I attended an outdoor wedding last spring held at a rural camp in an absolutely gorgeous setting ~ miles of rolling hills covered with various green texture and dotted with wildflowers here and there, the totally charming feel of ruralness complete with country-bred buildings, warm and simple furnishings and lots and lots of wide open space.

The ceremony was held in the side yard of the mess hall facing aforementioned stunning hilly backdrop and the guests sat on benches designed for campers during story hour.  It was a beautiful May afternoon, the wind just a tad brisk and lots of warm sunshine.

The reception of this beautifully simple wedding was held in a large white tent in which several round tables were covered in white linen with fresh flowers scattered around the sweetest, most personal centerpieces I have ever seen.  This adorable couple, both of them professional photographers, placed a different photo of themselves on each table inside a thin glass frame.

The effect was a classy, simple, definitely organic centerpiece that showed off both their good looks and incredible talent.  The guests seated around our table passed the photo around, and it started a conversation among perfect strangers about how we knew the couple.  We all learned something new about the bride and groom while getting to know some really nice people, too!

A centerpiece doesn’t have to cost a lot of money to look fabulous.

One very smart couple decided on a signature drink for their reception and part of their table decorations included a small pitcher for each guest along with the recipe for that signature drink ~ sparkling ginger lemonade.  Imaginative, clever, and oh so simple.

Do you have a little piece of your lives that you could somehow incorporate on your reception tables?  What could you use for a centerpiece that would be elegantly simple and yet entertaining at the same time?

Here’s to helping you keep costs down,

Cheryl

Photo courtesy In Style Weddings