Centerpieces- go big or skip?

Since you're marrying in a natural area, use some elements from nature to create a big centerpiece for cheap. I did these for my company Christmas banquet very inexpensively. I had some friends who have a wood shop nail scrap pieces together to make the container and used greenery from my yard and some cotton for filler. I raised them up on empty boxes draped with material to add height, wrapped with a burlap ribbon, and called it a day. I'm thinking of doing something similar for my wedding in the fall.

ETA: Words

The last wedding I was at had all top shelf liquor. I remember that more then her center pieces. I actually have no idea what they were lol. Our florist is doing ours otherwise I would prob be skipping them too lol.

We were having the same dilemma, and I ended up buying a few cake stands on Amazon and putting the guests' wedding favor on them (sort of having a double purpose for them). I decided that if it's between doing that or having a tiny centerpiece ($100 each quoted by florist), the former made more sense and I could spend on more important details.

I'm paying thousands for photography so I want centerpieces for those pictures. Top shelf liquor isn't important as most people really can't tell the difference. I'd also skip shuttles because adults can uber it if they can't wait out their alcohol.

Do dollar store candle holders or vases with floating candles. If you keep it simple cheap centerpieces can look very nice. It's the ones that have a lot going on that you can usually tell.

I got vases on Craigslist, and am sharing them with another bride. The bonus is that I have a person to clean up after my reception & gather the vases for me because she needs them 7 days later! We'll sell them after the wedding again. I got small round mirrors from a friend who neglected to sell hers from her wedding 4 years ago & am going to throw my table number on them and a hydrangea in the vase. Easy. Cheap.

Don't skip them. I recently went to a wedding where the bride wore a $10k Vera Wang (I know because she made sure it got around), had multiple luxury cars for the B&G transportation, and then had baby's breath centerpieces. In a giant country club ballroom. There were some other essential areas that didn't fit her "black tie requested" event (there wasn't enough food, most glaringly), but the centerpieces were what immediately clued me in to the fact that she ran out of money and had to start cutting corners.

Fortunately, it sounds like your wedding has a distinctly more casual/natural feel so you can get away with more creative centerpieces (as PPs have suggested), but definitely do something!

Thanks for all the input and some super helpful ideas! It sounds like the consensus is something simple my non-arty self did is better than nothing, and the Dollar Tree is my friend! (I have a case of their 13 inch vases but didn't know what to do with them). Hydrangeas and the bridal bouquets are a great idea for flowers without spending a fortune. If anyone has an idea for something distinctly mountainy or ranchy to add in, please share! I'm jealous of the beach or coastal brides who can use pretty shells and starfish.

We had long rectangle tables and just put a few votives and a couple of larger mercury glass candle holders out. Definitely would have looked nicer with flowers or a little more thought/budget put in, but I 100% agree with your take on this and we decided to sacrifice those kind of elements for a premium bar and menu upgrades. Go for cheap table decor if there's something you see in your budget that you like, but otherwise I don't think the world will end if you don't have centerpieces. Also, I think the size/shape of your tables helps. There's not going to be a big open space in the middle like there would be with round tables.

For your mountainy theme, you could cut evergreen fronds and put them in the vases. Or cut some bare branches and spray-paint them - it'll cost about $6 for the paint. Stick them in vases. If you want to be fancy you can drape them with fake pearl strands or crystal drops.

Skip. No one will remember.

@Emilyg that's a great idea. I will play around with branches, evergreen, and pine cones and see what doesn't come out too Christmasy. All those things are all over the ranch for free! Would you paint the branches white?

I think centerpieces are important. I definitely remember bad ones. I don't think you need them to be expensive, but you need something.

Idk I think I would skip rather then a cheap centerpiece. I really haven't seen many out there that I've liked. With nice linens I don't think people would notice

Centerpieces came with my venue package. I did however buy a 6 pack of these plain glass vases for $6 @ dollar tree online. I jazzed them up and I'm gonna have them across the head table for the BMs and my bouquets. Maybe you could use the same idea just repurpose the bouquets for centerpieces.

I'm one who believes that everything counts and it's all in the details....but that doesn't mean it has to be expensive. If you can create something great from inexpensive items that's wonderful. Just don't throw anything or nothing at all on the tables and not care. Plenty of people commented on the details from my wedding.

CO Bride - my personal taste is for neutrals like white or grey, or metallics like silver, gold and copper (can be got matte for more woodsy feel, or shiny/glitter for glam)

I guess I'm different than a lot of girls on here because the aesthetics and ambiance is what I remember most. (Except I always remember weddings with an open bar, as the most fun weddings I've been to have had them.) I remember every single centerpiece but I love centerpieces. I don't know who's saying your led light and some flower petals in a vase isn't a centerpiece because it is. It's not my favorite look as it's done all the time but it does add some color and effect to the tables. I'm curious what your mom's pottery looks like and what might be going into them. Just throwing a bit of baby's breath or greenery around it may be all the extra touch it needs.

Honestly, unless the centerpieces are the $200/piece tall ones with huge flower arrangements in 2 foot gorgeous vases, i dont notice or remember them.

I am diying my centerpieces. if they are well done no one will think they are tacky

Ok so you could skip them all together and it not be a big deal, or do something really affordable! I made these out of dollar store glasses and candle sticks and e6000 glue! They were $2.00 each