Wedding decorations are your chance to show off your unique style as a couple! Centerpieces are one of the most important reception decorations as all your guests will see them up close at their tables. Your wedding centerpieces should be cohesive with the general look and feel of your wedding, but they don’t necessarily need to match all other decorations. Whether you’re a DIY bride who’s tackling centerpieces at home or opting for a florist’s assistance, we’ve gathered some of our favorite wedding centerpiece ideas from real Wedding Shoppe brides! Take a look at these cute ideas that you can easily put your own twist on.

Chelsea + Brian, MRD Photography

To Buy or DIY?

One of the first decisions you’ll need to make about your wedding decorations is whether to DIY them or order them from your florist or decorator. Either way, you’ll have a say in what kind of decorations you want. Consider the following pros and cons to help you decide.

Pros and Cons of DIY-ing Your Wedding Centerpieces

• Pro: You’ll have more control over the design.
• Con: The pressure is on to make it look cute and not like a Pinterest fail.
• Pro: You can save a lot of money by purchasing things for your centerpiece secondhand or at your local grocery store and floral shop. You also save money on labor!
• Con: DIY takes more time and can be an added stress leading up to the big day.

Pros and Cons of Buying Your Wedding Centerpieces

• Pro: You don’t have to worry about the centerpieces looking good—these are professionals.
• Con: You have less control over the design and might not get to see the finished look in advance.
• Pro: Once they’ve been ordered, you can rest easy knowing that’s one less thing on your to-do list!
• Con: What you save in time you’ll have to pay for in cash.

Classic Wedding Centerpiece Ideas

You’ll need good wedding centerpiece ideas whether you’re DIY-ing or giving your decorator guidance on what you like. Here are some classic wedding centerpiece ideas to get your creativity flowing. Take a look at the key elements of classically cute wedding centerpieces!

• Roses. These flowers are classic and timeless in all shades. Whether you put them in vases or sprinkle petals over the table, you can’t go wrong with roses.
• Votive candles. Gentle flickering candles never go out of style in wedding decorations. Votive candles are also incredibly versatile. You can scatter them around your centerpiece, place them in any number of stylish candle holders, set them atop a mirror, etc. Take this timeless component of classic centerpieces and make it your own.
• Fluted vases. These simple vases are easy to come by and provide a clean, elegant look to your centerpieces.

 

Modern Wedding Centerpiece Ideas

Couples are getting more and more creative with their wedding decorations. Check out these cute wedding centerpieces and see if you’re onboard with these modern trends!

• Geometric terrariums. This is a trendy wedding centerpiece idea that’s great for a modern bride. Layer succulents, moss, and stones inside a geometric terrarium and you’ve got a beautiful modern centerpiece. It also makes a great wedding favor for your guests!
• Fruit. Non-floral centerpieces are making waves in the wedding industry/ Maybe you haven’t previously considered using fresh produce in place of flowers, but fruits and vegetables can look stunning in a table arrangement. Oranges, lemons, limes, apples, pomegranates, berries, gourds, pumpkins, kale, cabbage—the list of gorgeous, vibrantly colored produce goes on. This is a popular modern way to bring a seasonal vibe to your wedding decorations.
• Wine bottles. Have a wine and cheese party with your bridesmaids, then spray paint the empty bottles and paint on the table numbers. Toss in some bunches of grapes (see above!) and a few candles and you’ve got yourself a classy modern centerpiece.

Annie + Ryan, Megan Norman Photography

Rustic Wedding Centerpiece Ideas

Rustic wedding themes are very trendy right now. Because they’re quite down-to-earth, most of these items are easy to track down, too. Here are some ideas if you’re looking to go beyond Mason jars, twine, and burlap for your rustic wedding centerpieces.

