35 Affordable Wedding Centerpieces That Are Elevated

Wedding Reception Table With Beige Taper Candles, Cream Ceramic Vases With Anthurium and Roses, and Jagged Stones — Photo by Kaylee Chelsea Photography

There’s a reason why flowers are most couples’ wedding centerpieces of choice. Although scattering a lush runner of blooms down the center of your reception tables is undeniably breathtaking, elaborate floral arrangements are quite costly. Opting for budget-friendly tabletop adornments doesn’t mean you have to completely forgo flowers altogether, though. You can save money by simply opting for more affordable varieties, such as baby’s breath or carnations, or focusing on smaller-sized assortments, like bud vases or single-stem arrangements. Wedding planner and floral designer Kiara Hancock of K. Hancock Design also recommends choosing in-season buds to cut back a bit. Another option? Look for faux alternatives, like silk flowers.

Whether or not you intend on including blooms in your wedding centerpieces, there are so many other cost-effective options available for your nuptials. For colorful celebrations, concentrate on multicolored taper candles or glassware as the focal point of your tables. Looking for an unexpected, trend-forward way to make a splash? Plant produce—from citrus accents in an English garden to mushrooms in an enchanting forest—down the middle. You can even pay homage to your family history by integrating family heirlooms.

Meet the Expert

Kiara Hancock is a Seattle-based wedding planner and the creative director and floral designer of K. Hancock Design.
August Cole is the founder of her eponymous business, a wedding and event planning company based in New York City and Charleston.

You can also swap flowers for other comparably affordable plants, like moss or eucalyptus for a botanical bash or pampas grass and dried palm leaves for a bohemian affair. Seattle-based wedding planner August Cole suggests thinking about the longevity and recyclability of living centerpieces, too. “Even something that easily translates into your home life after the event, something that can have a second life makes what is perhaps an upfront investment feel like it has a longer shelf life and value,” she notes.

Looking for more ideas? Read on for 35 affordable wedding centerpieces that will still look elevated at your affair.

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Focus on Votives

All White Tables and Chairs With Candle Decor at Wedding Reception — Photo by Keila Bottiglieri with Abby Jiu Photography

Although eschewing blooms is probably the most cost-effective route, you may have reservations about going flower-free. This spread of white votives encased in glass (which B Astonished Events arranged for this candlelit soirée in Virginia) is proof that you can still pack a punch without a single bud in sight. A cluster of candles illuminating a dimly lit room will create the most romantic ambiance at your wedding.

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Consider Lamps

Table Setting at Wedding Reception With Lamps, Velvet Napkins, and Velvet Furniture — Photo by Abby Jiu Photography

Make your wedding reception feel chic yet homey with lamps. These items are both decorative and practical, adding height and color to a tablescape while illuminating the space. With lamps, you can easily imbue opulence without spending thousands of dollars. If you still want to incorporate a few blooms, you can intersperse these pieces of décor with bud vases—like Branch Design Studio did for these New York-inspired nuptials in an art museum, planned by Southern House Events.

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Highlight Colored Glassware

Outdoor Wedding Reception Tables With Wooden Chairs, Simple Greenery as Decor, and Gold Tinted Glasses in Front of Small Green Trees — Photo by Jenn Emerling

Contrary to popular belief, your centerpieces don’t have to be the main focus of attention. At this moss-filled woodland wedding planned by Bustle Events, for instance, amber-hued glasses stood out when set against a neutral tablecloth, alongside greenery-filled vases. The simple assortments of verdant greens by Lambert Floral Studio took on a supporting role as they blended into the forest backdrop.

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Feature Fruit

Table Number Next to Candle, Pomegranate, and Colorful Flowers — Photo by Jennefer Wilson

Fruit is a surefire way to enliven your wedding reception tables, but unlike flowers, these edible accents won’t put a hefty dent in your wallet. Pomegranates were a seasonally appropriate choice for this winter wedding in Dallas, which KC Cloud assembled. Their large size and striking hue also helped steal the show—even when floral centerpieces and taper candles were in the mix.

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Plant Single-Stem Flowers

White Single-Stem Roses and Emerald Green Taper Candle Decor at Reception — Photo by Silent Capture

Still want flowers to be the basis of your centerpieces? Instead of compacted or cascading arrangements with multiple varieties, gather a collection of thin vases with a single stem in each. That way, you’ll use significantly fewer flowers (and therefore, spend a lot less money), but you’ll still incorporate the aesthetic benefits into your reception. This is a great approach for roses (like these white buds that Happy Happening Design composed for this Gatsby-inspired soirée on Long Island), which is normally a big-ticket item.

