36 Simple Wedding Centerpieces

By Emily Platt

April 22, 2013

Martyna Szczesna

These arrangement ideas may be easy enough to re-create on your own, but they're pretty enough to look like you didn't DIY them.

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Martyna Szczesna

Get More Beautiful Wedding Flower Ideas

There are many reasons to decorate with simple wedding centerpieces. Using fewer flowers is typically less expensive than using large quantities of blooms, and these arrangements are generally less overwhelming than their bigger counterparts. This is an especially great choice when you want another part of the reception to be the main attraction. Of course, simple doesn't automatically mean subdued—sometimes the most stunning displays are those that do the most with the least. Minimalist décor is popular at modern weddings, and simple centerpieces can be a nice alternative to lush, overflowing blooms. Another great reason to go with less complex arrangements is if you want to make them on your own. DIYing flowers is surprisingly stress-free if you stick to certain designs.

Ahead, examples of wedding centerpieces that are easy to assemble, but don't look it. Each elegant arrangement is based on a different take of what "simple" means, whether that's a monochrome color palette, bundles featuring just one type of flower, displays that use accessible, common materials (think: Mason jars and candles), or casual, rustic assortments.

First, check out this cool display of stems in a mix of Penn + Fairmount, Jamali Garden, and other vases. If you like what you see, there's more inspiration where that came from. In fact, there's something here for every season and theme, plus any reception venue or table type. Best of all, if you aren't set on choosing one for your wedding, each pretty idea would work well for a rehearsal dinner, bridal shower, or other nuptial-related event instead.

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Ultra Romantic

When He Found Her

These Stemz centerpieces were arranged by wrapping greenery around lanterns and placing flowers beside them in small, complementary vessels.

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Happy Hydrangeas

Jacqui Cole Photography

See More Statement Wedding Linens

MMD Events used blue hydrangeas, lanterns, and orange, patterned runners to decorate the tables at this yacht club wedding.

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Floral Garlands

Greg Finck

See More Lush Wedding Garlands

Big Day garlands filled with foliage and saturated pink peonies were all this reception's tables needed.

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Pretty and Practical

Brandon Kidd Photography

Honey & Poppies filled these vases with crushed white glass and zerographica airplants. The tables were also decorated with seasonings for dinner.

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Wild and Bottled

READYLUCK

Get More Great Vintage Wedding Ideas

Laura Kohr placed interesting, rustic wildflowers in vintage bottles on this reception's tables.

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Wooden Runners

Ether and Smith

White Full Bloom floral centerpieces sat alongside candles at this wedding. They were styled on top of wooden slabs.

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Mossy Spheres

Perry Vaile

Get More Festive Ideas for a Christmas Wedding

Red and green were the main colors in the short Em Creative Floral centerpieces used at this Christmastime wedding, planned by Ashley Rhodes Event Designs.

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Leafy Garlands

Simply Sarah Photography

Thrifted candlesticks made from mixed metals were combined with greenery for striking Bowman & Clark centerpieces at this celebration.

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Warm Glow

Millie Holloman Photography

At this Themeworks wedding, small candles were placed in glowing rows down the centers of the tables.

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Sweet Stems

Krista A. Jones Photography

These wildflower arrangements by Seaberry Farm were bright, simple, and charming.

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Floral Goblets

Colette Kulig Photography

These shabby-chic DIY centerpieces were made using spotted cloth and Whole Blossoms flowers stuffed into metal cups.

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Organic Blooms

Ashley Garmon

Organic flower arrangements were placed in simple glass vessels for this destination wedding on the English countryside.

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Mismatched China

Lang Thomas Photography

Get More Great Ideas for a Whimsical Wedding

Brightly-colored flowers placed in mismatched china vessels by Colonial Designs gave these tabletops some quirky charm.

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Nautical Nuances

Kim Hayes Photography

Get More Nautical Wedding Inspiration

This bride crafted origami sailboats for her nautical wedding's centerpieces. Elizabeth Designs placed flower-filled canning jars beside them.

