Bring Your Own Centerpiecexml
BYOC
Build. Your. Own. Centerpiece
Fabulous centerpiece ideas for those who love to save
Whether it be a corporate function, a wedding, or a social gathering the décor of a room is always important. You always want your guests to feel as though the event is a place where they can relax and enjoy themselves while leaving all their worries in the lobby. An important part of the feel of a room has to do with how the seating areas are decorated. Guests will either be sitting at the average tables (round or rectangle) enjoying drinks and a meal or standing at cocktail tables enjoying each other’s company. You would be surprised how much of an impact table décor can make on a room. Imagine a plain white event space with your standard 72’ rounds with just plain linens and a few place settings…boring. What kind of impression would that make on a guest? Probably none. Now, imagine that same space with tables with a floral piece in the middle surrounded by votives. Immediately the look of the room is changed. Depending on ones budget you can go extreme with table décor but if you don’t have the budget of the stars then here are a few ways to wow your guests without breaking the bank…
Candles
Using candles as centerpieces is a classy alternative for floral arrangements. First things first, no scents. You don’t want your guests to enter a room filled with the scent of cake batter or cinnamon spice. Its great for your personal living space but we must keep in mind that if you are using multiple candles per piece that smell is going to be extremely strong so stay away from scents and stick to unscented candles. Candles placed in a tall glass vase and gathered together in alternating sizes looks stunning especially when the lighting of the room is dim. Add flower petals around the base of the vases and you have just upped that piece from classic sophistication to chic and fabulous. Another great way candles can be used is by using floating candles. My personal favorite is using the same style of vase I mentioned before, filling the base with water, and having about a 3’ white candle floating at the top. Here’s a fun idea that you can do yourself or have a florist help you with. Take flower petals or a single flower and have it in the base. I personally love the look of orchids in the base with the candle at the top; it’s so elegant and looks quite expensive. The look that the water gives to the flower is really magical and sure to make quite the impression on your guests
If you’re not much of a flower person you can use acrylic gems, sand, even seasonal items like chestnuts or leaves to dress up a simple candle centerpiece. You can find these items in stores like AC Moore and Michaels as well as your local 99-cent stores! They tend to carry glass vases for $1 so that’s a sure way to save some money. Candles are a beautiful way to light up not only the room but also the faces of your guests while enjoying your event.
Minimal Flowers
In a perfect world we would all be able to afford extravagant floral pieces with jewels dripping from the branches and a small orchestra playing in the vases but unfortunately some of us have other things to put our money towards other than pretty petals. Now a days many grocery stores sell beautiful floral bouquets for around $19.99 where you can get two-dozen flowers for half the price of a florists. Now brides if this is for you I wouldn’t suggest to you on your wedding day because this is your day so enlist the help of a friend or maid of honor to do the honors. If this is for a corporate function one can run to the store a few hours before the event and keep the flowers in the break room fridge until its time to party. Try taking about 4 or 5 roses and cutting them down so the stem is about 5 inches tall. Place in a small square or round clear glass vase. Have about 3 per table for a medium sizes table and just 1 for a cocktail table and poof! You have an elegant centerpiece. For added flair use different color flowers, in each piece. Also you can place a mirror on the table and place the vases on top. This look is very clean and crisp and will definitely impress your guests.
If you want to stretch your budget just a bit you can do a piece with more flowers but instead of a tall piece think low and decorative. Take a look at the pink and black piece above; Pink carnations are used in an inexpensive glass vase wrapped in ribbon that can be brought at any craft store. Black gems are cascading inside via fishing line giving it an extra touch of glamour. This looks expensive but it’s really affordable. Using flowers such as carnations and daises will cut costs in half compared to roses and orchids. Who said a piece needs to be filled with flowers to be fabulous? Your own personal touches are what make the piece special for you and yours.
Candy
Who said candy was just for kids? Using candy in a centerpiece is a fun way to get your guest’s eyes popping and their mouths watering. I recommend candy pieces for children’s parties, bar/bat mitzvahs, baby/bridal showers, and even a casual corporate function. Multicolored lollipops, rock candy, and peppermint sticks coming out of tins or glass containers looks surprisingly pretty and good enough to eat. Having different candies like gummies, chocolate candies, and decorative pretzels in tall glass jars almost like a buffet serves not only as a centerpiece but a favor! At the end of the night staff can hand out decorative bags for your guests to take goodies home. For a corporate function a fun way to tie in the old and the new would be to get vintage/classic candies and display them in small barrels. In lieu of large tables just have tall cocktail tables with simple candles for light (many venues provide votive candles free of charge) and a section of the room dedicated to these delectable goodies. Charleston chews, Hershey bars, Root beers and sugared fruits displayed in these barrels would make your boss feel like a kid again and really… what’s wrong with that?! Candy when brought in bulk is inexpensive and serves for multiple purposes; Decor, parting gift, and best of all great conversation.
Whether you use candles, flowers, or candy for a centerpiece remember that the event is about you…
Wedding … the bride and groom
Corporate function is …celebration of the company
Bridal/Baby Shower … the bride/mommy to be
Retirement … an ode to a life of working hard and success
Birthday… another year older
If you have any questions or would like any ideas please feel free to contact me at Mferreira@pentaevents.com. I have a ton of ideas and would love to assist in planning your special event.
Happy Planning!
-Marie