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Accent Your Tables With Ceramics

Kenzie and Jake's centerpieces with beige taper candles, single-stem flowers in boho cases, and stones — Photo by Kaylee Chelsea Photography

Ceramics are affordable wedding centerpieces that will add an artistic, sculptural touch to your celebration. For instance, these beige-hued, multi-sized vases elevated a blank canvas at this couple’s earthy event in Santa Barbara, which Details, Darling, helped plan. Not only are pottery pieces an economical purchase for your wedding, but they will also look beautiful in your newlywed home, which will extend its lifespan, Cole notes.

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Display Vegetables

Red Flower Decor Next to Tomatoes, Blue Tinted Glasses, Candles, and Small Lamps at Wedding Reception Table — Photo by Abby Jiu Photography

Fruit is a trendy element on engaged couples’ tablescapes, but for an unexpected alternative that’s equally statement-making, consider vegetables. This couple dispersed heirloom tomatoes in red, yellow, and green down the center of their tables, which was an apt touch for their tomato-themed summer fête that Grit & Grace Inc executed. The options are endless for veggie-packed accents, from cabbage to mushrooms.

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Go for Petite Arrangements

Small floral arrangements in bud vases on glass tabletop — Photo by Jose Villa

Instead of completely ditching flowers, decrease the price of your arrangements by opting for a smaller size. A miniature vase of a few statement blossoms will create a simple-yet-impactful effect. Just take it from this couple, who tapped Aspen Branch Design to stuff petite glass vases with two pink roses and a few accent blossoms for their nature-inspired wedding weekend.

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Take a Mythical Approach

Bust centerpieces decorated with fruit and flowers on pink linens with red glassware — Photo by Austin Gros

Throwing a vintage or whimsical wedding? Look to historical artifacts as the primary decoration on your reception tables (like this bust of a Greek goddess, which Read House Event set up for these ethereal Nashville nuptials). For one, you’ll be able to rent these sculptural items, which will keep costs low. And since they’ll take up a great deal of surface area on your tables, you won’t need many of them—another money-saving tactic.

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Line the Center With a Single Garland

Heather and Kelly's tablscapes with white taper candles, greenery table runner, and neutral linens — Photo by Jess Golden

White and green is one of the most timeless wedding color palettes. And, luckily, you won’t need to drop a lot of money to effectively pull it off. For botanical, minimalist soirées, like this modern event in Houston, all you’ll need is a greenery runner (like the one here by Petal Society) that cuts down the center of a neutral tablecloth. The end result will be a classic, clean look.

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Imbue Texture With Pampas Grass

oceanfront reception with tall pampas grass centerpieces and wooden chiavari chairs — Photo by Makenzie Rogers

If you’re planning a boho wedding, pampas grass is an on-theme and budget-friendly embellishment that will enhance your reception tables. These tall, feathery plants are guaranteed to bring texture and effortless elegance to your affair. As an added bonus, since they have a neutral hue, they’ll coordinate with any color palette. To appoint pampas grass as the focal point of your celebration, aim for an elevated position and keep the rest of the décor to a minimum, which is what Nirali Shah Events and Ale Magaña accomplished for this multi-day Mexico wedding.

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Show Off Bud Vases

Red and Yellow Flower Decor in Bud Vases With Small Candles on Purple Linens — Photo by Glorianna Chan

To notably lower wedding costs, use your flowers more sparingly by choosing bud vases for your floral arrangements. With a smaller vessel, you’ll have less room to accommodate a bevy of blooms. Plus, clusters of bud vases will elicit an English garden-like design. You can even get creative with your selections, picking pieces that fit your aesthetic (like these gold bud vases that Thicket Floral Design created and Halle Neeley Events displayed at this romantic fall wedding in Atlanta). Cole advises considering this look for minimalist affairs and garden settings.

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Elevate Moss

White Linens With Pressed Flower Chargers and Moss Centerpieces With Greenery — Photo by Meredith Campbell Photography

A runner of flowers will definitely brighten up a space, but there’s no question that the costs will quickly add up. For a unique alternative that’s ideal for botanical affairs, swap the multi-petal blooms for moss. You can even “plant” greenery in the bed to create a garden-grown illusion—August Floral Design, with planning by Tara Skinner Weddings and Events, did just that for this couple’s airy affair in Savannah.

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Light Lanterns

wooden table with textured chargers, navy napkins, and wooden lantern centerpieces — Photo by Olivia Leigh Photographie

Lanterns are other affordable wedding centerpieces that will claim the spotlight. These light fixtures will take up a good amount of space on your table, which will eliminate the need to include any costly extras. Plus, there are so many different designs to choose from. A wooden variety (like the ones that Michigan Avenue Events assembled for this autumnal bash in Lake Geneva) will fit the homey, pared-back aesthetic of a rustic affair.

