Elegant, Easy Wedding Centerpieces

It's your wedding, and the tables at your reception are a big part of that. You want decor that's stylish, creative and original, but with the cost of the dress and the shoes and the hair and the tuxes and the room...there doesn't seem to be much money left to adorn your tables in style. These two cost-effective and creative centerpieces will save you time, money and effort. In the end, people will admire the decorations as part of the experience of your whole day.

Q & A Centerpiece
Your wedding is about you - don't forget that. There will be some people, like your best friend and your sister, who know all the details of how you met, when you fell in love, how he proposed, where you're going to live and how many kids you want. That's good conversation stuff - it brings together your guests while they get to know you better.

This centerpiece gets them started with a little flair. For each centerpiece, you need a glass vase (it can be any shape or size, depending on how many questions and answers you want). You'll also need glass marbles or beads, colored paper (thick paper or cardstock work well) and thin dowels, 12 inches in length. The glass marbles and the paper can be any color you want - try to coordinate them with your wedding palette for a more cohesive effect.

First come up with a list of questions: Where you met, how he proposed and what flavor the cake is are good ones, but you can get as creative as you want. Then either write, or type out and print up if your handwriting is less than ideal, your questions on one sheet of paper and the answers on another of the same color. Then mount them to the dowels. A good way to do this is to make the paper twice as long as you need, then put a masking tape loop between the two halves, folding it around the dowel.

Color-coordinate your questions and answers. This way, you can put two or three sets of questions and answers in one vase, depending on the size. Fill each vase with glass beads and stick the dowels. Face the questions in all directions so everyone has a question to start with, and let the conversation flow.

Something old, something new Centerpiece
Flowers are key at weddings because of their soft look and their romantic connotations. A floral centerpiece is classic, but a good way to make it fresh is to pair the flowers with an unexpected element. In this centerpiece, fresh flowers are placed in antique glasses and arranged in clusters.

The first task in this project is to find some great antique glasses. A thrift store is a great, inexpensive place to find them. Don't worry about them matching, as the look is more eclectic if you mix styles, heights and sizes. The pictured antique glass cost 29 cents at a local thrift store. Stock up, including a few extras, because you're bound to break one in the process.

Next, find the flowers you want. There's two ways to go with this. One way is to go with all the same kind of flowers. Roses hold their shape particularly well, especially if you're dealing with shallow glasses. The same flower in two to three antique glasses of different styles will tie the look together, but if the glasses are similar in style, different colors of flowers will create a more visually interesting arrangement.

Arrange the flowers in each glass, put a little water in the bottom to keep them from drooping and arrange on the tables.