Something Old, Something New – EW’s Wedding Guide 2004
A Conversation Piece
Creating a center of attention.
A
few years ago, while helping my
sister-in-law with all of the crazy
details that go along with getting
married, I discovered that once the flowers
had been chosen for the bouquets and the
tuxedos had been fitted, there was very little
time or money left over to account for cen-
terpieces for their outdoor reception. After a
painstaking brainstorm with the florist, we
devised a rather simple solution that fit into
everybody’s schedule and still managed to fit
into our budget. On each table, a single bur-
gundy colored rose floated in a small glass
bowl; the water kept the blossoms from wilt-
ing as we moved on to more important
details.
As I began considering all of the different
ways there are to dress up a table, I realized
that the centerpiece serves not only as a main
decoration, but also as one of the things that
nearly every guest will notice as they make
their way through buffet lines and cham-
pagne.
Whether it is something completely new
and different, or a new twist on an old clas-
sic, an interesting centerpiece becomes
something of a conversation piece. There are
truly no limits to what you can do and no
rules that can’t be broken. However, a good
thing to remember is to keep the arrangement
■
By Karman Ratliff
low, as your guests should be encouraged to
communicate across the table. But from
there, nearly anything goes.
Emerging trends this year in the floral
realm seem to be monochromatic arrange-
ments in white or in soft pastels, large bou-
quets of a single type of flower or variations
using several types of greenery as the focal
point of each table.
“This time last year, we did a lot of red
and white weddings around Eugene, and
people have also been really into using quite
a few shades of green (for tabletop arrange-
ments),” says Jewel Murphy of
Passionflower Design. “But for the most
part, people are just doing really personal
arrangements, doing whatever the bride
likes.”
If you have the time to plan ahead, ask
friends and relatives to plant your future cen-
terpieces in their gardens. Hydrangeas and
dahlias must be planted in March or April in
order to bloom for a wedding in June, while
others, like the dwarf calla, would have to be
planted right away. Check with your local
nursery for details on your favorite flower
and be sure to give yourself enough time.
From traditional ideas stem more creative
touches, like wrapping simple vases or even
jars with handmade paper, or with ribbons or
fabric that follows your color scheme. Hand-
painted details can be added to metal pails or to
terra cotta pots to tastefully display living
plants or flowers, or even a sapling that could
be planted later in memory of your special day.
A very locally inspired option would be
to hire your neighbor or old roommate who
is also your favorite glassblower to create
personalized vases or candle holders to light-
en up your meal. Odds are they are willing to
work with you to create a unique and unfor-
gettable decoration that is well within your
price range. Or consider having a local ven-
dor fashion several low candles inscribed
with the bride and groom’s names and the
date as a keepsake.
Surely there are brides brave enough to
think outside the vase in this case and con-
sider alternatives to fresh flowers as the heart
of the décor. There are several ideas that can
be pulled together quickly and at a relatively
low cost. Consider searching for antique
goldfish bowls and placing a pair of guppies
or a graceful beta fish on each table sur-
rounded by greens. A colorful collection of
seasonal fruit, especially citrus, looks sophis-
ticated when stacked in an out-of-the-ordi-
nary bowl.
Whatever you decide, take time in con-
sidering the centerpieces you will use at your
reception. Make an attempt to personalize
them in a way that connects you and your
guests on your special day. Be creative,
throw all of the rules out the window and
most importantly, do whatever it is you need
to make sure that your guests have some-
thing to talk about.
■
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From Rehearsal
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Life cake!
BY
COME TH
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JANUARY 15, 2004 27