How Do I Use Gold and Bronze In Decorating My Wedding?

Question from Andrea:

How do I combine white, gold and bronze as a wedding theme for the decorations and for the table decors?

Answer from Beach Wedding Expert Angela:

Hi Andrea, and congratulations on your upcoming wedding.  There are many ways to decorate using these colours.  Let’s explore your options.

White tablecloths, white napkins, white chair covers creates a classic elegant base from which to decorate.  Now you start to add colour.  Pick one colour–gold or bronze, and dress the table with a table square or runner in that colour.  Your centrepiece will then be the next place you want to add colour.  You can add the same colour, or the other colour you are using.  For example, if you used a bronze lace table square, you might choose a centrepiece of gold foil covered rum balls or chocolate balls, and make a tower of them as a centrepiece, or fill a tall vase with them.  They can then be served to your guests as a sweet throughout the evening.  Or, just fill the tall vase with gold foil covered ping pong balls.  A few taper candles will add sparkle to the centrepiece, and create a warmth to the overall look of your decor.  A wedding party favor in your wedding colours will complete the table.  Have you seen the bronze elegance collection?  It will give you ideas on how to use bronze in your decorations.  These table top accessories might give you some other ideas.

Every room that is decorated needs a focal point.  The most logical focal point is the head table.  You need some height to create a dramatic look.  Your reception site might have some backdrops available or can tell you where to rent them.  There are many types, sizes, and styles.  I like the window style as it allows you to use lighting behind it to create a warm glow at the head of the room.  You can put a few tall flower stands (also available to rent) with flowers in your wedding colours to add interest, if you so desire.

Then there is the head table itself.  Whatever you have chosen for the guest tables, you want to do it grander at the head table.  The table should have table skirting and draping in your wedding colour(s).   Table squares or runners can also be used.  Consider lighting under the table so it echos the glow behind the backdrop.

Everyone thinks that to make the room look elegant they need to buy a lot of stuff to decorate.  Flowers and candles are still classic and beautiful.  Candleabra’s come in many different styles and sizes, and you might want a couple for behind the head table (instead of the flower stands), or you can have table sized ones.

What you really need is a focal point for the guest tables—your centrepiece.  By keeping things simple with white-on-white, any colour you add will create pop and a wow factor.  You need a focal point for the room—your head table.  Lighting is a great way to accent any design or decor element, and ‘uplights’ can be purchased for around $10, and later used in your home to illuminate a dark corner.

You can also create bows in your wedding colours to add to the backs of the chairs.  I have also seen strips of thin, net fabric in the wedding colours wrapped around the chair back, and a bow tied.  Simple and beautiful.

These ideas should make it easy for you to plan the decorations.  The cake table’s focal point is the cake, so a simple tablecloth will suffice.  Your guest book table’s focal point is the guest book and card holder, and a simple runner or table square in your wedding colours will accent it nicely.  If you want to do more, add flowers or candles, or the same centrepiece that you will be using on the guest tables.

Remember whatever decorations go up, must come down, and someone needs to do that.  Sometimes couples will hire a wedding planner for a decorating package only, so they don’t have to deal with it themselves.

Good luck and if you have further questions, feel free to ask.

Beach Wedding Centerpiece Ideas for the Exotic Couple

Many couples want to have a beautiful, exotic, and romantic wedding that they will remember for the rest of their lives. An exotic beach wedding is the perfect theme for this purpose. The tranquil beach scene coupled with the picturesque sky is truly a stunning backdrop for this momentous occasion. Aside from that, a beach wedding theme is also fun, modern, whimsical, and distinctive.

Some couples who want to go an extra mile beyond the usual beach wedding opt to have an exotic beach wedding ceremony. One of the most important touches to this kind of event is of course, the wedding centerpieces, which add beauty and glamor to the ambiance of the wedding reception.

Ideas for Exotic Beach Wedding Centerpieces

• Rustic beach lanterns placed on top of a clear plate filled with sand, surrounded with shells and flower petals. This is perfect especially if you are going to hold the wedding reception at night. Make sure you choose a low-wattage light bulb that will not strain the eyes of your guests.

• Candle inside a tall clear glass wrapped with a thin handmade paper. This is a cheaper alternative to the first centerpiece that will give the same effect but for a lesser cost. Do not forget to tie a blue satin ribbon around the glass to add to the visual interest of the centerpiece.

• Exotic flower arrangements that do not only look gorgeous and spectacular but smell just as wonderful. You can ask your florist to make arrangements of different kinds of exotic flowers such as orchids, bird of paradise, heliconias, protias, hibiscus, and gingers. Add tropical green foliage for a more stunning effect.

• Bamboo basket filled with sumptuous exotic and wild fruits. Tropical fruits such as mangoes, jackfruit, melon, pineapple, banana, watermelon and orange make a very colorful centerpiece. Do not forget to have someone inform the guests that these fruits are not only meant as a decoration but also as a delicious sweet treat for the guests.

• Other ideas include sand, shells, starfish, and sprawled over a piece of driftwood, floating candles on a wide clear vase placed on top of a mirror, and sand castles or various kinds of sand sculpture.

More Tips on Exotic Beach Wedding Centerpieces

• Complement the centerpiece to the overall look of the wedding.
• The centerpieces should be just the right size, not too large to intimidate the guests or too small to be noticed.
• Be wary of using live flower blooms under the strong heat of the sun. Ask your florist techniques on how to protect flowers from wilting and drying.
• Shield candle centerpieces and sand sculptures since the windy condition at the beach can put out the flames and send sand flying around your guests’ tables.

