Centrepiece/decoration suggestions for evening reception?!

Hi Ladies

We're getting married abroad and are having a reception when we get back home. As we're not having a sit down meal, I'm not really sure what to put on the tables? I'm quite creative (usually until now!) so was going to make something but can't think what!

We have quite a bit to decorate - there will be the main room where the disco will be, the bar area, a room upstairs where the buffet will be and a marquee out side so there will be tables dotted all over so quite a few tables to decorate!

Its hard to know how many tables there will be too, until we know how many are coming but we are inviting around 130.

We're on a budget too so if anybody has any ideas of what to put on the tables, maybe a main centrepiece on each would be too much (and too expensive!) - woudl you suggest a centre piece on each table or just on the tables in the buffett room? Although I would've though that some people may bring the food downstairs or outside.

Our theme is romantic/vintage and colours are light dusky pink and light sage green.

Any suggestions would be gratefully received! xx

PS> Sorry if I've waffled on!

Hiya, for a cheap table centerpiece how about balloons in your colours? this might work well - we're adding them for our night time bit, x

I was going to say balloons too, you can hire a canister of helium yourselves then get some ribbon and tie them at varying heights, weighted on the tables

Hiya

I personally dislike balloons at weddings (call me weird if you like )
If i was getting married abroad then I would probably do some kind of theme around that idea:

Glass fishbowls with sand in the bottom, candles, with shells surrounding them...

White tablecloths with bright coloured (maybe sea blue colour) voile table runners...

Pebbles, shells or starfish as part of table arrangements....

I loved the idea of having fish in glass fishbowls on the tables but was informed that it isn't very fair on the fish and could stress them out :-s...

I would personally have a smallish decoration as a centrepiece on each table and then maybe just have brightly coloured table linens on the buffet tables - people won't notice decorations on the buffet table as much because they will be more interested in the food - so you could just have a nice bright coloured tablecloth and if you wanted a few shells or pebbles scattered around, or just some nice confetti things...

what country is your wedding abroad in and do you have a colour scheme? Also what does your venue look like/ colour scheme does it have? These all make a difference to the type of decoration you might want to have

xxx

Hi ladies

Thanks for your replies!

We thought maybe balloons but wasnt sure if it'd work out expensive having them on each table or not, I'll have to have a look into it.

We're getting married in Northern Cyprus, alex_people. Our colour scheme is dusky pink and light sage green with a romantic/vintage/flower theme. We're taking some table jewels to Cyprus with us for the tables there so we'll probably bring them back and use them here too.

There isnt really a colour scheme at the venue in the UK - its a town club so pretty plain but its lovely. It has a beautiful garden so we were thinking of carrying on the vintage/romantic theme and decorating the garden with bunting etc, things like that but as there are a few rooms to decorate, its difficult fitting it in budget!

The main thing is knowing what to do about the tables as there will be so many due to there being 2 rooms, bar area and outside - love the idea about fishbowls with sand in the bottom, will have a look to see if I can find any bargains! xx

I agree, balloons are a bit tacky - they look like they are - inexpensive

google 'wedding centrepiece tutorial' and see all the great things you can make inexpensively

if you add site:.co.uk to your search you'll get english websites which recommend uk suppliers x

I would have shells and sand. An idea of got off a work colleague is to have BIG shells as ashtrays! (depending what venue your having)

Thanks for your ideas.

I've been having a think, would a beach theme fit ok in the UK do you think?

thats a great idea - big shells as ashtrays! xx

one thing that would save some money is having different things on different tables so you could have larger ones on some, and something smaller and more understated on others, really mixing it up. We did this at our reception and it actually looked really good - as long as your colours are consistent it should be great! Big shells with a couple of strategically placed flowers on some, and sand filled vases with flowers on others maybe?

Yes, thats a good idea mrswaight! xx

Ooh busyplanning whereabouts in North Cyprus are you getting married? Some of my family are from the Karpaz region and we have been there on holiday.

If your colour scheme is dusky pink/ sage green with a vintage style theme then I would incorporate that with bunting/ pennants. Bird cages with some flowers or candles in. You could still incorporate the beach theme in some way - with shells. You could have a garland of ivy along your buffet table like a swag and wire some seashells into it which would be a nice way to incorporate the vintage and beach theme.

Love mrswaight's idea - similar to what we are doing - some tables with flowers others with fishbowls saving us money on flowers too!

Another way to decorate for really cheaply is using lots of lighting - buy hundreds of fairylights - going to buy some in the sales after christmas or even online you can get them - they look fabulous and you can put them pretty much anywhere - on banisters, walls, around door frames and everything you can even get battery operated ones to put in vases

xxx

Were also marrying abroad - in NY!!

We were planning on having goldfish bowls with floating flowers - now decided to get 'mirrored chargers' and put candles on it with the old flower, or petals

http://www.stageaparty.co.uk/themes08.php?category=Charger-Plates-&-Mirrored-Plates&cat=10311

Try this - cheap as chips!!

FunLovinLynz they look lovely - you must be so excited to be marrying in New York! Are you going on a 'glam' look?!

xxx

We're getting married in Kyrenia, alex_peploe123
. I've never been to the North before as have always been to the South but the more we looked into it, and from recommendations from family and threads on here - we decided on Kyrenia.

Thanks for all your ideas ladies!! xx