Inexpensive Centerpieces

Whether you’re decorating for a baptism luncheon, church activity, ladies lunch or any other event with lots of people, chances are you’re on a budget. I was asked by my sister to brainstorm some inexpensive centerpieces for her and thought I’d share the list I sent her with you. She was doing centerpieces for a large family lunch being held after a baptism and wanted something cute, but that wouldn’t break the bank either. Many of them double as favors for guests to take home, or have uses after the party is over!

20 Inexpensive Centerpieces:

1 – House plants, potted flowers or a small pine tree (during the holidays) placed in a cute pot or wrapped in coordinating paper and tied with a ribbon are simple, and have a purpose after the event

2 – A cowboy boot filled with wheat or daisies

3 – A balloon bouquet – not helium filled

4 – A solid color gift bag filled with tissue paper and a few balloons on white plastic sticks coming out of it

5 – Place a large Tissue Paper Pom Pom in the center with confetti scattered around

6 – A vase filled with Tissue Paper Flowers (like these I made for Mother’s Day) 

6 – A cylindar vase filled with wrapped candies, fruit or ornaments

7 – Serve the desserts on the table – a cake stand piled high with donuts or cupcakes looks cute and tastes great!

8 – Giant homemade party cone hats that have fun and crafty decorations (glitter, pom poms, tassels)

9 – Spray paint or wrap in scrapbook paper empty tin cans in different colors and put three on a table with white flowers in each one or make paper pinwheels to adhere to bamboo skewers and fill each container with a few pin wheels

10 – Grow wheat grass in tinfoil containers and wrap the base in streamers to hid the tin foil (like these I made for a Butterfly Themed Birthday Party)

11 – Purchase candlesticks from a thrift store and spray paint them a solid color. Add a small tissue paper pom pom to the top. Put two on each table.

12 – Add Mod Podge to the bottom half of a clear glass canning jar and roll it in glitter or dip in craft paint

13 – Make a small double or triple layer cake for each table and add a pennant banner on sticks for a cake topper

14 – Wrap empty boxes in wrapping paper and top with lots of cute ribbon (like these from this Jungle Party)

15 – Thin tree branches (like willow tree) spray painted and displayed in a cylinder vase

16 – Candy display – a bouquet of suckers, candy sticks or a bamboo skewer of treats all displayed in a vase (you could do something like these Mustache Suckers I made for this shower)

17 – Paper bag or tin can luminaries (make sure your venue allows open flames)

18 – String photos, Chinese lanterns, upside down balloons (put a marble in each one to help weigh it down) , 3D Snowflakes or tissue paper pom poms and hang them from the ceiling in a small cluster in the center of each table. I like to hang mine with fishing line and use a glue dot to adhere the string to a thumb tack that is pushed into the ceiling. (like these balloons from a Barney Themed party or the photos from my In-Laws 60th Birthday Celebration)

 19 – Grow your own herbs in small terracotta pots and display a few on each table. (Like these featured in Good Housekeeping)

20 – Stack a few books on each table and add a teacup or two on saucers at the top of the stack. Add a single large bloom flower (like a peony) to each teacup.

Here are a few other ideas that are specific to weddings, but would also work really great!