Do-It-Yourself Floral Wedding Centerpieces

Flowers are the most traditional centerpiece supply. Unfortunately, those beautiful bouquets can cost a pretty penny. There are so many other elements of your wedding where your money can be well-spent: the dress, the photographer or the caterer are infamous for stealing splurges.

Go ahead and splurge! You can create gorgeous floral centerpieces on a budget. Even if you have no experience with arrangements or crafts, you can use these designs to make your reception perfect.

Each of these projects calls for silk flowers. With the great improvements in permanent blooms, you may already have decided to use them in your ceremony. If live flowers are a priority, you can certainly substitute them. Remember that you will need to assemble your centerpieces at the last moment, and that you may need wet floral foam or water picks to keep them fresh.

Topiaries for Two

Topiaries are another hot item at today's florists. But why pay extra for something you can make yourself? Show off your craft skill, and bask in the awe of guests, with these delicate centerpieces.

Supplies:

Flowerpots, buckets or large, heavy vases (1-2 per table)

Large Styrofoam balls (1 per pot)

Spanish moss

Craft glue

Dowel rods (1 per pot)

Foam inserts or craft sand

Silk flowers

Silk flower petals

Glass drops

Ivy garland, optional

Paint the dowel rods if desired. Lay out your supplies and decide how tall you want the topiaries to be. Cut the dowel rods long enough to touch the bottom of the pot and extend two inches into the ball. Carefully drill a hole into the ball. Glue the rod into place. Glue moss to cover the ball completely. If desired, use a bit of glue to secure one end of a garland to the base of the ball and wrap the dowel completely. Glue the free end. Use the foam inserts or sand to secure the topiary in a pot. Remove the silk flowers from their stems. Tightly pack them in the opening of the pot, completely covering the foam or sand. Place the topiaries on the table and surround them with glass drops and flower petals.

Make it Easy:
Transform a topiary into a more feminine icon by using silk flowers instead of moss. Dip the flowers in craft glue and press them into the foam ball until covered. Add feather butterflies for an even more whimsical look.

Wrapped Up In You

This simple arrangement is made spectacular with a few embellishments. It's a great centerpiece for those who don't want to stray too far from the traditional bouquet.

Supplies:

Tall square vases (1-2 per table)

Full silk flowers, such as roses or chrysanthemums

Smaller silk flowers, such as lilies or tea roses

Silk greenery, such as ivy or monkey grass

Wide coordinating ribbon

Small rhinestones or charms

Glass-appropriate adhesive

Iridescent glitter or confetti

First, prepare the vases. Use the glue to tack one end of the ribbon to the bottom rear of one vase. Wrap the ribbon around the vase, winding upward, and tack again at the top. Glue the rhinestones in a row down the front of the vase. Arrange the flowers in the vase, beginning with the large blooms and filling in with the smaller blooms and greenery. Make sure that the end of the ribbon is hidden. Place the completed centerpieces on the tables and sprinkle additional rhinestones and iridescent glitter or confetti around them.

Make it Easy:
Instead of rhinestones, use pearls to enhance your wrapped vases. Drape a strand of pearls around the vase, hooking it on the side edges so it drapes like a necklace.

Fun and Floral

While floral bouquets are traditional, they can also be witty and interesting. These beautiful blossoms will never be found anywhere else... I guarantee it!

Supplies:

Vases (1-3 per table)

Large silk flowers, such as roses or carnations

Small silk flowers, such as pansies or tea roses

Large acrylic beads

Hot Glue

Acrylic aquarium rocks

Silk flower petals

Separate the small flowers from their stems. Carefully cut away any petioles or other greenery remaining on the small blossoms. Using the hot glue, secure them into the centers of the larger flowers. Place a drop of hot glue on one of the stems left over from the small flowers. Quickly press an acrylic bead onto the stem. Repeat until all the stems are used. Arrange the flowers and beaded stems in the vases. Place the vases in the center of the tables. Sprinkle the acrylic stones and petals along the length.

