The Building Blocks of Fabulous Wedding Centerpieces Part 2

Now you have sorted out the guts of your wedding centerpieces, it is time to decide on what to put them in.

The Containers

When it comes to containers, there is a wide choice available to you. Be creative & think outside of the box, particularly if want something different or quirky. Stick with plain & simple for a modern, contemporary look or choose something elegant & luxurious for a traditional & stately feel. Here is a list of some of the most popular choices.

� bubble bowls (�fish bowls�), ivy bowls, hurricane lamps

� footed pedestal bowls, urns

� silver mint julep cups

� eiffel (tower) or trumpet vases

� mason jars

� photo cubes

� gift boxes, hat boxes

� wooden crates

� clear glass cylinders

� square vases, square bowls

� oversized martini or wine glasses

The Treatments

This is the important part. You have your guts, you have your containers, now how do you marry the two together? The way in which you do this will say as much about your style as your choice of guts in the first place. Again, here are some popular treatments for you to pick from.

� flowers, nosegays

� flowers, wired to topiaries

� flowers, paveed

� de-stemmed single flower heads floating in water: gerbers, roses, peonies

� blooms arranged into pomanders or spheres

� maple or oak leaves, roses, orchids, gerbers: submerged entirely in water (aka �drowning rose�)

� callas, bear grass, sword grass: submerged & twirled in bubble glass

� roses, orchids, gerbers: submerged plus underwater lighting

� vegetables (gourds, succulents): submerged

Killer Container Fillers

You may have noticed from your initial research, that some designers will add extra elements to the containers themselves. You will probably have seen glass vases lined with wheat grass or perhaps a layer of pretty crystal stones. Water it would seem is not sufficient & you have to add an extra bit of wow with some killer filler! Take a look at these for inspiration.

� gel beads

� vase gems, clear

� vase gems, bright striking colors

� vase gems with underwater lighting

� cranberries, kumquats, cherries, frozen green peas (can take water)

� coffee beans, candy corn, dried indian corn, popcorn, dried peas, lentils (keep dry)

� colored water, underwater lighting

� citrus fruit, arranged cut side out

� block of floral foam wrapped in sword grass or hosta leaves (placed in square jars)

Snappy Container Wrappers

If you find yourself staring at your beautiful wedding centerpieces & wondering what is missing, then it could be that the addition of a simple wrapper is all that is required.

You are perhaps looking at your glass containers & thinking they look too bare, but add in a piece of pretty satin ribbon, tied around the vase & knotted in place, & Voila! Perfection is reached! Here are some other ideas for snappy container wrappers.

� ivy

� raffia

� multilayered satin ribbons

� berry sprays/garlands

� bark strips

� marabou feather boas

� bear grass

� bear grass threaded with crystals

Next: Read The Building Blocks of Fabulous Centerpieces Part 3.

Author: Georgina Clatworthy