes or small cakes as cetnerpieces

Let me know what you think knotties! thanks!

IanDelaneyG · March 2010

Im doing mini cakes as centerpieces, it kills two birds with one stone and there is nothing useless for me to drag home at the end of the night

im getting my caterers to make one for the head table too and when we cut the cake then the guests cakes will also be cut.

I <3 Seabass · March 2010

I like the picnic basket idea the best out of what you've listed.

SarahRuthG · March 2010

If it wasn't for the fact that my used to be a florist I wouldnt be doing flowers either!!!

And to the poster that said they would be storing the center pieces in the freezer - DONT DO IT!!! I only know from my mother that arrangements dont get stored in the freezer, only wrist flowers and stuff. Something about them being in water and the cold stopping the growth or something... it will make your roses flop over. But don't take my word for it. Call a local florist and check with them.

I LOVE the cake/cupcake idea for the tables. Very fun and very useful. You could always have your baker place a few fresh flowers on each cake. Save on the decorating costs and still have pretty flowers on the tables for the pics. The basket idea is very fun too! But I agree that halfway through your wedding the tables may look very messy and be distracting in some pictures.

adriennevazquez · March 2010

Ooookay no freezer noted. Thanks!

jessicarabbit501 · March 2010

Hmm. Never thought about the pictures.

Maybe I can have little bit of floral stuff going on and have the centerpieces look like fresh picked flowers from a garden (babies breath and filler?) and then lay the wine and other stuff in there (on a cloth or something)with the flowers so that even when the food is gone, it still looks presentable. Or maybe I can just advise the photogs to make the call, like, if the table looks bad then try not to get the centerpiece in the shot.

Thanks all! I do have to say that the picnic basket idea is my favorite but I'm afraid of the execution. This has been really helpful though.

abbycobb812 · March 2010

I think all three ideas sounds nice. I actually might not worry too much about the pictures, people won't immediately dig into the cakes for example. And besides, the tables will probably be kind of a mess by half-way through the reception anyways.

One other suggestion as far as a functional centerpiece that sort goes along with your theme, I've seen centerpieces that are wine bottles with a metal piece on top that holds candles.
I guess something like this:

money saver · March 2010

i like the bottle idea, but i would be afraid of it tiping over, my fam gets roudy, i defenetely think that the setting is an important part in the decision to pick out a centerpiece, for a back yard wedding or any outside wedding the picnic basket idea is awsome. the cake idea i wouldnt want because anything could happen a spill, kids picking at it, you never know. ive heard some people do this...
www.brides.com/forums/all-the-style-details/thread.jspa%3FmessageID%3D506060&usg=__fx9NjYUdKrjXjBnW8hRkSDdV7uk=&h=240&w=320&sz=35&hl=en&start=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=gT3-X3AnkeCfpM:&tbnh=89&tbnw=118&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfish%2Bbowl%2Bcenterpieces%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26ie%3DUTF-8%26tbs%3Disch:1">

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v244/anotherwhisperrush/Picture5412.jpg" alt="" width="118" height="89" />www.wedding-flowers-and-reception-ideas.com/images/fish-bowl-centerpiece-02.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.wedding-flowers-and-reception-ideas.com/fish-bowl-centerpiece.html&usg=__gRGa-mbJa4C7kEqhCwFvjCS6l18=&h=360&w=360&sz=34&hl=en&start=3&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=j_4h7ur6cgY37M:&tbnh=121&tbnw=121&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfish%2Bbowl%2Bcenterpieces%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26ie%3DUTF-8%26tbs%3Disch:1">

http://www.wedding-flowers-and-reception-ideas.com/images/fish-bowl-centerpiece-02.jpg" alt="" width="121" height="121" />www.designspongeonline.com/wp-content/uploads/centerpiece-1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.designspongeonline.com/2008/01/wooden-centerpiece-diy-project.html&usg=__S2dt8cDpG2V35mffeupU0ahaqi0=&h=336&w=475&sz=41&hl=en&start=2&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=ao64Zp4l6XSkuM:&tbnh=91&tbnw=129&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dunique%2Bcenterpieces%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG%26ie%3DUTF-8%26tbs%3Disch:1">

http://www.designspongeonline.com/wp-content/uploads/centerpiece-1.jpg" alt="" width="129" height="91" />

i like just the tea pot with some votive candles around it

www.countryliving.com/cm/countryliving/images/4d/CLX1008Harvest0158-de.jpg&imgrefurl=http://invitationadvice.com/&usg=__H0Y7xCMg8ub8-mAj6aapZQ4a1zY=&h=460&w=360&sz=42&hl=en&start=25&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=3KJOGsD-yBCbVM:&tbnh=128&tbnw=100&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dwine%2Bcenterpieces%26start%3D20%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26ndsp%3D20%26ie%3DUTF-8%26tbs%3Disch:1">

http://www.countryliving.com/cm/countryliving/images/4d/CLX1008Harvest0158-de.jpg" alt="" width="100" height="128" />

hope this helps at all

money saver · March 2010

oops sorry bout all that extra stuff, was just copying and pasting, my bad

ledalia · March 2010

I like the picnic basket idea because you could fill it with French goodies and it would fit your venue. You can find ways to dress it up so that it functions more as a centerpiece which should solve the messy problem. One idea is to randomly pick a seat at the table, slip a little piece of paper or something into their napkin/under the plate/however you'd like, and have them win the centerpiece! That's something your guests would love to take home.

nut6238 · March 2010

Our centerpieces will be edible. We will have bread bowls with hummus or spinach dip in them.

I agree the flower ideas....too traditional and expensive.

psych05 · March 2010

I've seen some of these ideas. The cake as centerpice was really cute in person, and I didn't see any cakes prematurely eaten. The fish as centerpice (which doubled as favors) was not so great. Looks pretty, but it's twice as much work to set up and tear down, and you have to find homes for the fishies.

ninrude · March 2010

My sister did a cake on each table, as centerpiece and as 'wedding cake' -- it wasn't much cheaper than the flowers, and they had a ton of wasted cake; most went almost entirely uneaten. It seemed like a big expense.

I really like the breadbowl/wine idea.

Unconventional Centerpieces - thoughts?

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