So, on Saturday, Ryan had a LOT of school stuff to do, so I spent the day running around to craft stores to get inspiration for centerpieces (and came up with a beautiful plan!!!)
I already knew that my reception hall has mirror circles we can use for free, so I planned to use those, but at the stores, I just started buying tons of stuff to play around with (Candles, different vases, candle holders, fake flowers, bird statues, etc.). Yes, I spent a lot of money on this stuff, but I knew I would be returning a lot of it and got most of it at a great price (I have included prices in here so you can see how you can get beautiful centerpieces for a reasonable price if you DIY) Note: When I went to Hobby Lobby, glass & candles accessories were 50% off, so I saved a TON of money this way!!!
Now, before I show you what they actually are, please don't think this idea came to me instantly or quickly. Actually, it took hours of wandering around stores & fiddling with different pieces before it actually got pieced together. When I got home, my table looked a little like this:
Only, with way more random stuff because this was taken way later in the day when I had a clearer direction & had already returned a bunch of stuff
The one item I couldn't find when shopping was Tiffany Blue tulle circles (I found them in every other color!) The reason I really wanted to find these was because way back when I first got engaged, my mom & I had found and bought some, but there were back home in Plano. I wanted to try to incorporate them in the centerpieces somehow, so I decided to make one myself. I bought some Tiffany Blue tulle and tried to cut it in a circle. (have you ever worked with tulle? This is WAY easier said than done.) I tried setting a bowl on top of it on a table & cutting around it
That failed!
Then, Ryan gave me a piece of cardboard I had already destroyed with another craft project & a box cutter to try.
It worked to just cut around the bowl! He's so smart!
a DIY tulle circle (honestly, just buy the precut ones, its too much hassle)
With my tulle circle ready, I spent a while messing with ideas & arrangements & came up with an idea: 3 part centerpieces:
First, each will have a glass vase filled with water with one submerged fake white flower (rose, daisy, or mum).
These are the style of vases we chose from the stuff I bought (we might change this a tad because my parents might have some at home from when my sister got married and it would save us money to use those!)
After Hobby Lobby 50% off, these vases were $1.99 each
Vase: $1 (Michaels); Square Bowl: $2.50 (Walmart)
We ended up returning the square bowl because it just didn't look right put together
The bowls also have some clear rocks in the bottom to help the flowers stay down. I found these at the dollar store & each bag has enough for 4 center pieces, so that's not a huge investment!!!
The flowers I also got from Hobby Lobby (and unfortunately, they were not 50% off when I went, but I can buy the rest on sale) they will cost: Daisy .84, Roses .99, Mums .99 (well, maybe .49 if the homecoming stuff goes on sale since that is where I found it...)
Next, each will have a candle holder (with a lit candle of course). This is what we have right now, we might buy more of these, or look for all different ones, idk yet
Prices L to R: 1.49(Hobby Lobby), 1.99(Hobby Lobby), 0.10(Jo-Anns),
.99(Jo-Anns), 1.49(Hobby Lobby)
(The 0.10 one was on super clearance so I ran back & bought the other 2 they had, I will be decorating them somehow)
We also have one more (no picture, sorry) that almost looks like shattered glass: 1.49(Jo-Anns)
For candles themselves, the best prices/sizes I have found were at Michaels: Mini Pillars 8/7.99 and Votives 24/7.99 (Plus you can always find 40% off coupons! which makes them 4.79!)
The third piece is what I am calling the "extra". This is a bit more personal and reflects us a bit more. Here is what we have for them so far:
From L to R: Blue Bird Candle: 5.99 (Target), Blue Bird statue: 2.99 (Michaels), Virgin of Guadalupe Tea Light Holder: 2.84 (Walmart), JPII Statue: Free (Ryan), St. Andrew: Free (Ryan), Cross Tea Light Holder: 2.44 (Walmart), Our Lady of Lourdes: Free (Ryan), Blue Bird statue: 2.99 (Michaels), Glass Bird Candle Holder: 1.99 (Hobby Lobby)
We plan on splurging a little and buying 3 more little saint statues (about $10-15 each) because we think this is a great way to incorporate something so important to us into our wedding reception. For the rest of the extras, we are keeping our eyes peeled. (Note: The Blue Bird Candle is the most expensive so far & I kept wanting to return it for that reason, but I am SOOO in love with it, so Ryan made me keep it & said it would be on our Sweetheart table & we would keep it in our house forever!!! I love him!!!)
In addition to these 3 pieces which will sit on the mirror, there will be rose petals spread around it. (300 petals for 4.99 at Hobby Lobby (on 1/2 off sale))
At this point in planning, I realized that I had not incorporated the blue tulle at all!!! (And I worked so hard on it!!!) I tried & tried & could not come up with a solution. Eventually, I almost gave up & just put a centerpiece together & then I took the scraps of tulle from cutting my circle, cut them into little pieces & threw them in with the rose petals. (Mostly as a joke). It actually looked really good (You could just barely see the blue sometimes, it was super subtle). So, that's what's happening with the tulle.
At this point in planning, I realized that I had not incorporated the blue tulle at all!!! (And I worked so hard on it!!!) I tried & tried & could not come up with a solution. Eventually, I almost gave up & just put a centerpiece together & then I took the scraps of tulle from cutting my circle, cut them into little pieces & threw them in with the rose petals. (Mostly as a joke). It actually looked really good (You could just barely see the blue sometimes, it was super subtle). So, that's what's happening with the tulle.
Are you confused what these look like yet? Well, here are some pictures (they are all different, just like I want! so, the combinations you see here may or may not actually happen at the wedding, we will have to wait & see!!!)
And, my favorite:
For the sweetheart table!!!
Now, I know what you are thinking, "Those are cute, but what able table numbers?" Well don't worry because these beauties will be perched on the glass vases with table numbers written on them!!!:
Once we add everything up, we will have centerpieces (including the table numbers) for 19 tables for about $225!!! I think this is a HUGE feat (like $12 each, average of course). (We are just guessing on number of tables right now because we haven't even sent out Save the Dates, let alone asked for RSVPs)
The one problem is that these centerpieces are designed to be on black table cloths. The reception hall provides white.... guess we are renting black ones... Luckily, I talked to the reception coordinator & they can provide them for 4.50 a table plus 10 service fee (WAYYY cheaper than renting them anywhere else which would run over $10 a table).
The one thing that I am just going to get over & deal with are the chairs. They have some pretty cheap pink/gold banquet chairs. Now, I can rent chair covers for $3 each (adding up to over $500) or I can just overlook what people are sitting in & enjoy the day. I'm choosing not to spend more than I am on all of the other decorations on a small detail like chair covers.
The one thing that I am just going to get over & deal with are the chairs. They have some pretty cheap pink/gold banquet chairs. Now, I can rent chair covers for $3 each (adding up to over $500) or I can just overlook what people are sitting in & enjoy the day. I'm choosing not to spend more than I am on all of the other decorations on a small detail like chair covers.
On another note: It's so hard to budget anything when I have NO IDEA how many people will be coming!!! (We think around 175 tops, probably more like 150, but would rather budget high. We do not want to budget for EVERYONE that we are inviting because we know that there are several people we are inviting that cannot come, the 19 tables comes from 175 people at tables that seat 10 plus one for the sweetheart)
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