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Smurfysmiles

Smurfysmiles

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Sep 30, 2007
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Here is what we decided for our centerpieces. The moss is actually a little darker green than in this picture and we have decided to put river rocks on top of the moss. I love them and we were able to assemble them for about 10 bucks apiece (making 13) and we have smaller vases that we are putting green gem stones in with tealights (i know it sounds weird, I''ll try to find a picture of it lol)

6330_561174870540_163900928_33074663_6180094_n.jpg
 
oh see that bowl next to the taller vase, those are the lower centerpieces. It looks much better in dimmer light like we'll have at the reception and also will have 3 tealights arranged in the gems. We also have accent battery operated lights that we will have in the taller centerpieces to accent the branches. It looks so pretty when the lighting is all put together! I can't wait to have pictures to show you guys from the real deal :)
 
I love the branches... perfect for a winter wedding.

Are you still doing the Scrabble theme?
 
we're doing the scrabble cake still but that's about it, we didn't want to go tooooo overboard on it :) we are placing it near the candy buffet so I think it will fit in good over there. Might spell out some words on the scrabble holders to place among the candy buffet :)

would our wedding be classified as winter or fall? its in the middle of november so i dont really know lol
 
I like them a lot!

A suggestion for a winter theme: You could spray paint the branches a shimmery silver color for an extra sparkle.

They look great just how they are as well!
 
They''re really nice Smurfy! They look great...and I think the green moss will match great with the other green colors of your wedding.
 
Date: 8/11/2009 1:07:13 PM
Author: Smurfyimproved
we''re doing the scrabble cake still but that''s about it, we didn''t want to go tooooo overboard on it :) we are placing it near the candy buffet so I think it will fit in good over there. Might spell out some words on the scrabble holders to place among the candy buffet :)

would our wedding be classified as winter or fall? its in the middle of november so i dont really know lol
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Hmm, I guess that''s fall technically, but it''s always cold enough to be winter in my mind
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I still think the branches will be nice. I do like the spray paint suggestion too... that would be a cheap way to dress it up a bit more.
 
I like the spray paint suggestion. These centerpieces are very pretty, and well done for doing it at a reasonable price. I also love the idea of your scrabble cake, very cute.

I remember your inspiration board from a few months ago. Are you still using bamboo as part of the decor as well?
 
Hi guys
thanks for all the compliments and suggestions :)
I would love for them to sparkle but I''m afraid that will look weird against the river rocks that will also be in the vase at the top? When the accent lights are turned on they turn a violet-bluish color which is very pretty and may be ok on its own :)

we never did end up using the bamboo as we felt it was more of a springtime feeling thing but we did end up using lots of ivy in things instead :)
 
ok smurf, i''m gonna take my courage in my hands at this point and say - it''s not a look i''m fond of.

i see where you''re trying to head with this, but i think you need a more professional finish that what you''ve got thus far. if you want minimalist - great! but you''ll need to cut down the number of twigs you''re using. the bunch you have pictured is a bit dense, a bit too straight up and down, and also it''s a bit off center as well as being on a lean.

give some thought to using twisted willow. it will give you a much more elegant look, and won''t look so ''tight'' and bunched together. have a look at these.

they also look great spray painted black.

if you''re going with something like birch, you''ll need more that if you go with something more bulky like a twisted branch of any kind. you then arrange them so that, if you were to draw an imaginary central iine from the bottom, middle of the banches to their highest point, that line would be perfectly straight - not at a lean. here''s a great example of bunched birch. these look fabulous painted gold, and there''s an example of this on the link. have a good look around this site, as you''ll find lots of different suggestions.

also, if you''re using a planner or decorator, you''ll find most will hire these out, which is your cheapest option, allowing you to get more bang for your buck. using about half the branches you showed in your photo, and adding greenery which comes up about 1/3 of the way of the branches is also a lovely effect. you can then use moss as well, but skip the stones, which will save you some money and give you a very structured, but somewhat softer effect. if you still want stones, they can be placed around the bottom of the vase, or in the vase underneath the moss for a layered look.

if it was me, i''d do river stones on the bottom, then moss, then a bunch of mixed greenery, then a few birch branches spray painted gold, or black twisted willow branches.

just some suggestions - hope they help.
 
Whitby has some great points about making the arrangement look more whimsical and organic.

Can you post more photos of the green glass arrangement with tealights? I don''t yet understand what the two styles of centerpieces have to do with each other, just wondering how you are going to tie the two different looks together.

I love green! can''t wait to see more.
 