Make it Easy:
Try choosing subtly different shades of flowers for your arrangements. Using different shades of the same color give the bouquets a polished look.

Forever and Ever

The bride has dreamed of her wedding since she was a little girl. Now, it's time to make that dream a reality. And what better way than a Cinderella-inspired floral arrangement that's nothing but ordinary.

Supplies:

Styrofoam balls in varying sizes (at least one large and several smaller balls per table)

Silk flowers

Glass drops

Pearl trim

Take the flowers off of their stems. Dip each flower's remaining stem in glue and press it into a foam ball. Space the flowers so that the balls are completely covered. On each table, scatter the flower balls, using the larger ones as focal points. Surround them with glass drops and long strands of pearl trim.

Make it Easy:
Buy more silk flowers than you expect to use, and buy them all at once. This way, you can be sure that you won't be empty-handed later, and that the flowers will match each other perfectly.

The Best Gift of All

This gift-inspired floral arrangement is sure to make some jaws drop. It looks so professional, no one would ever guess you did it yourself.

Supplies:

Square glass containers (2-4 per table)

Sea glass or glass drops

Silk ivy or Spanish moss

Full silk flowers, such as roses

Wide ribbon in a coordinating color

Silk flower petals, optional

Fill the containers with a layer of sea glass and a layer of greenery. Remove the flowers from their stems and pack them tightly into the top of the container. Set each container on a length of ribbon. Bring the ribbon up and tie like a package. Sprinkle additional sea glass and flower petals, if desired, along the table's length.

Make it Easy:
Match the ribbon to the sea glass or the roses. Or, for an even more elegant look, use two colors of ribbon that each match a layer.

Moving Down the Line

Tiny arrangements are wonderful, even for large parties. Guests can clearly see across the table to chat, and the bouquets are small enough to give away as thank-you gifts.

Supplies:

Small glass containers, such as votive holders (8-12 per table)

Silk flowers (about 1 per container)

Clear acrylic or glass beads

Medium-width coordinating ribbon

Take about 1/2 of the flowers apart to make flower petals. In half of the containers, place a layer of beads. Top the beads with a whole blossom, cut from its stem. In the other half of the containers, layer petals on the bottom and partially up the sides. Fill with beads. Run three strands of ribbon down the center of each table. Tack them in place at the ends with a discrete safety-pin on the underside of the tablecloth. Line the center with evenly-spaced containers, alternating designs.

Make it Easy:
Ribbon can get expensive. Consider scouting the local fabric store for a good deal. If you're worried that you won't be able to cut straight strips, ask if they can do it for you.

Toast of the Town

Centerpieces similar to these can cost a fortune from a florist. Do it yourself and get the same fun effect while freeing up your budget for the bar!

Supplies:

Oversize martini or margarita glasses (1-3 per table)

Matching regular martini or margarita glasses (3-6 per table)

Large foam balls (1 for every 2 large glasses)

Smaller foam balls (1 for every 2 regular glasses)

Full silk flowers such as carnations

Craft glue

Cocktail napkins

Small green beads and toothpicks or limes

Make sure that your foam balls fit inside the glasses with less than an inch between the ball and the lip of the glass. Carefully cut the balls in half. Cut the flowers from their stems, leaving 1 inch of stem per blossom. Dip the stems in glue and press into the foam. Continue until the entire half-sphere is covered completely. Repeat for other balls. If your glasses are clear, arrange additional flowers in the bottom to hide the foam from view. Place each half-sphere in a glass, making sure the lip of the glass is covered by the flowers. Arrange the oversize glasses on the tables and surround each one with 3 smaller glasses, set on cocktail napkins. If using margarita glasses, cut a few limes into wedges and sprinkle on the tables. If using martini glasses, thread green beads onto toothpicks to simulate olives. Scatter the picks on the tables.

Make it Easy:
If your flowers don't completely cover the lip of a glass, tuck in a few of the leaves from the flower stems. Glue them to the bottom edge of the half-sphere and let them hang over the edge. Just remember to space them evenly and to add them to the other centerpieces for continuity.

Sources: personal experience.