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Clear Décor

StudioAustin Weddings

See More Beautiful White Wedding Centerpieces

Assorted clear vases were clustered down the center of these reception tables. Each The Nouveau Romantics arrangement held a few blooms, such as foxglove, begonia foliage, thistle, ranunculus, and umbrella fern. Vintage crystal candleholders and white taper candles were also added to the mix.

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Rustic Arrangements

John Dolan

Get More Pretty Ideas for Rustic Wedding Centerpieces

Each of these vintage glass bottles was filled with a single type of flower. The Kate Parket Designs arrangements lended a pastoral look to the wooden tables.

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A Touch of Glamour

Braedon Photography

Get More Glamorous Formal Wedding Ideas

For this formal affair, sequined chevron fabric and silver vessels holding a few peonies topped the cocktail tables. The Kathleen Deery Design arrangements offered a bit of glamour.

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Mason Jar Collection

Mary Beth Russell with EpagaFoto

See More Creative Ways to Use Mason Jars in Your Wedding

Red Door Event and Design kept the centerpieces minimal for this wedding reception so they wouldn't detract from the natural surroundings. Jars were filled with white stock flowers and roses and placed in small clusters.

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Mismatched Centerpieces

Ryan Ray

Get More Great Ideas for Using Fruit in Your Wedding Centerpieces

Complementing a rustic barn venue, DIY arrangements of eucalyptus leaves, carnations, lavender, and cotton blooms were housed in various glass vessels, while gold-painted pomegranates accented these reception tables.

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A Cheerful Display

Johnny Miller

Arrangements of dahlias, 'Majolica' roses, scented geranium, gomphrena, snap dragon, and exploding grass dotted the tables at this wedding reception and fit the vibe on Martha's Vineyard.

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Dried Flowers

Sean Walker Photography

Cream and white dried ammobiums set in Mason jars and tied with twine created a down-home look for an autumn wedding on the West Coast.

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Easy Orchids

See More Tall Centerpieces That'll Take Your Wedding to New Heights

Tall cobalt-blue vases filled with white orchids (by Celestine's Special Occasions) looked striking in this seaside Florida setting.

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Statuesque

Katie Stoops Photography

See More Gorgeous Rose Wedding Centerpieces

At this lilac-themed wedding, each table had vintage milk-glass vessels that held sweet Janie Medley arrangements of lilacs, roses, scabiosas, and greenery.

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String Lights and Flowers

Kate Headley

See More Unique Ways to Use Cloches Throughout Your Wedding

At this cool city wedding, the wooden reception tables' Sidra Forman centerpieces included cloches filled with string lights plus plates of flowers.

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Geometric Design

Trent Bailey Photography

Get More Cool Geometric Wedding Inspiration

Here, ShapeColour used a sculpture as a vase and adding a variety of flowers for a unique look.

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Whimsical Arrangements

Erin Kate Photography

Artisan Bloom filled these low vases with seeded eucalyptus, garden roses, lisianthus, freesia, hellebores, anemone, and andromeda flowers.

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Golden Glam

Brushfire Photography

These bold floral arrangements in metallic vases were crafted by Sarah's Garden.

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Art-Inspired

Emily Steffen

For this art-themed wedding, empty paint cans were filled with Sendick's Home flowers that matched the tablecloths.

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Autumnal Hues

Aaron Delesie

These tables were set with gorgeous garden flowers arranged by Bows and Arrows.

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36 Simple Wedding Centerpieces

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Ultra Romantic

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Happy Hydrangeas

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Floral Garlands

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Pretty and Practical

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Wild and Bottled

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Wooden Runners

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Mossy Spheres

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Leafy Garlands

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Warm Glow

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Sweet Stems

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Floral Goblets

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Organic Blooms

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Mismatched China

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Nautical Nuances

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Clear Décor

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Rustic Arrangements

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A Touch of Glamour

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Mason Jar Collection

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Mismatched Centerpieces

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A Cheerful Display

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Dried Flowers

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Easy Orchids

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Statuesque

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String Lights and Flowers

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Geometric Design

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