CENTERPIECES AND FAVORS FOR BRIDAL SHOWERS Ok, let's start this section with something I already touched upon.
THERE IS NO RULE THAT EVERYTHING HAS TO MATCH!
Yup - that's right. Matching is not required. And when it comes to centerpieces, this really opens up a world of creativity!
COOKIE IN A JAR
Let's start with the Cookie in a Jar centerpiece. (You can find the recipe http://www.qassia.com/mama.pl?a=intelshow&i=3960)
This makes a terrific centerpiece. Cover the jar lid with fabric and ribbon (you can get remnants very cheap at fabric stores. Just leave the edges rough and use a ribbon to tie in place).
For matching favors, buy a bunch of metal cookie cutters. You can usually find them fairly inexpensive. They don't need to match, but they can if you want. Place each cookie cutter flat on a piece of tulle netting or colored cellophane. Put a few candies inside each cutter and then wrap the netting or cellophane up and tie with a bow. You can place the favors around the cookie mix right on the table. They make great ice breakers and conversation makers.
If you want, you can also print labels to go on the jars that have the bride and groom's names. The fabric, ribbon, tulle, even the cookie cutters can all be mismatched and it will look great!
Have really big tables and feel this is not enough of a centerpiece? Make a few small jars and cluster them with the cookie cutters around them. Or make some cookies out of the dough and decorate and tie with ribbons. Place them on the table around the centerpiece and cutters with long curling ribbons. How about a cake pan or cookie sheet underneath? Make a nice platter for cookies. There are always shops where you can get these kinds of things for $1 or $2. Being creative doesn't have to be expensive.
TEA CUPS
Remember my tea pot centerpieces in the Decorating the Hall page? My bridesmaids used mismatched tea cups for centerpieces at my shower. Depending on your area, this may or may not be financially feasible.
Some areas tend to be very, shall we say "antiquey". Anything old is held for a high price. However, if you like this idea, take a little time to search around before ruling it out. Remember - they don't have to match. You may find a cute little cup in a shop somewhere that has a crack or a chip that may make it undesirable for a collector, but it will still make a perfectly nice centerpiece. Ask friends and relatives. Someone may have a couple of cups and saucers left from an old set they never use. Check out discount shops and some unusual markets. The local Asian market near me has a lot of dishes that are so incredibly inexpensive. Ok, they are not the finest quality, but they don't need to be.
Once you have your tea cups, get some florist foam. Easily found at craft stores. You want the softer, squishy kind if you can get it. Cut it into small sections to fit inside the cups. TIP: use a serrated knife to cut. Also, cover your work surface to make clean up easier. Place a piece of foam inside the cup. Insert a taper candle into the center of the foam. Again - they can all match, only match the particular cup - or all be white. Whatever works for you. Then, use some small silk or plastic flowers to fill in the rest of the area of foam. If you don't have quite enough flowers or want to jazz it up a bit, get some curling ribbon and florist wire (also found at a craft store). Cut the wire into short pieces. Fold a piece of wire in half. Thread some ribbon through the wire and tie at the closed end of the wire. Curl the ends of the ribbon. Insert the open end of the wire into the florist foam and pull out the ribbons to help fill in the space. Add as many of these as you see fit.
For favors, get an assortment of tea bags. (You can also include Folgers coffee bags if you know you have a lot of coffee drinkers). Make wrappers for the tea bags. This is easier than you think. You can make them from craft paper, tissue paper, wrapping paper, even regular printer paper that has a nice decoration printed on it. Again - they do not have to match! In fact, they shouldn't. Each variety of tea bag should be wrapped differently. Cut a rectangular strip about a half inch wider than the tea bag and 2 1/2 times as long. Place the teabag in the center of the wrong side of the paper. Fold up the bottom of the paper over the tea bag. It should just about come to the top of the tea bag - but not past it. Secure the paper with a glue stick along the edges that extend past the tea bag on the left and right. Be careful - you don't want the paper glued to the tea bag itself. Fold the top of the paper down. If you want, you can clip the corners to look more like a traditional tea bag wrapper, or cut with decorative edge scissors, or just leave it straight. Secure with a dab of glue stick in the center. You can also secure with mini stickers if you have ones that go with the theme.
Once the bags are wrapped, gather them in groups of 3 or 4. Wrap them up in netting or colored cellophane and tie with a bow. If you want to go the extra mile, check your craft store for tiny zipper seal bags - the kind someone would use to package jewelry or something. Get the ones that are on the large size. Buy a package of shortbread or tea cookies. Put 2 in each of the little zipper bags and wrap them up inside with the tea bags.
