Wedding Reception Centerpieces To Make

Nothing sets the tone of a reception better than the wedding reception centerpieces that you choose. They let the guests know if your reception is formal and elegant or more casual and relaxed.

You can choose traditional flowers. Flowers are always beautiful and perfect for any occasion. They can also be very expensive if you order them from a florist.

Of course, you might consider making your own floral arrangements for the tables. They can be made with fresh flowers a few days ahead. Be sure to keep them in a cool, dry area like a basement so they will stay fresh.

Or, you can make beautiful silk floral arrangements months ahead of time. Cover them with plastic trash bags to keep them dust-free and smelling fresh and clean.

Vases can be used as well as baskets for flowers. Dried and spray-painted branches also make good centerpieces. Some brides have the branches glittered for an elegant effect. These are especially lovely when used in conjunction with tiny white Christmas lights. Blue is gorgeous, too.

Beautiful fountains can be used with clear or colored water.

Incredible ice sculptures can be carved but are very costly and don't last very long for the price. These are especially good if you have a winter wedding theme.

If you are getting married during the Christmas season, you have many options.

Candles always make beautiful wedding reception centerpieces.

One of the newest trends is to fill clear glass vases with fruit such as lemons or oranges. I have seen apples and pears used as well. It really depends on your wedding color scheme.

Each table does not have to have the same centerpiece but all should be similar either in color or in the objects used. The vases and candles can be different but all can be in the same colors.

Potted plants can be used in the center of each table. If the tables are small, just put one in the center. If you have room, consider an arrangement of three of the same plant in pretty foil or paper-covered pots.

Below, I demonstrate how to make easy centerpieces for you to use at your wedding reception or at home.

Yule Log Centerpieces

by Karen
(Marquette, MI)

rpieces for your wedding tables. These can be real mini logs decorated with a little greenery and a red ribbon. They can also be chocolate rectangle cakes in the shape of a yule log and frosted in chocolate with cream inside. Decorate with some green and red gumdrops and red licorice whips for holly and ivy or bows. Invite guests to eat these after the meal as part of the dessert course.
***********
Editor's note:

The yule log was used by early Christians to symbolize the end of the world's darkness because of the birth of Christ who came to save the world.
Back in the early years of the Christian Church, Christmas came to be known as the Feast of Lights. On Christmas Eve, a large yule log was brought into each house. This log had to burn for the whole 12 days of Christmas, from Christmas Eve (December 24) through Epiphany on January 6. The log was not allowed to burn out. After January 6, a part of the yule log was kept to light up the new yule log for the next Christmas. The light of the world is Jesus, God's son. He created the world, including trees so it is appropriate that a yule log be used to celebrate the birth of the Creator and Savior of the world. This is also appropriate to use as a Christian wedding centerpiece. Praise to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Yule Log Centerpiece
by: Juanita

Karen,
Your idea for an edible yule log centerpiece is fabulous. I just love it. Of course, the real wooden log would also be pretty.

Thank you for the good idea.

Merry Christmas!
by: Anonymous

I think you forgot to mention that the Yule Log ritual was 100% Pagan in origin before it was adopted by the Christians. It is burned to celebrate the suns return at Winter Solstice.

*********

But this site is about Christian weddings, not pagan customs. It is here to glorify God the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ, not Satan. Glory to God in the Highest and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests!

Merry Christmas, everyone! Thank you, God for sending your son, Jesus Christ to earth to die for our sins. His perfect sacrifice guarantees eternity in Heaven with him if we accept him as our Savior. Thank you Jesus for dying for our sins! Thank you, Holy Spirit, for reminding us of everything written in the Bible, God's holy book that shows us how to live.

Lord Jesus, on this day of celebration, open the eyes of the blind and the ears of the deaf to the truth of your life, death, and resurrection. Help us to live and love as you have shown us. Thank you for your blessings, especially your gift of salvation, which is found in no one but you!

--Juanita

Christmas Ornament Baskets

by Ann
(Coleman TX)

Here is something I saw on Martha Stewart. Use Christmas Ornament Baskets for wedding table centerpieces. Fill pretty baskets with beautiful Christmas ornaments. Tie a bow on the handle and you have beautiful instant Christmas centerpieces.

You could also fill baskets with glittered or painted pinecones or fruit as well.

Baskets Of Christmas Ornament Centerpieces
by: Juanita

Ann,
Thank you for the great idea of baskets of Christmas ornament centerpieces. Martha Stewart has wonderful ideas and I watch her often. Thank you for sharing.

You could find Christmas ornaments of almost any color to match your wedding colors and mix in silver or gold for extra color. Sounds great.

Gingerbread House Centerpieces

by Kay
(Arlington, New York)

I just came from a Christmas wedding and I have a wonderful idea to share from it. Make gingerbread house centerpieces for the reception. They can all be the same, but if you want some variety, make each gingerbread house centerpiece different. That way, guests will mingle with each other, going from table to table to see what they have. At the end of the evening, they can be given away to guests to eat there or to take home for Christmas.