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Use Vintage Vases

place setting with hand-tied blue chiffon ribbons — Photo by Jenny Fu Studio

If your wedding is going to transport guests back in time, be sure to stock your event with antiques. For your reception tables, this means secondhand vases. With vintage decorations, you won’t spend nearly as much money on them, and you’ll bring a historical flair to your affair. With intricate, colorful options (such as these chinoiserie vases that Colin Cowie Lifestyle placed on a white table at this quintessential New York City extravaganza), you’ll heighten the visual appeal of your reception.

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Single Out Baby’s Breath

Head table with baby's breath runner and wooden chairs in tent — Photo by Jana Williams

Once regarded as a filler flower, baby’s breath is now a popular pick for weddings. In fact, many to-be-weds are making the dainty flower the star of the show (like Amaryllis composed for this ethereal event on the Eastern Shore). These blooms are brimming with benefits: They’re textured, long-lasting, and versatile. The best part? They’re one of the most affordable flower options, so you won’t need to allocate a large portion of your budget toward baby’s breath.

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Spotlight Taper Candles

Colorful taper candles in gold holders on a light green tablecloth outside — Photo by Michelle Scott Photography

One of the biggest draws of floral centerpieces is the punchy hues they offer. But you can inject color into your wedding through other cost-effective means, like multicolored taper candles. With an accumulation of rainbow-toned candlesticks, your wedding will instantly boast vibrancy and vitality—just take this collection of taper candles, which Dash Event Company arranged for this mid-century modern fête in Arizona, as evidence.

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Prioritize Greenery-Focused Centerpieces

Translucent vases with monstera leave and palm leaves on round tables with white linens — Photo by Everence Photo

Greenery is an effervescent, sophisticated choice for wedding centerpieces, and it’s relatively easy on the wallet, too. Add garlands to a rustic farm table for a chic barn wedding or fill tall lucite vases with monstera and palm leaves for a tropical affair. If you really want the lush green hues to pop, pair your garlands with neutral adornments, like the white linens, bamboo chairs, and rattan chargers here.

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Stack Books

vintage books as centerpieces with vintage table nunbers at outdoor reception — Photo by Michelle Shiers Photography

Calling all literary lovers: For a cost-efficient, out-of-the-box wedding centerpiece, consider a stack of books. You can even save some extra cash—and stamp your affair with a personalized touch—by using some of your favorite written works that you’ve been storing at home. A literary-themed wedding (like the one that Center of Attention Events planned) is a strong candidate for this centerpiece idea, but retro fétes are also fair game.

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Include Funky Vessels

Kristina and Alex's tables set with citrus fruits, silverware, pink napkins, and pink place cards — Photo by A Bitter Orange Photography

Love the look of taper candles but want to take it up a notch (without any excessive spending involved)? Find funky candle holders. For example, at this rainbow-hued affair in Pennsylvania, with planning by Polka Dot Events, hot pink taper candles stood in bright yellow vessels with a geometric shape, which welcomed a retro, eye-catching feel. Purple buds, citrus accents, and a checkered tablecloth also accentuated the fun, colorful aesthetic.

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Try Potted Plants

A wedding reception dinner table with potted plants as decoration. — Courtesy of Tara Fay

Another greenery-focused substitute for your wedding centerpieces is potted plants. For an adaptable option that is suitable for any aesthetic—especially those that have statement-making linens—pick plants housed in ceramic pots. Cole points out that the reusability of these potted centerpieces makes them budget-friendly and alluring: They won’t just look beautiful on your special day, but you will also be able to replant them in your garden at home after the wedding.

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Enlist Table Numbers as the Focal Point

Candle Table Numbers With Citrus Accents on Wooden Table — Photo by Tida Svy

For another affordable wedding centerpiece idea, enlist multi-purpose table numbers. In addition to directing loved ones to their tables, have these items pull their weight as the centerpiece. With attention-grabbing table markers, you’ll need one less decoration, which will make your total bill lower.

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Incorporate Mirrored Elements

curved wood tables with gold flatware and mirrored floral arrangements — Photo by 2digitalbodas

Adding mirrored décor to your tablescape will minimize the need to pile on the decorations just to make an impact. A couple of blooms in reflective vases will create the illusion of having even more flowers—without needing to spend any extra money. You can heighten this effect even more by placing these vases on a mirrored table or circular mirrors (which is what Conceptúa delivered for this couple’s magical Mexico wedding).

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Freshen Up the Space With Eucalyptus

Melissa and Alayna's tables with greenery runner, pillar candles, and record place settings — Photo by Lauren Baker Photography

One cost-efficient type of greenery that will perk up a blank canvas is eucalyptus. A garland of these fragrant leaves will give way to a sleek, classic look on a white tablecloth (which Flower Moxie created for these brides’ organic Minnesota celebration). But you can also accent a colorful base with these aromatic greens. Eucalyptus will coordinate especially well with rustic and botanical affairs.

