Creating a Glamorous Centerpiece Without Breaking the Bank

A beautiful centerpiece is essential for dressing up your table at a wedding, banquet, party, or even just your dining room table at home, but pre-made centerpieces can be pricey. Here are some tips for making a fabulous centerpiece for your next occasion without breaking your budget.

Candles

Candles add a touch of elegance to any centerpiece, as well as bringing some soft light into the room. Perfect for dressing up an evening or enhancing a romantic occasion such as a wedding or anniversary party, candles will fit in with almost any décor. Floating candles in a glass dish are a popular choice these days, but the more traditional taper candles in a set of beautiful candlesticks are a lovely choice as well. For a twist on the candle theme, try a small oil lamp filled with colored oil.

Glass

Glass brings sparkle into your centerpiece. Whether you use glass candlesticks, a glass vase, a glass bowl filled with flowers or candles, or just a decorative glass piece alone, your centerpiece will shine with the introduction of a glass item. Clear glass is popular for centerpieces, but colored glass can add some drama and sophistication to your table. Shop at your local craft store for some lovely glass items at a good price.

Mirrors

Mirrors can serve as a unique foundation for your centerpiece. A mirror can look especially pretty when framed with some elegant fabric or a ring of flowers. When used with candles or flowers, a mirror can be a striking addition to any centerpiece. Your local hardware store will have glass tiles that can serve as a base for your centerpiece for a fraction of the cost of purchasing framed mirrors, and these tiles are much more versatile.

Flowers

Flowers are a classic choice for a centerpiece. Versatile and colorful, flowers can liven up a table. A single perfect rose in a slender glass vase makes a startlingly elegant centerpiece, whereas a bunch of daisies tied with a ribbon is a more fun, modern choice. Silk flowers are less expensive than real ones, and won't wilt in hot weather. An added bonus: none of your guests can be allergic to silk flowers. Play with colors and shapes to create the perfect bouquet to dress up your table.

Think simple

The most striking, memorable centerpieces are often the simplest ones. A centerpiece does not have to be complicated to be gorgeous. At my wedding, the centerpieces consisted of a small lit oil lamp filled with colored oil, placed atop a square mirror which was edged in satin and sprinkled with silk flower petals. They were so gorgeous that a friend was inspired to create something similar at her own wedding the following year, yet they cost less than $15 apiece and took little time to assemble. Don't go overboard in creating your centerpiece - go for small, simple touches that will make a big impact.