Tip--If you want your guests to much on the gingerbread house, do not wrap it in any plastic and put a little sign up, letting them know it is okay to eat.

If you plan to send each house home with a special guest, make sure the house is wrapped in plastic wrap.

Gingerbread Houses For Centerpieces
by: Juanita

Kay,
Thank you for such a wonderful idea. I love gingerbread houses and the idea of using gengerbrerad houses for centerpieces at a Christmas wedding is a great one.

Flowers With Candles Wedding Centerpiece

by Ann
(Booneville, AR)

There is always the old standby of a simple bowl of flowers with candles wedding centerpiece. Nothing too fancy. A bowl of fresh or silk flowers with a taper on either side. Elegant and understated. We use this in our homes; why not for a wedding?

The flower bowls can be made ahead of time. Just get some of that green floral styrofoam and put it in a decorative bowl. Stick the silk flowers in it. Get two tapers and candlesticks and place on the tablecloth. Light the candles and it makes for a romantic wedding centerpiece.

Flowers With Candles Centerpiece
by: Juanita

A flowers with candles centerpiece is always perfect, no matter what the occasion. When lit, the candles create such a lovely ambiance so this would be a great wedding centerpiece. Just choose the flowers you love, in colors that will go with your wedding colors. Choose the appropriate colored tapers.

Candlesticks can be different at each table or you can go somewhere and buy enough of the same kind. They have nice looking taper holders at dollar stores so you don't have to spend a lot of money.

The bowls at each table can be different as well, as long as they are color coordinated with your wedding decor.

Thank you, Ann.

Jigsaw Puzzle Centerpiece

by Debby
(Cloudcroft, NM)

For my best friend's wedding, we used a jigsaw puzzle centerpiece at each table. We had jigsaw puzzles made from a photo of the bride and groom and put the pieces in a glass dish in the center of each table with a decorative note telling the guests to work together and assemble the puzzle.

We did not tell them who it was and we did not give them a photo to work with. This was a great icebreaker for the guests, especially while the bride and groom were having photos taken.

The guests had fun. Each table had a different pose of the bride and groom so once the puzzles were complete, guests could go from table to table looking at the puzzles.

Wedding Jigsaw Centerpiece
by: Juanita

A wedding jigsaw centerpiece--what an excellent idea. This is so different and will promote guests talking to each other and working together and having fun at the same time. It is also not your run of the mill flower arrangement. Guests will not be bored while waiting for the bride and groom to show up. The bride and groom will not feel rushed taking photos as they will know the guests are busy. Thank you so much for sharing this great idea with us!

Beta Fish Wedding Centerpiece

by Barbara
(Atlanta)

I used beta fish wedding centerpieces at my wedding last year. We used tall, thin, clear vases with small colored rocks at the bottom and put a coordinating colored beta fish in each. Three long-stemmed white lilies were put in each vase. The fish looked beautiful swimming around the stems throughout the evening.

Since beta fish come in so many pretty colors, they provided a lovely variety of color from table to table. My guests loved watching the fish swim around. The fish promoted a lot of mingling as guests went from table to table seeing all of the different colored fish and rocks.

At the end of the evening, a guest from each table took the vase and fish home as an extra favor. Everyone also took home a lovely candle favor.

A word of caution about betas. Only put one in a container. If two are in the same container, they will fight each other to the death and that is not good wedding entertainment.

Beta Fish Centerpiece
by: Juanita

Barbara,
I love the idea. It is kid friendly but teens and young adults also love beta fish. All 3 of my kids have had them. My oldest who is 20 recently bought one and it swims around in its little home on his desk. He enjoys watching it swim as he studies his college material.

He actually bought it for a project at college.

It is true about them fighting each other, also as my younger son will tell you. He purposely put 2 together and they went at it. He had to separate them quickly.

Beta fish would look very pretty on the tables and would provide entertainment for young and old alike and they would also serve as ice breakers for the people who do not know each other.

Thank you for the great idea.

Floating fish
by: Anonymous

I attended a lovely party where they had used this idea with swimming fish in pretty glass vases. The only problem was as the evening progressed the fish began to die and float. At first it was just a few and it was definitely a talking piece but by dessert, almost all the fish on the 30 tables had floated to the top dead! Not sure what happened but they had to remove them from the tables in the end because it was just too sad!

***
Wow! I have never seen this, but I bet somebody used plain tap water without knowing a thing about fish and how they die in chlorinated water. The tap water has to be treated with chemicals found in the fish supply aisle. Simply drop in a tablet or squirt in some liquid that dissipates the chlorine and the fish live. We have had aquariums with fresh water fish and beta fish and chlorine kills them, but with simple treatment of the water, they do just fine! Thank you!