Creating a Steampunk Wedding Centerpiece

Steampunk style merges Victorian elegance with futuristic flair and is quickly becoming a trend in weddings as each design is a truly unique work of art. For the DIY bride, steampunk decorating can also be an inexpensive alternative that's fun to create. Since much of steampunk revolves around re-appropriating materials for a new cause, a vast array of items can be had very inexpensively and transformed easily with imagination.

To illustrate this point, I wandered around my house gathering materials to make my very own steampunk centerpiece. I found enough items just lying around to create an elegant display.

Here's What I Used:

1 motorcycle sprocket
1 14" round mirror
1 footed, glass dessert bowl
A handful of glass beads
Many lengths (approx 12") of fine copper wire
Several lengths of medium copper wire
1 length of navy ribbon
Several "MC-cable" casings
1 antique lace doily

Here's What I Did:
First, I twisted about ten lengths of fine copper wire together and around the footed base of the glass bowl. I bent the wire up and over the lip and into the bowl as if it were a sash.

Next, I made copper roses by taking three lengths of wire and winding them around my index finger and marrying that bundle to a slightly larger one, wrapped around two fingers, affixed to a length of medium wire which served as the stem. I made several roses, adjusting the procedure slightly to create varied looks.

I wrapped a length of fine copper wire in a corkscrew around each MC-cable casing and arranged several casings in the bowl, using the glass beads to support them, and placed one copper rose in each casing (it would also be pretty to use real flowers or a combination).

To create the layered look of the centerpiece base I first needed contrast between the sprocket and the mirror. I used navy ribbon taped to the underside of the sprocket to incorporate color into the piece and also prevent the sprocket from scratching the mirror.

Last was putting it all together, I smoothed out the doily onto my tablecloth with the mirror on top and next the sprocket, then I placed the bowl of copper roses in the center and added just a few glass beads to the sprocket holes for additional sparkle.

So long as all your elements have an end purpose as a centerpiece (ie your future husband doesn't need that sprocket back), I recommend using a hot glue gun to secure your pieces together. It's also important to ensure that all the cut edges of your wire and coating tubes (or whatever else you use) are filed down so they won't cut your guests if they touch the centerpiece.

There are so many different variations possible with steampunk style that I recommend creating a unique centerpiece for each table. This will not only add flair but also help with the trick of finding enough of the same elements to create many identical pieces. So gather some materials and let the creative juices flow!

Other Material Ideas:

Old keys
Bicycle gears (cleaned)
Leather belts
Compasses, watches, or clocks
Springs
Velvet, damask, or lace scraps
Faucet valves
Glass vases
Copper wire or tubing
Wooden jewelry boxes
Gears
Broken necklace chains
Picture frames