One of the most expensive things we've decided to make ourselves is the centerpieces. Floral arrangements were out of question from the beginning due to cost and then we briefly considered renting candleabras from our venue. At $35 a pop, it didn't seem too bad, but when you consider that we have at least 15 tables to do, that adds up fast. Our entire goal in making our centerpieces now is to get each one under $35.
We don't have a clear idea as to what specifically we'll do, but we have some ideas as to what we want to incorporate. Candles are a definite plus and I read somewhere (I wish I could remember where!) that Ikea drinking glasses are a cheap alternative to candle holders. Ikea also has wonderful candles at a much better price than most other places. Instead of spending a lot of money on a basket or scattering the centerpiece over the table, we plan on placing the candleholder on a glass plate from Ikea. The plates are about .99 a pop and we can use them after the wedding as well.
On the plates and around the candleholders we have a plethora of ideas, including floral foam filled with fall leaves and cheaper grocery store flowers. For a while we've been debating between fresh and silk leaves and luckily yesterday my glycerin came in the mail, so we'll preserve some leaves and see how those look. So far the leaves I chose seem a little brown in places, but they had dried up a bit while waiting for the glycerin to arrive. I was impressed, however, at how quickly they went back to suppleness once placed in the solution (2 parts water, 1 part glycerin. Make sure to use another dish to press the leaves into the mixture). I think that this weekend we'll head to the park to gather some fresher leaves in order to see if the result is somewhat better.
In any case, there's plenty of time to keep trying and experimenting with different centerpieces! 374 days to go!
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