Having a tough time figuring out what sort of centrepiece you’d like to have at your wedding reception? Don’t worry – you’re not alone! Of all the details that most brides stress about, it’s these tricky little numbers that tend to give the most grief. Think back to the last wedding you attended – do you remember the details of the centerpiece? Likely not…. but what you will remember is if it was – well – terrible! Centerpieces don’t necessarily need to BE your decor, they just need to complement your decor. Whatever your budget, there are gorgeous centerpiece options to choose from… and here are some tips and tricks on narrowing down your choices!
Ask yourself…..
How much money do you want to spend on your centerpiece? Categorize your response into one of these classifications: Budget (say, under $30 per table), Moderate ($30-$60 per table), or Deluxe ($60+ per table).
And do you want to do any of the centerpiece details yourself? DIY can drastically reduce the costs of traditional decor designs.
For comparison’s sake, here are a few examples of each:
- Budget -
(The ingredients: lovely little assorted vintage bottles found in the fields + old stockpiles around the bride and groom’s house – filled with water and sand to make them bottom-heavy and less likely to move around on the table. Fresh flowers from the florist to tie in the floral design of the girls’ bouquets, DIY table numbers, and flickering LED candles – tied together with twine). This centerpiece was designed to be both budget- and safety-friendly for a beautiful country+rustic barn wedding.
(The ingredients: This Parisian-inspired wedding boasted a gorgeous, footed hurricane vase wrapped with a simple satin ribbon. The pillar candle inside the vase was stamped with a fleur-de-lys and votive candles with rose petals were scattered on the checkered overlay to carry through an outdoor cafe design).
(The ingredients: Gillian and Kyle’s modern+chic fuschia, black, and white wedding took place at an upscale golf course in the Niagara region. Not wanting to spend much money on centerpiece vases, this DIY duo opted to wrap apple juice tins with heavy black paper, tie it with an accenting fuschia ribbon, and asked the floral designer to create miniature bouquets for each tin. The damask table runners were made by the Mother-Of-The-Bride with fabric purchased from a wholesale lot on Ebay and were sold after the wedding to another eager and damask-loving Bride to be!)
So a note on budget centerpieces – they don’t have to look cheap! On the contrary, all three of these budget designs were meticulously created to complement the wedding decor that abounded throughout the day. Some common elements of a budget centerpiece? limited amounts of flowers, inexpensive vases, and some DIY touches. If you’re looking for centerpiece decor on a budget, be sure to check out the Shops @ WG as well as some of our Garage-Sale Previously Loved items!
- Moderate -
If you’re thinking that you’d like to showcase something more floral-forward on your reception tables, but you’re still not wanting to spend large amount of money on the design, consider working with your florist to create some moderately priced centerpiece options. These can include glass and candles to create dimension on your tables, but can still have limited florals to keep your costs down. Here are some lovely examples of not-too-big and not-too-small centerpieces we’ve seen…
With moderately priced centerpieces, you can either opt for more flowers and a less expensive vase, or more vases + candles, accentuated with a more modest floral arrangement. You don’t have to sacrifice height for budget – you can choose to fill a tall vase with an inexpensive vase filler, top it off with some big-hitting budget blooms (like hydrangeas!), and scatter some petals or candles around the base to give the design some elegant dimension. Ribbon is another cheap and great way to create various visual lines – so consider wrapping your votives and/or vases in colours that match your decor scheme!
- Deluxe -
Deluxe centerpieces tend to be elaborate; stunning creations of oodles of flowers perched atop fancy vases and surrounded by mini-bloom arrangements (our favourite!) and candles. You can choose to spend a bit less money on a simple but tall vase and allot more of the budget to the flowers themselves, or you can opt for a slightly pricier rental (like a candelabra or crystal globe) and have your florist design a more modest arrangement to complement it.
Just because a centerpiece LOOKS to be deluxe doesn’t mean it necessarily has to come with a steep price tag. Utilize contacts that you may have for flowers, DIY designs, and cheap labour (read: your wedding party!). Having friends help out is a great way to skip fees charged by decorators, florists, and coordinators – but if you want your loved ones to celebrate alongside of you on the Day Of rather than be elbow-deep in centerpiece decor, create all the elements yourself and hand over step-by-step instructions to a pro to take care of it for you.