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Add Candelabras

Reception Tent with Gold Candelabras on Greenery Runner and Candles — Photo by Corbin Gurkin Photography

Want your centerpieces to evoke opulence without having to drop thousands? Call on candelabras. These ornate candle holders will instantly elevate simple taper candles. Complement them with metallic accents, like the gold flatware and golden pears that are on display in this photo.

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Opt for a Food-Focused Spread

Wooden Table With Breadsticks, Fruit, Taper Candles, and Printed Napkins — Photo by Catherine Guidry

Why not make your centerpieces edible? Instead of filling up negative space with expensive decorations, let food double as décor. For example, at this romantic dinner party in New Orleans, Brooke Casey Weddings fulfilled the couple’s French-Italian foodie vision by piling breadsticks, grapes, limes, and oranges onto the wooden tables. The edible adornments made the space more inviting, especially since guests could help themselves to the fixings.

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Get Creative With Wine Bottles

Single Stem Flowers in Glass Wine Bottles on Wood Table Outside — Photo by Branco Prata

Have old wine bottles lying around the house? Repurpose them at your wedding as the focal adornment on your tabletops. While you can absolutely exhibit these glass bottles solo, you can also use them as DIY vases for flowers—since wine bottles require fewer florals, your wallet will definitely thank you.

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Bring the Farm to the Table

Sofia and Jose's tables lined with fruit accents and potted greenery — Photo by Inma Fiuza

Bring your organic dinner-party dream to life with a food-focused spread—it doesn’t get more natural than a runner of raw produce. Scattering fruits and vegetables down your tablescape will emphasize color, depth, and dimension in a different (and more economical) way than flowers would. At this intimate wedding in Spain, the couple animated their wooden tables with an abundance of cabbage, carrots, apples, tomatoes, and radishes.

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Flaunt Branches

Chinoiserie Vase With Branches in the Middle of Beige Linens, Accompanied by Smaller Floral Arrangements — Photo by Sylvie Gil

For an affordable wedding centerpiece perfect for nature-focused nuptials, select branches with a few buds as your primary tabletop trimming. Whether you’re dining alfresco or you’re hoping to bring the outdoors in, wooden sticks will draw the eye upward and add an earthy edge to your tables.

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Let Family Heirlooms Shine

pampas grass in ceramic vase — Photo by Peony Park Photography

Family heirlooms are low-cost centerpieces that are filled with meaning and personalization. Not only will you make do with what you already have, but you’ll also increase the sentimental value of your affair. Highlight a family collection of vases, whether or not you stuff them with foliage, and watch as your guests are touched. This will also fulfill the tradition of including something borrowed or something old.

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Find Focal Blooms

Statement-Making Solo Dahlia in Glass Vase on Gauzy Linen Runner — Photo by Ryon Lockhart Photography

Large flowers with multiple petals, like peonies and roses, are usually pretty expensive, so instead of gathering a bunch, lower costs by exhibiting your favorite. With just one single bloom in the spotlight, they’ll have their much-deserved moment of recognition. These dahlias embrace a less-is-more mentality, but they still command attention.

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Look to Linens

Long Banquet Table With Checkered Linens and Floral Napkins — Photo by Olivia Leigh Photographie

While centerpieces are often the main moment at wedding receptions, you can also select jaw-dropping linens to steal the show. With a checkered tablecloth and colorful floral napkins, for instance, you won’t even need a centerpiece—but small, all-white floral assortments are a definite contender.

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Mix It Up

Glass Vase With Tall Arrangement of Greenery in the Middle of Round Table — Photo by Carmen Santorelli

Instead of having uniform centerpieces, Hancock suggests mixing it up by showcasing floral arrangements on some tables, bud vases on others, and greenery arrangements on the remaining ones. This is a great strategy to save money without sacrificing flowers, and it will create visual interest throughout the room.

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Put Favors Front and Center

Bottles of Olive Oil Next to Greenery Centerpieces on White Tablecloth — Photo by Liron Erel & Co.

Have your favors pull double duty as centerpieces to stay within budget and reinforce your theme. For example, bottles of local olive oil will accentuate the authentic, European feel of an Italy-based wedding, and you’ll be able to remove one expense from your spreadsheet.

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Lay Down a Runner

burlap table runner on wooden table — Photo by Karen Hill Photography

If you’re including banquet tables at your wedding, a runner is an affordable wedding centerpiece idea to keep in mind. With a lengthy cut of fabric on display, you won’t need many (if any) additional decorations. While silk will coincide with luxe fêtes, burlap or jute will coordinate with a beachy or earthy bash.

Smart Ways to Save Money on Wedding Flowers

35 Affordable Wedding Centerpiece Ideas That Still Look Elevated