Centerpiece help please...

[mobdilemma]

Hey ladies…I am relatively new to this forum and this is my first time asking for advice (Foreign territory for me…I’m a mom – I’m used to GIVING advice J). My daughter is getting married in August. It will be a small “destination wedding” with mostly family. Probably less than 50 people. They will have a reception following the ceremony and we have come up with a centerpiece idea for the 6 or 7 tables there. We have placed family wedding photos in concave glass frames (Woo hoo Dollar Store!) back to back (three per table ) with flowers in the middle (the flowers will be real for the actual event…) . I still feel it’s missing something. Please give us some ideas of how you might embellish it. Thanks.http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll190/pbdilemma/P3220021_edited-1-1.jpg

[crazycatlady]

i dont think anything is missing. i think thats beautiful! you dont want to go overboard and then look at it and wish it were more simple. if anything, i wouldn't put it on top of the mirror. the candles are still okay but i think all that glass is a little overwhelming. i had to look at it for a second before i could see the outline of the actual picture frames.

[dwbride]

I would just put the candles in a voltive holder, just to prevent someone knocking them over. Other than that, I think it looks great.

[mobdilemma]

Thanks for the suggestion. We actually are looking for some inexpensive tealight holders but haven't found the right thing yet so, for the picture, I went without. And I also took the earlier suggestion and came up with the picture below. Better with the mirror or with the cloth? (I would need to match the photo mat better with the cloth, I think)One other thing I added was the name, year of marriage, and relation to bride/groom of each picture.

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll190/pbdilemma/P3250024-1.jpg

[FFC]

Honestly, I'd avoid the white linens with the flower choice. I think that the white against the bright autumn colors of the flowers kinda throws it off. It looks fantastic, but if I had to change something that's what I'd do.

I deffinitely like the mirror better than the blue material under the centerpiece. Maybe bigger mirrors and glass votive holders?

[mobdilemma]

The flowers aren't the actual colors she's using (although she IS thinking about sunflowers) they were just some old silk flowers I had around the house. Her colors are royal blue and ???? The white tablecloths are what the venue will provide so, in order to keep costs down, white it is :bblol:. I really appreciate the input. When you look at something for so long, you lose your ability to be objective...

[FFC]

The flowers aren't the actual colors she's using (although she IS thinking about sunflowers) they were just some old silk flowers I had around the house. Her colors are royal blue and ???? The white tablecloths are what the venue will provide so, in order to keep costs down, white it is :bblol:. I really appreciate the input. When you look at something for so long, you lose your ability to be objective...


Gotchya! I'm anxious to see what they'll look like with the actual colored flowers in them!

[mobdilemma]

Me too...:laugh: Thanks for your input...

[mindi_lynn]

If you are looking to use the tealights here is a website that I found for what I believe are inexpensive holders. If you go into walmart the cheapest I found were like 54 cents a piece. These end up being less than 30 cents a piece.

http://www.candle4less.com/72-Tea-Light-Candle-Holders.pr.1966.htm

You have a good start though. I really like the idea!

[mobdilemma]

If you are looking to use the tealights here is a website that I found for what I believe are inexpensive holders. If you go into walmart the cheapest I found were like 54 cents a piece. These end up being less than 30 cents a piece

Wow! Thanks! That is better than anything we've found so far:happy:

[mtigercat]

try looking at the dollar store or dollar tree. they have some nice tealight holders. My opinion would be maybe sprinkle some flower petals on the mirror and keep the candles but yes in a container. just a light sprinkle of petals. maybe even more candles to give off the soft glow to show off the pictures. Let us know what you find.

[mobdilemma]

Ooooh that could be pretty... it might soften all the glass a little, too and distract from the whiteness of the linens. Great idea!!!! You ladies are angels!!

[FriendoftheBride]

The first thing I do is consider the conditions of the reception venue, as this will "affect your effect" :puppy:

Mostly daylight reception? There may be a problem with glare. To minimize, consider you may want to nix the mirrors as they may cast a glare. Do a test set up outside to approximate.

Candles (if above not applicable) - candles may also throw a glare on the photos. If reception will be in low lighting, do a mock set-up in low light conditions to see what happens.

If no glare from anything, then I really like this set-up! Suggestions I would offer are:

-Photo: consider creating the border a metallic gold/silver, or go with a color edged in gold/silver. Also, put photo information within the border, instead of on the table. Make sure it can be easily read in a low-light situation (if that is the case).

-Flowers - put petals on table. Expand the petals beyond the mirror border; toss them randomly on the center as well. Color, especially bright color, looks stunning on a white tablecloth.

Wonderful job so far! The biggest piece I can add (for anyone) is to test a table set-up approximating the venue conditions (lighting, etc). For example, for my friend getting married in May, she is getting married at a place that has extremely dark wooden flooring. Since the desired lighting will be fairly low, light colored tablecloths were a must--dark tablecloths would reduce the effectiveness of the desired look.

Hope this helps!
Cindy

[ElizaE]

I really love the idea!!!! I wish I had thought of that. Oh well, I have been married four years so no use dreaming.

I like the idea of using petals to soften the mirror/tablecloth. I would also put the discription within the frame like the ladies suggested.

If you can, make the mockup and let us see it again, please.

[mobdilemma]

Thanks for the suggestions...the reception venue is outside in the afternoon and I hadn't even thought of reflection from the mirror. I'll definitely try the set-up in the sunshine. I'm going to look for some petals after work today. I'll try to post a picture with the "new look". (It HAS been fun gathering pictures ... we have one from 1914 where the bride and groom look like they are coming from a funeral instead of a wedding...so somber!)

[val24]

i love the picture centerpieces, very different

[FriendoftheBride]

Thanks for the suggestions...the reception venue is outside in the afternoon and I hadn't even thought of reflection from the mirror. I'll definitely try the set-up in the sunshine. I'm going to look for some petals after work today. I'll try to post a picture with the "new look". (It HAS been fun gathering pictures ... we have one from 1914 where the bride and groom look like they are coming from a funeral instead of a wedding...so somber!)


Outside in the afternoon...hmmm, maybe not such a good idea for petals then? (gone with the wind.....) How about colored gems instead?

Will reception extend into night? Asking because of candles...

Cindy