Centerpieces

Note in the program! That's a good idea too

Maybe this is a regional thing? I can honestly say that every wedding I've been to (and bridal or baby shower, for that matter) involves someone taking the centerpieces home at the end of the night. There's usually a game or raffle of some sort involved, like "the person at the table with a birthday closest to the wedding date gets the centerpiece" (for a bridal shower).

This is very common in my area. It is customary for guests to take the floral arrangements home, but not the actual decor. They do usually ask - but not always. It is becoming less common amoung the younger crowd - but aunties and grannies can be relied on to take flowers home!

At our best man's wedding a few years back, people took the crystal napkin holders home, because they thought they were wedding favours or something. They had to pay out of pocket to their venue.

ETA: words

This is also common where i live. usually the bride/MOB encourages people to take them though. i want people to take home the flowers so they don't just get trashed, but i am renting the vases so i am unsure what to do.

Our CPs are not floral arrangements, they are bird cages & lanterns with flowers/greenery inside of them, but they are all small pieces, not one 'together' arrangement, which would

make them hard to take, better yet, why anyone would want just the greenery leaves or the 2 individual fake flowers is beyond me? but what do i know lol

Mine are going to be small flower arrangements so at the end of the night I'd love people to take them I don't think it's normal for someone to swipe a centerpiece during the wedding, what are they gonna do with it besides carry it around??

I would never as a guest take a centerpiece, unless there was an announcement stating to do so. I would hope people would have enough common sense to think the same way.

I've been to weddings where the bride and groom gave away centerpieces but never seen someone take it without it being gifted to them... do you have a DOC? Maybe he/she can police people.

It was a non issue for me.

We are preventing this by not inviting thieves to the wedding, I guess. That is so shockingly presumptuous! Are these guests also filling their handbags with the cutlery? Stealing the tablecloths? The chairs? I cannot even begin to comprehend how anyone would think that was okay.

It is a thing where I'm from, however its usually announced or asked. The note under the centerpiece is good since it wont be as awkward as announcing it through a DJ and only people that try to take it would see the note.

My cousin had fish in fishbowls as her centerpieces, so they were highly encouraged and expected to be taken.

What makes people think they can just take away decor? Even flowers ... I mean, you don't go to a park and pick their planted flowers ... so why would you take them off the table at someone else's event? Do restaurants have to worry about this too? What about birthday parties? Showers? Holidays like halloween and christmas? My FMIL has a TON of xmas decorations she's painstakingly collected over the years and she'd probably keel over if someone came over for Christmas dinner and just took one of her santas or something!?

This is completely baffling to me

Never heard of this. I would never assume I can just take someone's wedding centerpiece. They could be rented so why would anyone do that?

I'm just here to say your centerpieces are beautiful and I would want to take one. ;-)

A lot of people feel it's okay to take centerpieces at an event, especially if they're flowers. I personally don't touch centerpieces unless I'm asked to do so. It's not uncommon though.

@MrsVoegs17 awe thank you so much!!

I've never heard of guests taking centerpieces... I feel like the only reason to mention it at all would be if you WANTED people to take them.

Is it something you're renting and have to return, or that you plan to keep or resell? Just trying to figure out the context of the concern.

ETA: scrolled further and saw your posted pictures, they're beautiful!!

This definitely happen... But I want all my centerpieces to be gone by time everyone is gone... After FH and I are gone

I'm familiar with people taking home centerpieces, but only after they've been informed it was ok to do so! I think I'm going to buy our vases instead of using the florist's. It's $15 per vase if she doesn't get them back, and I've seen them way cheaper on Amazon.

My first wedding my centerpieces were very pretty hand blown glass trees, we had asked our DJ to announce that they were not for people to take. We had decided to give them to our families. We had to chase people down to get them back, some people were trying to leave with up to three trees. I was very upset that people took them and some of the family members we had chosen to get them didn't get one.