If you think of traditional wedding centerpieces these days you will no doubt consider floral displays, candle arrangements or perhaps balloon collections. These are extremely popular with brides to be and so here are some great ideas to ensure your wedding reception centerpieces are the talk of your guests.

Floral centerpieces

Floral wedding centerpieces are traditional but need not be run of the mill. Let your imagination run wild and you can create some diverse and stunning displays. The advantages of flowers are that they come in so many colors and styles, you can keep them long stemmed or short and you can even just use the petals. If you are on a budget do not restrict yourself to fresh flowers – consider silk or paper wedding flower centerpieces. These also have the upside of being ready a while before the big day. Whatever color and theme your wedding is following, there will always be flowers to match.

When you have decided on wedding floral centerpieces you need to come up with a design. Will you use them with wire to create fancy shapes such as cones or use a vase? Will the vase be a traditional tall shape or a more modern low cube? You could consider single flowers in tall, thin vases, colorful sprays in small, white watering cans or just use thick string to tie together tight bunches. How about just sprinkling flower petals in shallow bowls of water or around your vase display? Simple, single flower options can be a good choice to keep costs down and can still look stunning when part of an already full table laid with cutlery, crockery and all the other paraphernalia.

Photos by couragextoxlive, cking and Jennifer E Smith.

Plants are also worth considering for a variation on the wedding floral centerpieces theme. Flowering spring bulbs such as daffodils or tulips would be perfect if you are getting married at the right time of year. To improve the look of the pots, why not cover them in tissue paper or paint them, perhaps in metallic colors. Pot plants will be a lot cheaper if you trying to stick to an already overstretched budget.

Candle centerpieces

There is something very romantic about candle wedding centerpieces which is obviously perfect for the celebration of your marriage. They also add a bit of mood lighting to the wedding breakfast. As with floral centerpieces, candles come in all shapes, color and sizes so the arrangements you can create with them are very varied. You can have single candles or work your way up to full candelabras. Tea lights can be used in many different styles of holder offering endless choices for your perusal. The containers you use to hold your candles can give different effects to classic candles – try wine or perfume bottles or single stem vases for something a bit unusual. Consider the color of your candles – pastels offer subtle options or for a more striking wedding centerpiece go for bold colored candles. Do not forget the fire implications if using candles so keep them away from other decorations and keep a spare box of matches on each table in case the flame goes out.

Balloon centerpieces

Wedding table centerpieces made using balloons are a great option for those on a budget. You can get balloons that will look far more classy than those you might find at a childrens party – they are called metallic or pearlised. Choose ones that can be filled with helium gas so they will stay floating over the table and tie them down with pretty ribbons fastened to small weights such as fancy stones. If you aim for three balloons over each table anchored with different lengths of ribbon, the resulting tiered effect will be very attractive.

With the recent explosion in people sharing their photos on the internet, you should not be stuck for inspiration for your wedding centerpieces ideas. Have a look at what other people have used – you are sure to find something to match your style, color and budget.