Think outside the centerpiece box….
Whether you’re looking to spend a little or a lot, whether you’re looking for elegantly understated or bold and lavish decor, don’t forget to think outside the centerpiece box. If you’re not a traditional vase+floral arrangement bride, get creative with the use of other elements like tiered candle designs, petals, ribbons, and unique vase fillers. Incorporate elements from your life – vintage books, fancy frames, or personal tokens from your relationship. If you really want to get original, create a common centerpiece theme but make every table different! We love it when brides have an open mind to letting us design a few different centerpiece options for them – tall + medium + short, some over-the-top, others small and quaint. With a good eye for style, you can keep your theme flowing across every table and do it all on a budget!
If you have any questions about centerpiece design, are looking to buy some wholesale decor items, or could use some fabulous decor + floral referrals, feel free to visit our Decor Shops, browse some of our Previously-Loved items, or get in touch!
2011 brought with it a whirlwind of WG excitement. We rang in the 2010 – 2011 New Year with a fabulous NYE wedding celebration in the Distillery District, and hit the ground running with a few gorgeous winter weddings, a summer packed with some fairytale beginnings and storybook endings, and an autumn season busier than we’d ever seen!
This year, we indulged in deliciously couture cakes, swooned over moonlit first dances, and celebrated cultural diversity like we’d never celebrated before. We dealt with decor disasters, brides with broken bones, catering catastrophes, family meltdowns, and even a groom stuck in an elevator 30 minutes before the ceremony.
From flirty threesome contests to an expecting WeddingGirl, 2011 was a year of big announcements, fabulous endeavours, and exciting plans for the future.
{ a personal Note }
On a personal note – 2011 was a year for me to make mistakes, learn lessons, create new relationships, and indulge in new experiences. I’ve grown stronger as a woman, more creative as an entrepreneur, and more resilient as a business-owner. I’m thankful for every favour I placed, detail I tweaked, and bustle I bustled. Each and every bride I’ve been fortunate enough to meet has given me more than I could ever thank them for – and I’m honoured to have been a part of their big day.
{ a warm Welcome }
Dear 2012 – Welcome! We are excited to get to know you. There’s a fabulous roster of WG couples on deck for 2012. We’re looking forward to a year of Muslim and Hindu celebrations, vineyard I Do’s, big barn bashes, contemporary couture designs. 2012 marks some new firsts – new venues, new vendors, new faces around here, and new experiences together. We can’t wait to experience all of them with you!
All the best to you and yours in this new year… and may your 2012 truly be filled with love, laughter, and Happily Ever After.
This past summer, an amazing WG couple, Amrita and Darrel, tied the knot in Toronto.
Their Hindu ceremony took place on Saturday of the May long weekend, complete with the handsome groom arriving on horseback and the absolutely stunning bride carrying an elegant white bouquet of roses and orchids.
A Western wedding ceremony and reception followed on Sunday, with festivities set to take place at the gorgeous Toronto Botanical Gardens. Purples, whites, blacks and bling inspired this stunningly elegant celebration.
Mother Nature couldn’t quite decide what she wanted to do with the weather for Amrita and Darrel. Our day went from beautifully overcast to slightly spitting… and back and forth again. We tried to make a rain call earlier in the day, but had our hearts set on pulling off an outdoor ceremony if possible. Even though we initially set up our ceremony decor outdoors in the Botanical Gardens courtyard, we also had to consider the threat the weather posed to our live musician’s equipment, and ultimately opted for a chic indoor setup instead.
Following a beautifully personalized wedding ceremony, the Newlyweds and their wedding party traveled to Union Station for some downtown urban photos and rejoined their guests in the evening for dinner and dancing at Woodbine Banquet Hall.
Here are some of the Behind-The-Scenes photos I quickly snapped with my iPhone throughout the day….
* note how we opted to re-use the ceremony aisle decor in front of the head table! the extra bit of candlelight added some dimension and romantic ambiance to the head table display.
Last year, our WG team met an amazing couple – Bobbie and Dave, who wanted to plan an intimate autumn wedding. WG Planner, Catriona, was up for the challenge of helping Bobbie create a picture-perfect Happily Ever After on a budget… and the results were incredible!
