Do it Yourself Centerpiece Ideas for Summer Weddings

Planning a wedding is A LOT of work. When you've finally selected your location for the reception, your adventure has just begun. For starters, you're going to have to pick a photographer, a band or DJ, florist, wedding dress, tuxes, bridesmaid dresses, etc. When you're done with that, you will start suffering from ATD (Another Thousand Dollars) to fill out all the other little details.

And one of those details is having unique centerpieces. A lot of the time, the largest cost for your flowers is the centerpieces - especially if you're having a big wedding. You can save HUGE on not using flower arrangements on your tables and use that money towards an area of the wedding that you want to upgrade. So, how do you look classy without breaking the bank? Here are a few low-cost ideas:

Around the World in 80 minutes

If you and your fiance have taken several trips together with your friends and family, a centerpiece revolving around pictures of that vacation adds a nice personal touch. The table can be named after the location (New York, Cancun, etc.) with a sign. The seating arrangements should be organized with at least a few couples that went on these trips with you. This should also be accompanied with a small photo album that can be passed around. Not only will this look nice, it will start up some great conversation. There are several ways to arrange this. You can use framed pictures of varying heights, wired picture holders, and souvenirs related to the vacation. However you do it, make the design your own.

Does it Float?

One of the most popular ideas for DIY centerpieces is filling a bowl with water, floating candles, and gardenia blossoms. Unless you want your candles to go down like the Titanic, you must sure to specifically buy WHITE FLOATING CANDLES or chaos will ensue. Do not buy scented candles as they will mix with the gardenia blossoms and smell like the perfume counter at Macy's. Also, it is recommended that the bowls be made of Pyrex as heat can sometimes cause your arrangement to break and your guests will end up with wet laps and shards of glass in their steak. Want some color? Toss some food coloring in the bowl that matches your wedding's color scheme.

Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives

Do you know what the greatest thing about sand is? It's free! If you are having a laid back "beach theme" for your wedding, buy some sand buckets that match your color scheme, fill it with sand, stick a nice candle in the center, throw in some shells (that you also stole from the beach), and random flowers. This is the easiest and cheapest one on the list and looks snazzy if it fit's your theme. Make sure there are no crabs still in the sand that could attack your guests.

Do not underestimate the power of the ceramic pot

Remember the amazing smell of your parent's herb garden? Well now you can have that right on the table at your wedding! Everyone loves herbs, and if you use the same herbs that your Mom uses it will score you extra points. Place the herbs in a stylish ceramic pot and your wedding will smell incredible. Also toss in a miniature rosebush for good measure. Not only does it look nice, this is a centerpiece you can actually use after the wedding.

Your drinking habit has worked out for you

Do you like to drink wine or champagne? Do you have empty bottles lying around the house? Great! You have the majority of this centerpiece already done! Wine bottles with unique graphics or a specific wine that is one of your favorites adds character to a floral arrangement over a regular vase. Fill them with long stemmed flowers, water, and (free) sand to keep the flowers from drooping. A nice additional touch is to use wine corks to hold your guest's place cards. You can do this by cutting just enough off the bottom of the cork so it lays flat and cutting a slit on the top to put in the place card.

I hope these are helpful tips, save you money, and make your wedding unique.