PLANTS
Plants make simple and pretty centerpieces. Not great big ferns or anything like that. Just little tiny pots with some nice paper and ribbon tied around them. Having a St Patrick's theme? Get little pots of shamrocks! Your local florist can help you out. Wrap them in shiny green paper or any Irish paper you can find. Scatter gold wrapped chocolate coins around them.
Buy little tiny starter pots of pansies, violets or impatients - whatever. You can find these at most home centers and even at the supermarket during spring and summer. If your area doesn't have these types of flowering plants available at the time of year you are holding your shower, talk to your local garden center about it. They may have suggestions.
For coordinating favors, buy little plastic flower pots and packets of seeds. Tie a ribbon around each pot and attach a note that has a verse that corresponds to the meaning of the gift. Something like: "Into this tiny pot you hold, these seedlings you will sow. And like Carol and Len's love that blooms, your little plant will grow."
CANDLES
The traditional candle and flower centerpiece. Tried and true, you can't go wrong with it. Buy nice pillar candles at your local store - or even Yankee Candle if you want to splurge. Buy floral rings to sit the candles in. You can get these at Wal-Mart, some craft shops, places like Christmas Tree Shops, or make simple ones yourself from floral garland. I've said before - I'll say it again. They do NOT have to match. They certainly can if you want them to. That's fine. But if you or the bride are the type who like variety and a lot of color, mix them up. This is helpful when you find things on clearance. You might need 10 centerpieces, but there are only 4 pink and 3 blue and 7 white. Well - you're still in luck!
For favors - what else! - Candles! You can give votives wrapped in tulle. Or you can give little candle holders, or even the mini jars if you should stubble upon a good deal. Go ahead and mix and match. Everyone likes different scents, so there's no reason they should all be the same.
RE: Candles. Most halls these days do not allow candles to be lit for fire law purposes. This is NOT a problem. In fact, if you think about it, it's better that way. If the candle is not lit, the person who brings home the centerpiece will have a much nicer gift to bring home, and won't have to worry about getting wax on her clothing or car upholstery.
RIBBONS AND BOWS
Yup - that's right - bows! Great big, enormous bows! These are especially pretty on round tables, but will work on any shape. Buy spools of wide ribbon. They don't have to be the same, or even the same width, though the width should be similar. How many will depend on the number of tables and size of the spool, but rule of thumb of the average spool is 2 per table. Take 2 spools of ribbon that coordinate, say a lacy gold one and a pretty tapestry pattern. Unroll them from the spools. Lay one on top of the other and find the center of the ribbons. Make large loops and secure them with florist wire. Twist, turn, puff and fluff until you have a great big bow to your liking. You should leave several inches of ribbon hanging to drape along the table.
At the shower, place a bow in the center of the table and secure with a couple of common pins. Let the tails of the bow hang along the table, and over the edge if they can. You can secure these with common pins too if you feel the need.
These go over very well at holiday times. Some people use large bows in place of stars or angels on their Christmas trees. For Easter, someone may love hanging the bow on their front door, etc.
For favors - whatever you like! This leaves the door wide open for favors. If you or someone you know is particularly crafty, you can make ribbon roses. Attach them to a piece of florist wire and cover with florist tape to make a "stem". You can have them lying in a basket and hand them to the ladies.
Is the shower or wedding taking place near the holidays? Make ornaments for favor gifts!
MYSTERY BOX
This one will definitely cause a stir!
Get some boxes and cover them with nice paper or even adhesive backed fabric. You can find this in the craft store - you can even find craft boxes in various sizes and shapes. Fill each box with your choice of favors, enough for each table (ie: 6 chairs at a table, 6 favors in the box). Also, in each box, include a little surprise for one guest per table. For example, an envelope with a scratch ticket, a small candle, mini picture frames, etc. Have a number attached to the surprise. You can decide who gets the prize any number of ways. You can place small stickers on the back of each chair with a letter or number on it. Whoever is sitting in the chair with the corresponding number or letter gets the surprise. All the other guests get one of the favors inside the box. If you feel the need, tie a ribbon around each box to keep guests from peeking.
Once again, you can use whatever you like as favors. If you want to keep the theme, you can give little trinket boxes, or you can give "mystery" favors. Wrap different favor items in paper or tissue and let each guest choose one. Since they are all different, no one will know what they are getting until they unwrap it.
