Think Outside the Vase: 12 Wedding Centerpiece Ideas

In this article we show you some gorgeous wedding centerpiece ideas that aren’t the typical vase + flowers. These ideas are all very DIY-friendly as well as budget-friendly. Although many of them are shown with flowers, they would work just as well without!

A couple of our favorites would have to be the birdcage idea as well as the terrarium centerpieces.

If you missed our post on non-floral bouquets, then don’t forget to check it out too.

12 Wedding Centerpiece Ideas

1. Fruit Centerpiece

We especially love sugared fruit, like these lemons from Martha Stewart. Place them in a compote and tuck some leaves around them–easy!

2. Goblet Centerpieces

Turn stemware upside down, put votives on top, and voila, you have a unique and elegant centerpiece for very little money!

Annie Selke created this look for Rachel Ray by tucking large blooms underneath the goblets, but you could put any small objects – photos, spools of thread, moss, etc.

3. Cakes as Centerpieces

We love this tablescape, by The Sweetest Occasion. The centerpiece cakes double as your wedding cake (brilliant) and the doily runner is so pretty and doable as well!

4. Birdcage Centerpiece

Spraypaint them gold, put some moss on the bottom, and tuck a few flowers in them. Gorgeous! Love these via Mints And Honey.

5. Terrarium Centerpiece

Fill apothecary jars or even large mason jars with rocks, moss, and plants for lovely woodsy centerpieces on the cheap! Martha Stewart gives a tutorial for a succulent terrarium here.

6. Book Centerpiece Arrangement

Stack vintage books for centerpieces–bonus if they’re love stories! You could put whatever you want on top: flowers, candles, even globes!

7. Paper Pinwheel Centerpieces

These adorable pinwheels are inexpensive and pretty easy to make. You could suspend them from the ceiling, prop them up against candles or vases, or just lay them on the table. To make them, follow this tutorial.

8. Candles/Winebottles

Candles are the standard go-to for non-floral centerpieces. Take them to the next level by putting taper candles in empty wine bottles for chic centerpieces that definitely won’t break the bank. You can cut the wine bottles to varying heights following this DIY tutorial, or if that seems like too much work, it still looks great if you leave the bottles whole (via Dog n’ Bird)

9. Mason Jar Centerpieces

Mason jars make inexpensive and charming vases. We’ve seen them with candles and flowers in them, but we especially like the idea of using them to display family photos, via Oh-Lovely-Day.

10. Butterflies and Moss Centerpieces

We love this fresh and springy centerpiece. You can make it yourself by covering rocks with moss and perching white butterflies on top. Get the DIY instructions here.

11. Paper Flower Centerpieces

You may have already seen this amazing “floral” centerpiece made entirely of paper, but it’s worth seeing again! It’s by EmersonMade, via Wedding Obsession. Even the runner is kraft paper!

12. Seasonal Decor

Wheat, fall leaves, or pumpkins in the fall. Pinecones, branches, or Christmas ornaments in the winter.

Take cues from the season that your wedding will be held for creative and budget-friendly centerpiece options!

We hope these centerpiece ideas get your creative juices flowing. There are so many more options out there! Wheatgrass, picture frames, spools of thread, stacks of favors, lanterns, jars of candy, and paper airplanes are just a few more that we’ve seen.