traditional flowers. Many people however, make the mistake of
regarding flower centrepieces as the only option. Instead why
not go for something a little more inventive and unique.
There are thousands of potentially amazing centrepieces out
there, and here are my top 5 show stopping centrepieces.
5. Water:
Water adds an elemental, fluid, feeling to the table. It has
connotations with new life and the cleansing of the body from
sin. Marriage is the beginning of a new life so they merge
perfectly. Water works well when combined with flowers
(particularly submerged gerbera I find), with floating candles
or with a waterfall type effect.
4. Candles:
Candles are deeply symbolic, connected with the idea of the
light and warmth of love. They add a certain intimacy and
conjure the idea of romance. Fire also has connotations with
purification and new life, perfect for a wedding as you begin
your new lives together.
It is practical for the candle to be covered (particularly if
there are children at the wedding), perhaps in a stylish votive
holder or be original with an old fashioned style lantern.
3. Crystals:
Crystals have links with good luck and healing so are a good
omen at a wedding. More than that they provide an interesting
and different centrepiece which encourages people to touch and
interact with it. Weddings with a lot of children are a great
chance to use crystals, children love them and can often be
encouraged to sit playing quietly (well....quieter) during
speeches and toasts.
2. Themed Centrepieces:
Themes don't have to be all encompassing - little hints of a
theme can work well without overloading the senses. Use an
objective friend or a wedding planner to make sure you don't get
lost in the theme or it can end up looking massively overdone.
Examples of themes are:
Seasons – For Autumn using leaves and pine cones look great,
especially with leaf shaped confetti scattered around the table.
This looks great and is environmentally friendly. You can also
`spice it up' a little with glitter.
For winter, its pure whites teamed with clear crystals and icy
tones. Lights and glitter really set off this look.
Cultural - Take inspiration from your own background. With an
Irish background you may consider using elements such as greens
shamrocks (a bit predictable but always festive), the heraldic
harp, Celtic cross, Celtic love knot, and the Claddaugh.
Oriental style themes could use red and black colours (for
luck), Shoji lanterns, black or white pebbles and, of course,
chop sticks.
Beach theme- While it does sound rather tacky, this can be done
in a variety of ways. The restrained way generally involves
quite muted colours such as blues etc, pebbles or shells, sand
and maybe even faux beach debris.
It all sounds a bit much but, when done well, can look amazing.
Now, if you're planning on a more outgoing take on the beach
theme why not go all out with brightly coloured shells and maybe
even a tiny fake palm tree or two.... tacky yes, but definitely
different and memorable.
1.Photos:
Photos can be a great way to make everyone feel involved,
particularly in smaller weddings. A place setting with a photo
on (or a baby photo if you're feeling cruel!) makes the extra
effort.
A great idea is to leave disposable cameras on the tables and
develop the pictures later. A variant on this is to get Polaroid
cameras with somewhere to stick the resulting photos in the
centre of the table. It's great to get people chatting,
particularly if respective families haven't met before. It also
leaves you with a great keepsake.
What's important to remember is that these can all be combined
in any number of variations. Photos obviously go great with
anything (except water!) while candles add to any number of
themes (especially Oriental). But the important thing is, when
everyone is giving you ideas, take other peoples thoughts on
board but ultimately be led by your own vision....and don't be
afraid to experiment!
About The Author: Sarah McCormack works for Simply Wedding
Planners, a site helping UK couples to find reputable local
wedding planners. Visit http://www.simplywe
for details.
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