• Mismatched vases. Mason jars. Pop into a charity shop and pick out an assortment of inexpensive, mismatched vases for your centerpieces. Toss in some empty glass soda bottles, tin cans, and the vases hiding under your mom’s sink and you’re good to go. Check out Lindsey and Bryant's hanging mason jar decor below!
• Flower boxes or crates. Rough, slatted wood screams rustic. Using a flower box is a great way to create earthy, yet elegant wedding centerpieces.
• Cotton. Think outside the box by considering natural items that aren’t florals. Cotton has a timeless rustic feel, as do bunches of wheat or prairie grass.

Lindsey + Bryant, Shelby Taylor Photography

Boho Wedding Centerpiece Ideas

If you’re a bohemian bride, here are some cute wedding centerpieces to match your aesthetic.

• Driftwood. Skip the vase or cliché wood slices and use driftwood as the base for your centerpieces. This gives the décor a natural, organic feel.
• Natural foliage. If you’re having a fall wedding, use tree clippings bursting with vibrant autumn leaves. Palm leaves also lend themselves well to a boho aesthetic. Whatever the season, bring a touch of the outdoors in.
• Lanterns. All those cute lantern-shaped candle holders you bought for your room? Pick up a few more and you’ve got boho wedding centerpieces.

Lindsey + Alex, Chelsea Jean Photography

Art Deco Wedding Centerpiece Ideas

The art deco aesthetic is still big in bridal. Here are a few ways to get the Gatsby-era wedding centerpieces of our dreams.

• Feathers. Nothing says posh opulence like big fluffy feathers. Pop several in a tall vase, mixing in flowers if you want, and you’ll transport your guests back in time to the 1920s.
• Candelabras. Add strings of dripping beads and pearls to golden candelabras for a chic, elegant look.
• Liquor bottles. The art deco era was also the age of prohibition—and speakeasys—so go all in with boozy wedding decorations. Use old liquor bottles and martini glasses to create centerpieces. Fill them with opulent flowers like orchids or drape them in pearls and strings of lights.

Chelsea + Brian, MRD Photography

Sentimental Wedding Centerpiece Ideas

A wedding is a big emotional affair, so it’s okay to get sentimental with your wedding decorations. Here are some great items you can use to create cute wedding centerpieces.

• Childhood photos. If you’re going for a bit of humor, use framed childhood photos in your centerpieces. This is a cute way to make each table unique and encourage friends and family to intermingle throughout the night.
• Family heirlooms. What better way to execute a vintage theme than with family heirlooms? Maybe you have your grandmother’s wedding veil, a great aunt’s old hat box, or your great-grandfather’s flask. Just be sure someone is in charge of packing up all of these items carefully at the end of the night!
• Vintage books. This works great if you have copies of famous love stories—Pride and Prejudice, Gone with the Wind, North and South, etc. If you and your partner are readers, this can be a classy way to incorporate your favorite books into the wedding decorations, too.
• Framed quotes. Compile favorite quotes about love, weddings, and marriage, and frame theme for centerpieces. You can also use frames to tell excerpts of you and your partner’s personal love story!

(Okay, this is a cake, but how cute is it?!) Megan + Brandon, Render Photography

Tips for Arranging Centerpieces on the Big Day

If you’re making your own wedding decorations, make sure you have a plan for set-up. As the bride, you’ve got plenty to do to get ready for the ceremony—hair, makeup, pictures. You don’t have time to be running around arranging flowers! Find out early if the venue allows you to set up wedding decorations the night before. If not, designate a person or a group to be on the set-up committee. It can be a relative with an artistic eye, a spare bridal attendant, or a future in-law—someone you trust to make everything look nice while you’re busy getting primped. Make sure you’ve created a sample design for them to work from, though—you don’t want your incredible wedding centerpiece ideas to go to waste because the person setting up didn’t understand your vision. Make sure all the items are organized and clearly labeled for the big day. Wedding centerpieces are the perfect way to express your personality as a couple. Get creative with thinking of fun ways to incorporate your unique style into the décor. They also make fun wedding favors if you decide to give them away! After all the hard work, make sure to take some cute photos of your creations. Which of these wedding centerpiece ideas is your favorite? Check out more tips for how to DIY all of your wedding décor.