THE BASKET
Now almost everyone appreciates a nice basket. So why not a nice basket for a centerpiece? Buy some nice baskets, all the same or mismatched as you see fit. Fill them with the favors. If there's more room than favors, stuff the bottom of the basket with tissue first, and/or stick a few silk flowers in here and there. If you want to jazz them up, tie some ribbon around them.
A variation on this… get a basket and place small blank journals and pens in it. Ask the guests to write things in it for the bride and groom. It can be memories, advice, kind words. Whatever they like. Have someone at each table draw a little picture of the people at their table on one page! The bride and groom will love having these journals to read over and over.
Favors? Once more - anything goes! Since you'll have a space to fill, larger favors will work best. Also, you'll probably want to avoid fragile items. The traditional wooden spoon with candies and netting will work well. You can also use flowers. Remember the plant centerpiece? Buy a flat of flowers that are really a bunch of teeny little plants.
HOLIDAY SHOWER
Is the shower or wedding taking place around the Christmas holidays? Woo Hoo! That makes things easy doesn't it? The stores are filled with things just begging to be used as centerpieces and favors! How about an old fashioned Santa figure on each table? Anyone crafty? Make pine cone centerpieces. If you're really ambitious, use mini battery operated string lights in them! How about small pine wreaths lying on the table with a pillar candle in the center? Or better yet - a glass jar of pretty ribbon candy!
An easy idea for favors and centerpieces around the holidays… ornaments! Get plain glass ornaments. You can buy them cheap at Wal-Mart or buy clear ones at most craft stores. Decorate them with glitter, glitter pens or glitter glue. You can either make designs, or use the bride and groom's names - or whatever takes your fancy. Tie a pretty ribbon at the top of each for hanging.
For the centerpieces, use a container for the ornaments. Some ideas: A large clear bowl or trifle dish (can find these pretty cheap - sometimes even at dollar stores). Baskets, fancy cookie tins from previous holidays, small boxes wrapped in Christmas paper, or any bright container that fits the mood.
Serve hot chocolate with candy cane stirrers. Get the bride a Santa hat to wear! Get a big stocking to place kitchen gadgets or small gifts in.
Instead of a toilet paper bride - have a snowman making contest! Holiday showers are just ripe with possibilities!
FALL FARE
Having your shower in the Fall? Maybe even around Halloween? How about pumpkins! No, not jack-o-lanterns or anything that would require a great deal of work - or candles. Go to your local store and buy small pumpkins or gourds - enough for each table, plus one extra - just in case. You will also need a can of gold, copper or bronze spray paint, and some silk fall leaves (can get them at any craft store or Wal-Mart).
Now, this is really easy - but so pretty! In fact, you can start it at home and finish it at the hall - that's how easy this is. However, if you do it all at home, you may want to use a low temp glue gun to secure things in place so they don't come loose during transport to the shower.
So - to begin, place the little pumpkins on some news paper. Give them a very light spray of paint - not all over - just gild them slightly on one side. Use quick little spurts or you may end up with paint drips. When the paint is dry, cut the tops off of the pumpkins. Clean up the inside of the top so there's no stringy or goopy stuff hanging down. Sit the lid back on the pumpkin but place it off to the side, slightly askew, so you can see into the pumpkin. You can use a toothpick or a T-pin to secure the lid. If you have trouble getting it to sit just right, carve the bottom of the lid as you need to, to get it to stay in the position you want. Then, take the silk leaves and place them in the opening of the pumpkin. Have them sticking out. If you want a little extra zip - gild a few of the leaves too - but not too many. When you put the pumpkins on the tables, scatter a few extra leaves around them
Put bowls of pumpkin seeds and candy corn on the tables.
Have a jack-o-lantern contest. Not a messy carving one, use magic markers and see who can come up with the scariest, cutest or most unique face.
Favors: If it is a Halloween shower, you can fill little treat bags with candies and a spider ring. Or get ghost and pumpkin cookie cutters and fill with candy corns and wrap with orange cellophane or netting. Not Halloween - just fall? Get cookie cutters that are shaped like leaves! Give fall scented votives - like spiced apple, pumpkin pie - Yankee Candle even has Witches Brew!
COOKIE SWAP
Here's a dandy little theme that can make life easy for you. Have a cookie swap!!! This is great for intimate showers, but can work for large ones too.