Bobbie had a gorgeous Autumn Harvest-inspired, country-rustic wedding vision. She wanted her nearest and dearest to experience all things Fall-elegant, from mulled apple cider to Vintage + Harvest inspired decor in an intimate, welcoming venue. Catriona helped Bobbie find Navy Hall in Niagara On The Lake – a DIY wedding venue that boasts some serious charm on a budget.
From custom-designed Save-The-Date wedding maps (made by the super-talented NattyMichelle on Etsy)…..
… to hand-made itinerary chalkboards….
… Bobbie spared no decor detail (she even planned to burn down the gorgeous array of pillar candles in the Navy Hall fireplace so they looked more rustic and authentic!)
While we splurged on renting elegant chiavari chairs from Simply Beautiful Decor, money was saved by creating a DIY backdrop (using Ikea curtains), making DIY bunting banners, and providing the florist (super-talented Melanie from Lush) with mason jars and various country-inspired containers for her spectacular creations.
Bobbie and Dave opted for an indoor ceremony to avoid any weather complications (always a key factor in a Fall wedding!) and guests enjoyed a beautiful personalized ceremony delivered by Sheldon Kofsky of Niagara Region Weddings.
The stunning bride walked down the aisle on her own, meeting her handsome groom half-way down the aisle. The two walked to front of the ceremony together to symbolize the joint commitment they were making to enter into marriage.
Immediately following the ceremony, guests enjoyed hot apple cider and hors d’oeuvres provided by the fabulous catering by David Glover – the Highland Chef. David also hand-crafted the evening’s dinner menu, complete with BBQ’d ribs, slow-roasted beef, and delicious fixings.
A DIY dessert table was a lovely treat following the succulent meal, and led guests into an early evening of dancing and celebration of love, laughter, and Happily Ever After.
Details of the wedding day were captured by Charity Swords Photography, and here are some of her favourites!
A HUGE thank-you goes out to WG planner + coordinator, Catriona, for being alongside Bobbie and Dave every step of the planning way. Here’s to wishing this fabulous bride and groom the picture-perfect ending to their beautiful beginning. Congratulations!!
A huge THANK YOU goes out to the fabulous Jessica at Fleurish Design Studio for creating this inspirational collage for a bride of ours who is planning a jewel-toned, no-colour-scheme wedding!
In doing some design research for this particular bride, we came across this non-colour-schemed wedding at KnottyBride.com and realized – even in the calamity of not having a colour scheme, a prominent theme seems to emerge.
Long story short, we’ve decided that we love the elegant chaos of not having a strict colour theme… and here are some jewel-inspired tones that show just how seamless it can be!
{ wedding planner Tip }
While colourful typically means bright and beautiful, it is possible to over-do it on colour. Make sure to stick to colours that tie in together somehow (i.e. stay away from pastel-this and chalky-that). If you’re using peacock colours to theme your event, consider incorporating peacock feathers into your flowers or using complementary ribbons around the vases and favours (like we did for Jillian and Ray’s beautiful, colourful design!)
Amanda’s latest magic was seen on the May long weekend when she captured the rustic elegance of the beautiful Jennifer and Sean at their DIY barn wedding.
The decor was all custom-created for the bride, by the bride! From vintage bottles collected for the centerpieces, to DIY vine balls strung from from the barn ceiling, old cupboards and shelves displaying family photos, and a vintage clawfoot tub filled with ice for drinks, this wedding was nothing short of picture perfect!
Here are some of our iPhone photos of the day:
The scene of the crime.. the bride’s parents’ property.
Catering and rentals provided by Paul Kent of An Affair To Remember.
Cupcakes + Cutting Cake created (and beautifully displayed) by Alison Kicul!
Centerpieces and decor :: DIY by the bride! (flowers provided by the WeddingGirl.ca Floral Marketplace — officially coming soon to the Shops @ WG!)
DIY Wedding Favours :: home-made chocolate chip cookies with a donation made in the guests’ name to McMaster Children’s Hospital.
The other day, a bride and I were discussing event decor and design that exudes all things elaborate. We’re looking to create spectacular “Wow Factor”, but within a reasonable cost… essentially, designing luxe on a budget! Inspired by this photo from the decor gurus at FOS Decor Center, the bride asked me to help source vendor options.
Typically, when a bride comes to me for help with event design, she comes armed with inspiration photos in hand. It becomes my job to look at the photos, pull out the common elements, and recreate these for her within a specific budget.
