Simple Flower Centerpieces

Any bride knows that flowers add up fast!  So how can you get more for your money? First, talk to your florist about what types of flowers are in season.  These will be cheaper than those that are out of season.

 Next, don't underestimate the cheaper flowers (carnations) or even filler flowers (baby's breath)!  Done well, they can make really nice centerpieces.  Also, consider submerging centerpieces.  They utilize one to two stems, last longer, and provide ambience when paired with a floating candle.

Pretty Plant Centerpieces

Have a green themed wedding??  Why not use grass?  Yes, grass!  Look:

Candle Centerpieces

Candles may seem like a plain centerpiece but if you dress them up the right way - they are awesome and inexpensive! They are normally cheaper than using flowers...depending on how many you use.  If you use only a few...give the illusion of more by utilizing mirrors different heights and even floating them in water with a couple flowers, rocks, or colored stones inside.  Get your candles wholesale at any craft store.

Chalkboard Seating Chart

Chalkboards are all the rage in the design world lately, and they're also an easy way to add a bit of unexpected character to your wedding day!

This is a great idea to use for your seating chart. It makes a sort of modern looking seating chart with personal charm.

Chalkboard Table Numbers

Hang a page from a blackboard album around an old wooden box, write the table number on the front and then fill it with floppy flowers. The result? A casual, rustic centerpiece that's truly unique.

Source: Blackboard chipboard album .

Chalkboard Centerpieces

When black is matte, it looks sophisticated and soft -- and is a fabulous compliment to a floral arrangement. Spray paint a vase with chalkboard paint, write the table number on the front, and fill with pretty pale tulips. Volia! An inexpensive centerpiece that still looks dramatic.

Source: Chalkboard spray paint by Krylon

Votive Holders with a Twist

Votive holders or small cups can also get the spray-paint treatment; fill them with bright flowers for a glamorous favor, and write guests' names on the front for added personalization.

Source: Chalkboard spray paint by Krylon

Chalkboard Place Cards

These adorable mini-chalkboards are a perfect size for place cards; wind them around napkins or favors for a charming look.

Source: Mini-chalkboards by Darice from Joann Fabrics

Wildflowers

Another great centerpiece idea is a vase of wildflowers! Simply gather bunches of dried flowers and various stems and leaves, and then hang them over the edges of wide baskets or arrange them in odd-shaped jars, old water pitchers, or kettles.

Edible Centerpieces

Fill a clear decanter with assorted candies or chocolates wrapped in silver or gold (or your favorite colored) paper. As the night progresses, your guests will enjoy the design and can snack on this centerpiece as temptation becomes too much to bear!

Your guests will love this idea!

Themed Wedding Centerpieces

Does your wedding have a theme? If it does, then it's easy to pick the perfect centerpiece! If you are getting married at the beach, you can fill a big, round fishbowl halfway with sand and beautiful shells.

 If your reception is close to the winter holidays, you may like a big, white bowl filled with silver and/or gold ornaments. And if your wedding is on New Year’s Eve, a container of sparkly wands, pinwheels, noisemakers, and festive blowouts will allow your guests to ring in your new life and the New Year when the time is right!

Marigold Bar

Here, the sign that identifies the bar area in marigold script is adorned with orchids and hung with warm gray ribbon, while the tabletop is embellished with cymbidium, leucadendron buds, tillandsia, and succulents.

Marigold and Pewter: Beautiful Together

Sunny and steely, dialed up and dulled down, the combination of yellow and gray makes for a contrapuntal dance that's neither too sweet nor too subdued.

Add hints of clean white to the mix for such things as china, tablecloths, and stationery, and you've got it made in the shade -- and in the sunlight.

Fall Fire Seating Cards

The rich colors of autumn are echoed in this forest set amid rolling hills of moss. Craft-punched bright paper leaves bearing guests' names transform bare branches into majestic trees; simply cut slits into the branches with a craft knife and then slide in the leaves

Winter Cool Seatimg Cards

Snowbanks of rock salt and frosty mountains fashioned from torn paper dusted with a sprinkling of glistening glitter turn an escort card table into a magical wonderland.

Summer Night Seating Cards

Play up a beach theme with these petite chaise longues and parasols. Print guest names and table numbers onto decorative paper, and then cut out rectangles and curve them into lounge chairs (pull the paper back and forth along the edge of a table while holding it taut to achieve the wave).

Then arrange them in a sand-filled tray, and adorn each seat with a bright umbrella.

Spring Light Seating Cards

A fresh lawn of wheatgrass makes a glorious field for butterflies to flutter about. Banners bearing guests' calligraphed names seem to billow in a gentle breeze. The butterfly wires are attached to skewers covered with floral tape.

What to Consider When Creating Menus

When planning the men for a wedding, think like a guest. Consider the user friendliness of the menu from the guests’ side — the actual food and how easy it is to eat — as well as not repeating too many items across the festivities.

For example, you shouldn’t eat fillet at the rehearsal dinner, then have it again at the reception.

Tight Budget? What You Can Cut back On

Many people are very tight budgets these days. If you're planning your wedding but don't have all kinds of extra cash available, what can you cut back on? Here are a few ideas, from Pamela Cianci of Outlined Productions:

"There’s plenty you can do. Instead of serving Champagne automatically, only serve it if guests ask for it. And limit the number of printed materials — you don’t need monogrammed cocktail napkins and custom drink stirrers and the like. Hire a DJ instead of band, and rethink flowers — there are so many other things you can do, like candles."

Beautiful Handmade Silk Roses

Silk roses are gorgeous and we're pretty sure that every wedding needs at least one of them.

The fabric used is local hand loomed Khmer (Cambodian) silk. Each flower petal is cut and sewn together, then wrapped with other individual petals to create a full flower. No two will be identical.

Visit White Aisle to get some of these beauties!