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.

Wedding balloon centerpieces are a fun and inexpensive way to create eye-catching decorations and fill a banquet hall with color. They attract attention as well as decorate a table and chairs while keeping the head-level range clear for interaction. They are also a great way to create a color theme without spending too much on other types of items, like colored tablecloths, matching chairs, bunting, or flowers.

Styles

Balloons come in a seemingly endless variety of shapes, sizes and colors. Colors can match or complement your theme and can be matte, metallic or sheer. Standard shapes, long skinny versions that can be molded and even heart shaped balloons are available for you to use. The possibilities of what you can make are endless with a little research and imagination.

The most basic balloon centerpieces for weddings use helium balloons tied to ribbons and anchored with weights placed in the middle of the table. Using different colors, having them personalized with messages or simply stringing them at different heights elaborate on this simple design.

Balloon sculptures bring a bit more creativity to the display. Balloons can be made to look like a wide variety of objects including flowers with leaves, animals, and teddy bears.

Other interesting wedding balloon ideas include filling the sheer balloons in your display with candy or confetti – the visual effect can be stunning. You can also insert colored balloons into sheer balloons for eye-catching dimensional effects. A handful of confetti and sparkles or glitter in between the two not only catches the eye but can be attached to a plastic wand as a cheap toy for the kids to play with during the reception.

Finally, how the wedding balloons are arranged together can create some fascinating displays. From spirals to clusters, loops and hearts, the options are again immense. As you can see, you need not be limited to simple bunches tied with ribbons for your wedding centerpieces.

DIY or use a professional

Because of the time required to create wedding balloon decorations, particularly larger ones, leaving everything to a professional is often the best route to take. Professional balloon services (generally part of a larger party organizing company) will sit down with you to discuss the designs, colors, and types of wedding balloon decorations you want, and then in the days leading up to the ceremony they will blow every balloon and create your decorations to minimize the amount of time between inflation and deflation.

Moreover, there is a surprising amount of work involved in putting together the more complex constructions. A few balloons tied to ribbons anchored to a balloon weight is easy enough to do the morning of the ceremony, but larger helium- or air-filled wedding balloon displays are more challenging.

However, if you are on a budget, wedding balloon displays can be some of the most stunning cheap wedding centerpieces. And with the right help as well as a bit of time and patience you can easily learn how they are made. For $12.95, the Balloon Decor Secrets ebook can teach you everything you need to know to save a heap of money on your table displays. You would pay a professional 5-8 times the cost of the supplies so you can see just how much you will save if you do the work yourself. And you could even put this new found knowledge to good use after your wedding by helping your friends out with theirs or even starting your own little business.

There is something magical about beautiful balloons for weddings and you could make your own. With this simple step-by-step guide you will learn the basic techniques so you can produce professional looking centerpieces as well as columns, arches, clouds, swags and much more. This book jumps straight in so you use your valuable time effectively. You will need to use high quality balloons but even these are cheap compared to other materials for centerpieces. You will then learn special effects as well as how to avoid disasters.

Bring the wow factor to your wedding day on the cheap. Order now to start learning in minutes.

Air v helium

Air-blown balloons do not float, and helium-blown balloons eventually droop. Who wants drooping balloons in the middle of the ceremony or reception? Air requires a sturdier frame to support the weight. We think of air as being light, but an air mass is actually heavy and can collapse a weak frame. The trade-off is that air-filled balloons will last longer and be less expensive. Helium is lighter and thus requires less framework, but helium-filled balloons will only last for about 10-12 hours before they, too, begin to weigh on the frame. Even helium balloons cannot be freestanding. First of all, not using a frame will cause the construct to be distorted by the balloons pulling away from their anchors. Secondly, when the balloons start to lose helium, the construct will then begin to sag.

How many balloons?

Next you need to know how many balloons you will need to complete the construct without making it look sparse. A good rule of thumb is six balloons for every foot of frame for a cluster-style construct, like an arch. If you are doing it yourself, get extras to replace the ones you are likely to pop.

How to use a frame

When you are attaching the balloons to a frame, you should tie them in clusters first, and then secure them to the frame. Tie two balloons together to form what is called a duplet, then grab another duplet and twist them together. When attaching the clusters to the frame, simply twist one of the balloons around the frame to secure the whole cluster. This method is far less tedious, time-consuming, and frustrating than tying the individuals directly to the frame with string or tape.

If you are constructing these wedding balloon decorations yourself because your budget won’t stretch to a professional, request the assistance of your friends and family. Get them together to practice some creations first so that the night before the ceremony you aren’t stressing out over how to assemble columns and arches.

Where to place them

Wedding centerpieces are often found on every table at the reception. But if you are planning on a very elaborate balloon display it may be too big to be placed on each table. In this case, you can achieve a tasteful and balanced look by having your largest display on the head table for the bride and groom and smaller but similar versions on guests tables.

Displays on guest tables should not intrude on conversations, so those with the balloons at least a few feet off the table are best. For kids tables, a wedding balloon centerpiece can be a bad idea! They are unlikely to appreciate the balloon art and the chances of the balloons remaining unpopped for long are slim.

Complementary balloon displays

As well as using balloons for your table centerpieces, you can go balloon mad and use them for much more. From simple bouquets to complex (and intricate) corridors, balloons can be used to decorate your whole reception area. Balloon creations don’t have to be simply gas-filled, either. For balloon arches, you can use sand- or compound-filled balloons to weigh down the bases. Simply poor the sand into the balloon, then finish it by blowing it up as you would normally. With four or eight of these kinds of balloons around the base, they will look like the rest of your balloons, but be heavy enough to prevent the construct from moving.

Balloons can add to your reception in so many ways and are so affordable, you would be crazy not to consider them for your decorative accents.

Fall is a romantic time to tie the knot, even more so if you live somewhere with fabulous foliage which can form a fairytale backdrop for your wedding. There are numerous possibilities for fall wedding centerpieces. Here are some of the best ideas.

• Foliage leaves add a brilliant touch of color to your wedding décor. Use them to decorate the tables and place them beneath candle holders. You can even make a pile of foliage leaves in a prominent spot to create the mood of the season.
• You can’t go wrong with flowers for wedding centerpieces and the fall season provides you with a wide range of choices. Popular ones include sunflower, hydrangea, mums and daisies.
• Fruits make for attractive, yet low-cost centerpieces. Great examples are apples and pears. Arrange them in attractive vases or incorporate them into floral arrangements.
• Fall’s perennial favorite – pumpkins – also makes for eye-catching centerpieces. You can make a jack-o-lantern for every table. Or place mini pumpkins together with floating candles in water-filled bowls. Another suggestion is to use a hollow pumpkin as a vase for blooms. For more variety, add squash to the pumpkin decorations.
• Get some pretty glass bowls, fill them with fall foliage and you would have made an attractive centerpiece. Add in some acorns and tie a pretty ribbon around the rim of the bowl to complete the look.
• Want something different from the conventional flower display? Get a few tall vases and place some pine cones and acorns at the base. Then arrange some long branches with attached fall leaves in the vases. Just what you need to complete the romantic fall-themed look.

There are so many ideas that you can use to create stunning fall wedding table centerpieces. They will jazz up the wedding décor and enhance the romance and magical air of a fall-themed wedding.