When you plan weddings every day, you learn to scrutinize details in everything. When you spend your days creating picture-perfect moments for others, you become aware of every little element that a typical bride may not notice.
While a bride may send the above photo to me and say, “I want these centrepieces!” – what we need to do first is break down the elements of design that have gone into creating the photo:
- fabric-draped walls
- extensive uplighting
- table linens
- chiavari chairs
- plate chargers
- linen napkins
- napkin rings
- elaborate floral arrangements
… and then, cascading crystal centrepieces surrounded by votive candles.
I chatted with my friend, Raviv at FOS and he told me that re-creating the above look starts at approximately $15,000. Even though the individual centerpiece may only be a few hundred dollars, the same centerpiece will not look as stunning against a more modest decor backdrop. It was this information in hand that I realized something…. decor never looks the same in real life as it does in pictures!
{luxurious lighting}
The lighting in wedding decor photos is likely the key element in creating the “mood” of the image. Here is an example of how similar decor elements (chiavari chairs, posh linens, cascading flowers, and martini glass centerpieces) can look completetly different due to surrounding lighting effects.
Lighting is one of the most efficient ways to achieve some serious “WOW” factor… from lavish hues to icy glows.
{The power of Pro}
Beyond simply the lighting of the walls, the power of professional photography is imminent in showcasing wedding decor photos. Photographers not only use high-end equipment, but also capture decor elements from the best angles, within the best framing, and with the most clarity.
When I coordinate weddings, I try to take pictures throughout the day of all the design elements we created together (using my little, pink, point-and-shoot camera). Following the wedding, I usually receive the photographers’ professional images to showcase on my website, and then have the side-by-side comparison of how things look personally versus professionally. You can see from both Amanda and Andrea’s photos that my little point-and-shoot doesn’t do the decor any justice at all.
(A special THANKS! to Amanda Lachapelle and Andrea at Splash Photography for unknowingly providing the photos – from our September 4th and October 17th weddings together – for these examples!)
The moral of this decor blog story is this: when you find a photo of something you love, give some serious thought to what it is that you’re swooning over! is it the lighting? is it the colours? the lines? the textures?
Almost any decor concept can be re-created on a budget. All you need is some designing creativity, a realistic sense of expense, a scrutinizing eye, and the willingness to trust your event designers and decorators that when everyone comes together, it will, in fact, be everything that you’re picturing in your mind – or better!
Today’s blog is inspired by two people I’ve never met, but who I have had the pleasure of being “introduced” to by my good friends, Wanda and Brian, at Studio67, who speak so amazingly highly of them that you can’t help but feel the same way.
You know how you feel like you know somebody, even if you’ve never met them, by the way someone else close to you speaks about them? This is precisely the case with Marta and Brock and I. As an avid Studio67 Blog visitor, I watched Marta and Brock’s Same Day Edit the day it was released on Wanda and Brian’s website, and I instantly fell in love with the details. I loved the story, I loved the elements, I loved the animals. I loved the reading by Taylor Mali, Falling In Love Is Like Owning A Dog….
First of all, it’s a big responsibility,
especially in a city like New York.
So think long and hard before deciding on love.
On the other hand, love gives you a sense of security:
when you’re walking down the street late at night
and you have a leash on love
ain’t no one going to mess with you.
Because crooks and muggers think love is unpredictable.
Who knows what love could do in its own defense?
On cold winter nights, love is warm.
It lies between you and lives and breathes
and makes funny noises.
Love wakes you up all hours of the night with its needs.
It needs to be fed so it will grow and stay healthy.
Love doesn’t like being left alone for long.
But come home and love is always happy to see you.
It may break a few things accidentally in its passion for life,
but you can never be mad at love for long.
Is love good all the time? No! No!
Love can be bad. Bad, love, bad! Very bad love.
Love makes messes.
Love leaves you little surprises here and there.
Love needs lots of cleaning up after.
Sometimes you just want to get love fixed.
Sometimes you want to roll up a piece of newspaper
and swat love on the nose,
not so much to cause pain,
just to let love know Don’t you ever do that again!
Sometimes love just wants to go for a nice long walk.
Because love loves exercise.
It runs you around the block and leaves you panting.
It pulls you in several different directions at once,
or winds around and around you
until you’re all wound up and can’t move.
