Our Top 4 Centerpiece Styles
At first glance, out of all parts of a wedding (traditionally speaking, of course) the reception may be one of the most overwhelming things to think about design-wise.
Like everything, it depends on how you do it and what your vision is, but in most cases you’ll find that the reception has more decor included than ceremony and cocktail hour, and it can be a lot to think about! We wanted to help you out a little by giving you our top 4 most used and liked centerpiece styles.
What is a centerpiece, exactly? Well, hinted by the name, it’s a piece, or pieces, of decor placed on reception tables, typically the ones your guests will be seated at.
Unless you have a very specific theme to your wedding day, for example a blue and white nautical theme where you know you want to include things like seashells, anchors, sand, etc., the vast amount of possibilities when it comes to centerpiece options can have you scratching your head.
To make it easier for you, we’ve broken it down into 4 different centerpiece types composed of various combinations of florals, candles, and bud vases.
Short Floral
Having florals on each table is a great way to tie in your chosen colors and make the space pop. For this first category of ‘short floral,’ you can choose to either go the simpler route by using less, or, depending on your budget, the vibe you’re going for, and the size of the tables, you can add some extra flare.
One of the easiest ways to utilize this option is by repurposing your bridesmaids’ bouquets if they have them. During reception set up, you can have vases with water placed on each table. Then, after photos, each bridesmaid can sneak in and place their bouquet to serve as the centerpiece! This is a great way to save a little extra money as well.
Wanting shorter florals but not a fan of the bouquet option? You can always talk to your florist about arranging a number of floral compotes (short vases with wider openings that look somewhat like a bowl) to place where you see fit.
Tall Floral
Similar to short floral centerpieces, tall floral centerpieces are eye-catching and bring extra color to each tablescape. Not only that, but because of their grandeur, they add a touch of elegance and a lot of dimension to the room.
If you choose to use this type of centerpiece, we do recommend that you try to space them out among your tables so that it doesn’t become too ‘busy’ in one area of the room versus another.
Candles With Greenery
For those out there that prefer the usage of more greenery over a heavier amount of florals, this is a great option for you.
You can place a small bunch of greens in the middle of a cluster of candles, as seen below, or, if using rectangular tables for instance, you can more so ‘snake’ the greenery in-between and around each individual candle to create a more cohesive look.
Candles With Bud Vases
Our fourth and final style is using candles, whether taper or pillar candles, alongside bud vases. A bud vase is simply a small vase holding only a handful of stems in comparison to the larger bouquets or arrangements discussed previously.
With both the last style and this one, when picking what candles you’d like to use, you’ll want to try and have a good variation in height rather than every candle being the exact same. You can even throw in some smaller votive candles to help do this!
All things considered, while picking what style of centerpiece you’d like to use can feel like you’re jumping into a never ending pit of possibilities, all it really comes down to is selecting two or three main categories of items (florals, candles, vases, etc.) and figuring out how you want to put them together on each table.
Our biggest suggestion after explaining some of our favorite ways to do it, is to mix and match multiple of these styles so that not every table looks the same. Not only will this give your guests more to look at but it really helps to elevate the space and make it less one-note.
Where design is concerned, that’s what your planning team is there for! Working in the wedding industry means that you see a lot of different decor and setup styles, so lean on the hired professionals who’ll carry you through the process and help you make something beautiful!
