Budget Elegance

Budget Elegance

December 9th, 2008 @ 5:33 pm by Mrs. Crab Cake
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For brides on a budget, centerpieces can be kinda scary. It really doesn’t matter whether you want flowers or candles; it still adds up. But I don’t want to sacrifice elegance for cost.

I used to have a huge distaste for carnations, but I’m really starting to actually like them. They are really vintage looking, and can definitely be elegant.

See?

Budget Elegance : wedding flowers Cc13 cc1

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Budget Elegance : wedding flowers Cc21 cc2

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Budget Elegance : wedding flowers Cc31 cc3

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Budget Elegance : wedding flowers Cc41 cc4

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Budget Elegance : wedding flowers Cc51 cc5

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I guess I could reconsider carnations.

How are you saving money on centerpieces?

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21 Responses to “Budget Elegance”

1 2 Last

Guest

miss panda

those are great!!! i am loving the look of carnations lately!!!

12/9/08 @ 5:39 pm (reply)

Guest

austyn

Our reception venue is a resturant that has oil lamps with floral wreaths around the base included as centerpieces. The floral wreaths are little white flowers, but I’m going to replace them with red berry garlands (score holiday sales) because I want a little more color. At 50 cents a pop, I can’t beat it.

12/9/08 @ 5:43 pm (reply)

Bee

Miss Meatball (message) 624 posts, Busy bee

Totally clipping the 2nd to last shot. Great inspiration!

12/9/08 @ 5:48 pm (reply)

Hostess

chelseamorning (message) 2,252 posts, Buzzing bee

Use the carnations. They look gorgeous. After you’re married, what your centerpieces were will matter much, much less to you than it does now. I was so excited about them beforehand and I barely even remember my centerpieces now (because there are so many other more awesome things to remember).

12/9/08 @ 6:02 pm (reply)

Member

peachypear (message) 343 posts, Helper bee

LOVE the purple arrangement.

I saved a ton of money with a “flowers are naturally pretty” approach. We used cut dahlias, which like carnations carry a lot of personality on their own. We used about seven in a simple vase, with about four vases per table (we had long tables). The end result was similar to above - basically balls of petals. They were nothing fancy, but they looked great and cost about $200.

12/9/08 @ 6:21 pm (reply)

Member

MrsCPT (message) 240 posts, Helper bee

I’ve started to like the look of carnations more in recent years too, especially in tight little clusters. My personal plan to save money on centerpieces involves cake plates (close-out purchases for a dollar apiece) and edible favors artfully arranged. Two birds with one stone.

12/9/08 @ 6:23 pm (reply)

Member

CaitlinRivera (message) 677 posts, Busy bee

I have never really liked carnations, but damn they look good in these pics!!!

12/9/08 @ 7:05 pm (reply)

Guest

Hayley

LOOOOVE the last pic….i’m looking for something i can do with white and black, and that would be perfect….and could be adapted for higher CPs too….

12/9/08 @ 7:20 pm (reply)

Guest

MollyJane

I (heart) your posts. I never really liked them either but this post makes me reconsider…

12/9/08 @ 7:31 pm (reply)

10.

Guest

sphbride

I spent about $10/centerpiece and ended up with elegant orchilds floating in tall vases.

I bought 20″x6″ tall cylindrical online at $9 each and split the cost w/ 2 other brides in the area.

I bought light green dendrobian orchids at about $2.5/stem, have 2 stems per vase.

I bought some river rocks at ikea at about $1-$2/bag. One bag each in the vase.

Fill vase with water, voila

Total: $3 vase + $5 flowers + $2 rocks = $10

12/9/08 @ 8:28 pm (reply)

11.

Guest

mrbrightside

As someone who did floral arrangements on the side, I always told people that carnations are not necessarily “filler flowers” as they have been deemed, but when used in a modern, monochromatic way, they live up to their true potential. These photos prove that point. I think people often discount them because of their cheap price and lack of “exoticness” or traditional “elegance” but they are minimalistic works of art!

12/9/08 @ 8:54 pm (reply)

12.

Member

linzella (message) 407 posts, Helper bee

Our florist is doing centerpieces for half of our tables, and we are doing non-floral arranagements on the other half. Ours will be floating candles in cylinder vases w/ flower petals scattered around, and hers are gladiolas in tall trumpet vases.

12/9/08 @ 9:52 pm (reply)

13.

Bee

Miss Dumpling (message) 722 posts, Busy bee

its all about the budget for the Dumplings! I happen to LOVE carnations, though. I think they’re so creamy looking.

12/9/08 @ 10:07 pm (reply)

14.

Guest

Nicole

I’m keeping my eye on non-holiday looking holiday decorations for centerpieces. We’re having a vintage theme, and I found these glittery little birds on sticks in the section where you find DIY wreath decor/filler. I pulled out the sticks, and will set two birds next to each other. The total cost, I believe, is around 80 cents a pair!

I also found these two glass birds at Target. They’re sort of silver and gold, but don’t necessarily scream “Christmas.” I bought them at $5 each.

Hoping to score some more items after the holidays.

We’re also using $2 vases and recycled glass jars for candle holders/flower vases. We’ll put one or two stems on each table.

12/10/08 @ 12:30 am (reply)

15.

Guest

Lisa

I used carnation centerpieces with mirrors and candles and at $15 a table (which included set-up and tear down) I couldn’t beat it.

12/10/08 @ 8:22 am (reply)

16.

Guest

Laura B

I have that first picture saved on my desktop because I wanted to use it for my husband’s doctoral graduation party.

It’s very pretty. And yea, I never would have thought carnations as a good flower choice either.

12/10/08 @ 9:21 am (reply)

17.

Guest

FMH

I plan on saving money on my centerpieces by using sunflowers/wildflowers that I find in the ditches and fields (I live in NE). I’ve gotten some pretty crazy looks and my grandma had to ask if I was serious, but hello, they’re *free*!

12/10/08 @ 9:33 am (reply)

18.