Centerpiece Do's and Don'ts

One of the biggest mistakes made in wedding design is the use of the centerpieces. Today I thought it would be a good idea to give some pointers on how to use a table space.

There are two general types of centerpieces that work the best... they are called lows and talls. A great event space will utilize both. I can't tell you how many times I've heard from my brides, "I don't want to do tall centerpieces because my guests won't be able to see each other". I cringe when I hear this statement. Something important to remember is that weddings are generally loud and the tables are generally pretty big. So before you worry about your guests not being able to see, remember, they probably won't be able to hear the person directly across from them at the table either. So I'm not taking that as an excuse.

That being said, let's talk about tall centerpieces first. Tall centerpieces do a wonderful job at making a space seem used. If you don't have any height in a room, or outdoor area, the general feeling of the room will be... empty. The height of tall centerpieces gives the presence of life and excitement in a room. If you are desperately worried about blocking off the people at your table, use them on the tables where not everyone knows each other. It's good to have about a fifty fifty split of highs and lows.

A lot of florists will go straight for the manzanita branches to give height to a room. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of them unless there is something extra added to them, otherwise they read as a dead tree... and no one wants that to be a representation of the bride and groom at their wedding. Here are some that were used well...

Something else you can do to add height to a room is hang things. Chandeliers, twinkle lights, even flowers that are draping down from the ceiling can have just as dramatic of an effect as tall pieces coming up from the tables.

As for lows, the trouble comes when they aren't full enough. A low centerpiece should take up a lot of space. I think a lot of brides worry that having full centerpieces is too expensive. This is not necessarily true. Remember, some flowers are much less expensive than others. Grouping like flowers together in separate vases can be a great way to use space inexpensively. Just, whatever you do, do not rely on filler flowers like baby's breath or carnations (unless of course they are being used intentionally)! Generally, I encourage my brides to spend a good chunk of their decor budget on flowers, because they really have a magnificent effect on a room. As a plus they smell amazing and the guests can take them home!

I hope this helps! Happy planning!