A real big plus to this kind of shower, have in the afternoon around 2 or later. People will not expect to eat a meal! All you have to worry about is a few nibbly items and drinks.
For a small group, ask each guest to bring cookies and copies of the recipe. You will need to know how many guests you expect to know how many to ask each person to bake for. Expecting 15 people, ask for 3 dozen cookies. This allows for breakage and on site nibblers. You'll want at least 2 cookies per person of each recipe.
As guests arrive, have them place their cookies on a large table. Have little index cards and have the baker write the name of their cookie on the card and place it with the cookies, along with the copies of the recipes.
In the center of each table, have a collection of little Gladware or Ziploc containers. To brighten them up, you can fill with crumpled tissue paper or line with a ring of wrapping paper inside. Anything you can think of that will make them colorful while they are on the table, but easy to be rid of once it's time to fill them with cookies.
Have bridal party members or recruit good friends to dole out the cookies. You can either go table to table, or have guests come along the cookie table. Give each guest 2 of each cookie and have them place them in their container. Hand them a copy of each recipe as they get the cookie.
Guests can eat their cookies now or bring them home. Offer tea, coffee and soft drinks. You may even offer dessert wines.
If you have a large group, just ask people to let you know who is willing to bring cookies. Then you can determine how many each baker needs to bring.
Ask guests to cast votes for their favorite cookie and award prizes in different categories: Best tasting, most unusual, most surprising ingredient etc.
Favors can be cookie cutters, like the Cookie in a Jar, or mini recipe books, recipe boxes, terra cotta cookie molds, etc.
Guess what? There's another rule people seem to have forgotten.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE CENTERPIECES THAT GUESTS CAN TAKE!
What? You thought you had to do that? Nope. No rule. You're feeding these people right? Giving them favors? Making sure they have a good time? Why are you obligated to also have centerpieces that the guests will take home?
The wheels are turning now!
THE PICTURE
Get copies of pictures of the bride and groom from friends and family. Try to get them from different periods of their lives. Get them blown up to decent sizes, cropping as necessary (or print them yourself if you have a scanner). Put each one in a nice frame. Set one or two on each table, depending on the number of tables and what you can afford. Two is nice so you can have them back to back, but one is fine if that's all you can do.
Explain to guests that these are actually presents for the bride. These can be a gift from the bridal party. This is especially nice if the bride and groom are not yet cohabitating. Imagine as they get their new home ready that they already have treasured pictures framed and ready to display!
Favors can be mini picture frames, photo key chains, mini photo albums. Anything you can think of that will tie in.
KITCHEN GADGETS
Got a bride who loves to cook? Or maybe one that doesn't know which end of the spatula to hold? Have a kitchen gadget theme. Ask guests to bring a recipe with them. Provide recipe cards with the invitation and have extras on hand at the shower.
For the centerpieces, put some useful container on each table and fill with kitchen stuff. How about a colander on one table and fill it with a potato peeler, sponges, turkey baster, pot holders etc. Have a different array on each table and have these be the wedding party’s gift to the bride.
You can customize this to any type of theme. Are they big campers? Do they live at the pool side? Can't get them away from the TV during football season? Put your mind to it and you'll find you can come up with some pretty interesting ideas.
Favors…. Depends on your theme. For the kitchen gadgets, how about magnets? There are lots of websites to have custom magnets made (http://www.zazzle.com/krwdesigns is just one) Have a magnet made with a picture of the bride and groom on it. Know a Tupperware lady? Ask her if you can buy a bag of the little give away items they have. You know, the citrus peeler, the tea bag squeezer etc. Some will do it, some won't. These make fun little favors since many of these are coveted by the Tupperware set.
CHEESE AND CRACKERS
Sure - why not? Instead of having guests get up and help themselves to a little something while waiting for the bride, just put a nice platter of cheese and crackers, or chips and dip in the center of each table. Got big tables? Take a good size platter, place a small bowl in the center for dip. Take 3 nice, clean celery sticks and use them to divide the platter into thirds. In one section, place cheese and crackers, in another place chips and in the third place veggies for dipping.
Now your guests have a nice assortment of snacks to hold them over until the meal. Easy, convenient, satisfying and something you were probably going to buy anyway. What could be easier!
Favors - anything goes!
Ok - so that is just few ideas for centerpieces and favors. But how many more can you come up with now that you've read through this? The world of centerpieces and favors is more diverse than you first thought, isn't it?
Most important thing: don't break the bank, and have FUN!
