The traditional decorative option for wedding reception table centrepieces is generally an arrangement of flowers. But there are far many more elegant, creative and cost-friendly options to be considered. Whether you choose to order professional centerpieces or you want to create your wedding reception table centrepieces yourself, table decorations are an opportunity to customize your wedding theme.

Candles

One cost efficient and elegant centrepiece option is candles. While providing warm lighting to enhance the ambiance of your reception, candles double as both a lighting and decorative element. Using groups of candles in various sizes and shapes wrapped with ribbon to coordinate with your color scheme are all items easy to make. At a local craft store you can purchase paint intended for use on candles. You can use freehand designs or stencils to write words to commemorate your occasion such as Love, Joy and Forever. You can then offer to let your guests take a candle home as a table favor. Be sure to consider flammability issues when adhering anything to the candles. Ensure that you have considered your venue if selecting candles. If you are holding an outdoor wedding reception the weather may impact your candles, whether it is due to wind or heat.

Potted Flowers

Using potted flowers instead of cut flowers for your wedding reception table centrepieces is a way to reuse flowers. You can purchase bulk quantities of popular, colorful flowers and place them in individual small decorative pots. The exposed dirt can be covered with craft moss, marbles, glass rocks or river rocks. Using a colored fabric swatch or even a hemmed cloth napkin to match your pallet, place the flowers in a circle on the fabric so they look like a single arrangement instead of individual pots. These centrepieces can also double as take home gifts for your guests. Be careful to consider the time of year of your wedding to ensure you can use the color pallet you were planning.

Pictures

Your friends and family will be delighted to find you have remembered them with wedding reception table centrepieces made with photos. Using pictures is especially effective if you have a planned table seating and use old or fun photos of the guests seated at that particular table. If you happen to have a table of people that are people who are friends of parents or other family members, then using fun childhood pictures of the bride and groom can be a solution. Instead of using picture frames, try using decorative wire photo holders or magnetic clips.

Fun and a Little Quirky

If traditional isn't the way you like to express yourself, you will find wedding reception table centrepieces are an excellent and subdued way to show these quirks. Try using live items such as colorful Beta or goldfish in clear glass vases with flower arrangements sitting on top if you want to surprise your guests with something that starts out looking traditional until you get close enough to see the fish. You can also use brightly colored sugar candies, in large, clear glass containers, giving the sweets away at the night's end as take home sweets for your guests.

Your personality can shine and be shared with wedding reception table centrepieces. Bridesmaids usually love to help with creative and crafty items and you should let them so your time is freed up for other things you wish to do. Whatever centrepiece you choose, keep it in mind about what you plan to do with 25 or more centrepieces once your wedding reception is over, a concept which can help you narrow down your design decision.