Beautiful, But Cheap Centerpiece Ideas

Cheap centerpiece ideas mean more than throwing a handful of leaves or knickknacks on a table. The trick to cheap, yet lovely centerpieces is to get your hands a little bit dirty. Here are a few suggestions for cheap centerpiece ideas that don't look expensive:

Flower Cocktails
Those unused crystal glasses in your cupboard can be used to hold small flowers, creating a mini-bouquet. Goblets also make wonderful centerpiece vases if you cut the stems and place the heads in the goblets. Arrange three or four of these floral-filled glasses on your table. The more glasses you set out, the prettier your centerpiece will be.

Floating Candles
A fishbowl is not just for a goldfish. Place pebbles on the bottom of a bowl, fill it with water (just an inch below the brim), pour in a few drops of food coloring and slowly put three to five small lighted disk-shaped candles on the water. You may want to prepare a test centerpiece to make sure the candles are light enough to float properly first.

Fruit Platter
Why not use a medley of fruits as your centerpiece? Use fruits such as grapes, oranges, pears and apples. Arrange them nicely on a silver or golden tray, and place them on the table. Aside from being attractive, this platter serves as a healthy snack for your guests.

Centerpieces from Nature
Dried twigs, brown leaves and plastic flowers will go together if you paint them with metallic colors. First, coat them with a white or a dark base, let them dry and then spray paint them with the metallic color of your choice. Arrange your metallic twigs, leaves and flowers on a block of Styrofoam to make your job easier. Just poke them into the foam to have a fuss-free base. But make sure you also paint the Styrofoam base to match your shimmering twigs.

Good Old Candlesticks
Antique or antique-looking candlesticks always give an elegant and sophisticated look. So set some time before your event, and scurry over to flea markets or thrift stores. You can get candlesticks for cheap. It doesn't matter if you don't get identical ones. You can always paint them in one color. Use a black base and a gold highlight to create a traditional, yet stylish look.

2 in 1
If you have prepared favors for your guests, why not use them as your centerpiece? For each table, place equal number of favors to the number of seats. Arrange them into a beautiful pile, or set them on different height levels by using a riser. To create a riser, take a box and wrap it in pretty paper.

These ideas can be easily modified to better suit your taste. Whichever cheap centerpiece idea you choose, you're on your way to a lovely celebration.