Some people think that wedding centerpieces are just among the other small details in a wedding but what they do not know is that the wrong kind of centerpiece can ruin the beauty of the event. With the creative ideas and practical tips mentioned above, you will surely have beautiful wedding centerpieces to help make this event a memorable one.

Creating Your Own Centerpieces Personalizes Your Big Day

Wedding table centerpieces make your special seating area more eye-catching while reflecting the theme of your day. Everyone will be watching the bride and groom so the best ideas are attractive but not overwhelming. After all, the bride and groom are the stars of the day and should be seen without being hidden by an oversized centerpiece.

First, consider the theme of your wedding. Is it elegant, casual, whimsical or child-friendly? This will help you determine the best centerpiece for your bride and groom table so you can match it to your theme. For example, at a sophisticated adult wedding you can use a variety of glass holder with candles in different sizes and mirrors to reflect their glow. At a wedding with children, you can incorporate color and humor into your wedding table centerpieces with a large bowl filled with candies and prizes that is sure to attract your younger guests.

Remember the wedding table will be a place where guests come to talk to the bride and groom and spend some time. It is also a focal point during the toast to the bride and groom so all eyes will be watching your table. Your ideas should suit your type of wedding for a professional, uniform appearance in all the photographs and videos of the event.

Next, determine the size of the table to figure out how many centerpieces you need. The number of items is determined by the amount of people seated with the bride and groom. A long table may need three or four centerpieces for balance, while a smaller table is perfect with just one. Once you know the theme and the number of centerpieces you need, you can choose the most appropriate ideas.

For the bride and groom’s table, a white centerpiece with gold and silver accents suits all types of weddings. If you have a luxury adult wedding, use a variety of candles in different sizes places on mirrors because you don’t have to worry about little hands being attracted to all the flickering light. You can also have a small fountain in the middle of your table for a romantic, calming touch.

At wedding with or without children, flowers make classic wedding table centerpieces. Make sure the flowers are not so tall that they hide the faces of the bride and groom. Choose unique vases and stones to customize your centerpieces. You can even make them yourself with a bit of creativity, using your choice of dried or fresh flowers. At a country theme wedding, you can fill western boot glasses with stones and flowers. For a sophisticated look, fill beautiful glass vases with colorful stones, mystic crystals or even water activated diamond lights for a glow beneath your bouquets. Add glitter on the branches for sparkling appeal.

The flowers you choose depend on the season and the colors worn by the wedding party. Match the flowers to your theme for a uniform appearance throughout your wedding ceremony and reception. Make sure the flowers are not too tall or wide for your wedding table. Also, avoid fragrant flowers that may upset members of the wedding party with allergies or sensitive stomachs during the excitement of your big day.

A fun way to decorate your wedding table is with a heart-shaped fondue set. The bride, groom and wedding party will have a great time gathering around a chocolate fondue and dipping strawberries. The fondue makes a fantastic centerpiece you can take home after the wedding to relive romantic moments with your own private fondue.

Another attractive accent for the wedding table that won’t interfere with viewing the bride and groom are plates spelling “L-O-V-E” filled with goodies such as nuts, mints, candies and fruits. The bride, groom and wedding party can pick on the goodies and the plates are lovely keepsakes after the reception is over.

While you can have a professional make your centerpieces, these ideas can all be easily put together yourself to save money. Creating your own centerpieces also personalizes your big day.

Wedding Reception Centerpieces – Beach Wedding Planning

Welcome to our video series of the top 20 questions brides ask when planning their wedding.  I get a lot of questions about reception table centerpieces.  Everyone wants something different, unique, interesting, or unusual.

Follow along by reading:

Wedding reception table centerpieces usually consist of flowers, candles or light, water, and sand—-by themselves, or in combination with each other.  In addition, the use of food as a centerpiece has become more common over the last ten years.

Flowers are the number one choice of brides when it comes to centerpieces.  They can be small and dainty, or extravagant floral displays with ostrich feathers in trumpet vases.

Candles add atmosphere and ambiance to any dimly lit room.  They are the classic, traditional centrepiece for a dining room, and they are easy on the pocket book.  They can be simple, or dressed up with flowers or placed in elaborate clusters.

Water is an interesting medium for table centerpieces.  I have seen goldfish swimming in glass bowls as a centerpiece.  Very unique and colorful.  Water can be dyed to any color, so imagine a cluster of tall thin vases filled with colored water as a centerpiece.  How about a simple glass bowl with water, floating candles and a few flower heads?  Inexpensive and elegant.

Sand has become more popular, especially as it comes in many colors.  Whether you have sand in a vase, or in a flat tray with tea lights, you can do almost anything with sand. Consider vials of colored sand, and an empty glass container—you can have your guests create the centerpiece through an activity that gets everyone involved.

And then, there is food as a centerpiece.  Consider a tower made out of pieces of fudge which then becomes the dessert.  A beautiful choice for a centerpiece is a tall vase filled with lemons and limes.  A more casual outdoor wedding might have a glass pitcher full of sliced lemons, limes and water, which later becomes lemonade for the guests to drink.

Wedding table centerpieces can be simple, dramatic, or practical—and it depends upon your personal style.  I suggest you pay attention to centerpieces whenever you are at a restaurant, or fancy hotel.  Look through home magazines to see what kind of centerpieces are on tables in the photos.

The purpose of a centerpiece is to be the focal point of the table.  The use of flowers, candles or lights, water, sand and food are the most common ways to achieve this.

Good luck, and congratulations on your upcoming wedding.