But love makes you meet people wherever you go.
People who have nothing in common but love
stop and talk to each other on the street.
Throw things away and love will bring them back,
again, and again, and again.
But most of all, love needs love, lots of it.
And in return, love loves you and never stops.
You can read / see all about Marta and Brock’s special day, Studio67-style, on their blog, here!
As I became (pseudo-)acquainted with who Marta and Brock were (via their wedding details), they were kind enough to find me on Facebook, and compliment the work I do. It was after this that I began to notice the work that they do professionally (and passionately!) and became completely inspired! As the co-founders of Fit For Two TV, Brock and Marta spend their days inspiring others to live life differently, appreciate one another wholly, and push each other beyond previously-established limits.
Not only do Brock and Marta push one another to achieve new goals, live healthier lives, and inspire eachother, they do this for others! Via their online blogs, vlogs, and in-person appearances, these two self-proclaimed health addicts are doing their part to share the (health) love by disseminating tips, tricks, and ideas on getting healthy, living healthy, and staying healthy, together.
Here is their latest Vlog posting, as a testament to what they do:
Just as WG is known and loved for sharing all-things-wedding, I put forth this all-things-health as a source of inspiration for all of you.. .all of us… who only get one chance to do it right with our health – so we may as well start now! (and what better way to do it than with these two lovebirds cheering us along!)
Thanks, Marta and Brock, for being such an inspiration.. without even realizing it!
Thanks to my good friends, Wanda and Brian, over at Studio67, I had the opportunity to meet and work with an incredible Bride-To-Be, Wendy.
When Wendy and I first met, she was a few months shy of her Mexico destination wedding and at-home reception here in Ontario, and we set off to work together and make sense of all the ideas she had in her head, but couldn’t really create a wedding vision from. A big part of what I do as an event stylist is to learn who the bride is, what she likes, and how these personality characteristics can transition into a picture-perfect wedding day that is completely reflexive of who she is as a person. Within our first few meetings, I learned that Wendy and I had very similar styles… we liked all things girly, all things pretty, and I dubbed Wendy my Shabby-Chic, Vintage bride.
I learned that Wendy was classic, timeless, elegant, and based on these traits, we conceptualized her Champagne | Pearls | Lace themed wedding reception (primarily based on this photo!)
In January of 2010, Wendy, along with her groom-to-be Michael, friends, family, and the Studio67 production crew, flew to the Mayan Riviera in Mexico to celebrate Happily Ever After in the sand, among the palm trees. Here is what Studio67 created to capture the occasion:
A few days after their return from the tropics, Wendy and Michael again celebrated their nuptials in classic style with a stunning at-home reception (despite being planned on a budget!) with DIY Centrepieces, fabulous DIY Table Numbers, and lots of creative personal touches!
Although, Wendy and Michael’s wedding(s) were not the end of our relationship. I’ve been lucky enough to call Wendy a friend now, and to see this once-blushing bride grow, learn, change, and develop, into an individual who has touched my life just as much as she claims I’ve touched hers!
I write this blog post to showcase someone of so many special talents. I sent Wendy a text message yesterday saying, “You make my soul happy”. Today, I’ve decided to share that happiness with all of you – because while you’re hustling and bustling to plan a wedding, it’s the little things that add a bit of sunshine to your day!
Wendy has recently become the author of an amazing blog, Life Wrapped In Lace - that has quickly become one of my favourite, and most-read websites! As Wendy calls it, LWIL truly is written For the eyes. For the heart. For the ears. For the feet. For the soul. and it is most definitely an escape from everyday, with all things beautiful.
While on her search for all things beautiful, Wendy recently stumbled upon a fancy new camera, and a whole new passion was ignited – photography! Inspired by numerous insanely talented visual artists, Wendy has taken to creating her own beauty rather than searching for it via others. Here are some of my most recent favourites…
It was this last photo that made me realize how Wendy’s stylistic talents and keen eye for details can become a tremendous benefit to all the WG brides who frequent this site for inspiration in designing their own events. Stay tuned for a formal introduction of Ms. Wendy Alana, Lifestyle Designer for WeddingGirl.ca!
In the meantime…. all I can do is watch in awe as this woman transforms the everyday into the extraordinary… one ruffle, pearl, and pink Scrabble word at a time.