Date: 8/12/2009 2:43:14 AM
Author: whitby_2773
ok smurf, i''m gonna take my courage in my hands at this point and say - it''s not a look i''m fond of.

i see where you''re trying to head with this, but i think you need a more professional finish that what you''ve got thus far. if you want minimalist - great! but you''ll need to cut down the number of twigs you''re using. the bunch you have pictured is a bit dense, a bit too straight up and down, and also it''s a bit off center as well as being on a lean.

give some thought to using twisted willow. it will give you a much more elegant look, and won''t look so ''tight'' and bunched together. have a look at these.

they also look great spray painted black.

if you''re going with something like birch, you''ll need more that if you go with something more bulky like a twisted branch of any kind. you then arrange them so that, if you were to draw an imaginary central iine from the bottom, middle of the banches to their highest point, that line would be perfectly straight - not at a lean. here''s a great example of bunched birch. these look fabulous painted gold, and there''s an example of this on the link. have a good look around this site, as you''ll find lots of different suggestions.

also, if you''re using a planner or decorator, you''ll find most will hire these out, which is your cheapest option, allowing you to get more bang for your buck. using about half the branches you showed in your photo, and adding greenery which comes up about 1/3 of the way of the branches is also a lovely effect. you can then use moss as well, but skip the stones, which will save you some money and give you a very structured, but somewhat softer effect. if you still want stones, they can be placed around the bottom of the vase, or in the vase underneath the moss for a layered look.

if it was me, i''d do river stones on the bottom, then moss, then a bunch of mixed greenery, then a few birch branches spray painted gold, or black twisted willow branches.

just some suggestions - hope they help.
Click to expand...
I love whitby''s ideas. The twisted willow would give it a more "finished" look I think, and I would agree that the river rocks would look better on the bottom. I''m not sure about the black paint, but I think that''s more of a personal taste.
 
I really appreciate the suggestions whitby, thank you :) A couple of them we did try such as the willow branches and it just wasnt doing it for us. I really don''t think this picture is doing it justice and it does look really nice with the lower arrangements which are kind of hard to describe, I wish I had taken more photos! I really like the way it looks with the river rocks on top and I think if we added a third element to the vase it would make it seem crowded...Most likely we are just going to stick with what we have because we basically went to the craft store and said "ok we''ve trying to figure out what to stick in the middle of these tables for about 4 months, let''s just pick something and be done with it" lol. I like the black branches idea but I have a feeling it might clash with the river rocks? And I''d hate to waste some of our branches because we basically bought out the store''s supply lol Also we will be displaying table numbers with the stories from the bridal party on them so it won''t be quite as empty as I think some of you are imagining it will be :) Once again thanks for all the suggestions guys!
 
Date: 8/12/2009 12:41:00 PM
Author: Smurfyimproved
I really appreciate the suggestions whitby, thank you :) A couple of them we did try such as the willow branches and it just wasnt doing it for us. I really don't think this picture is doing it justice and it does look really nice with the lower arrangements which are kind of hard to describe, I wish I had taken more photos! I really like the way it looks with the river rocks on top and I think if we added a third element to the vase it would make it seem crowded...Most likely we are just going to stick with what we have because we basically went to the craft store and said 'ok we've trying to figure out what to stick in the middle of these tables for about 4 months, let's just pick something and be done with it' lol. I like the black branches idea but I have a feeling it might clash with the river rocks? And I'd hate to waste some of our branches because we basically bought out the store's supply lol Also we will be displaying table numbers with the stories from the bridal party on them so it won't be quite as empty as I think some of you are imagining it will be :) Once again thanks for all the suggestions guys!
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Just keep in mind, Smurfy - THIS is how they will photograph, and it's unlikely more views will be any more impressive. Remember, when in doubt, less is more!

As it stands now, it looks slightly like an 10 year old's art project, so if you're going to DIY it, perhaps a florist friend of yours or a prefessional artist who has an eye for balance could lend their help in person. Because it just isn't translating to pics well at all.
 
Why am I not surprised?
20.gif
 
Date: 8/12/2009 1:04:23 PM
Author: KatyWI
Why am I not surprised?
20.gif
Click to expand...

What does that mean?
 
Date: 8/12/2009 1:05:20 PM
Author: Smurfyimproved


Date: 8/12/2009 1:04:23 PM
Author: KatyWI
Why am I not surprised?
20.gif
Click to expand...

What does that mean?
Click to expand...
It means you've gotten great advice about your incedibly ammature DIY-looking (and no, that isn't a compliment) centerpieces and you're not absorbing any of the constructive criticism that Whitby gave you!
 
I never said it was bad advice, I even said a few things we had tried and it just didn''t do it for us, what''s so bad about that? I don''t care if my centerpieces look amateur, it''s not like my mother and I are florists, we were just trying to put something together that looked halfway decent. Yeah they are crooked but we didn''t try to do them perfectly, we just wanted to get a feel for what they would look like...
 
Since you''ve already purchased the branches (and I think they can look nice), try spreading them out a bit more in the vase. Right now, you have them coming out of the center. What if some came out closer to the edge of the vase? And maybe use a few less. Also, maybe try to position the brances so that they kind of droop down towards the table at different angles... I think that would help them from feeling like they''re leaning.
 
thanks musincy, i would like to have them going straight up and i think that would help :)
 
another idea my mom had was to put some floral foam (i dunno, is that the correct word for it? lol) in the bottom so we can have it really sticking up straight and not have it start to droop in the middle of the reception
 
smurf, let me make a different suggestion then...

try to rustle up half a dozen people who might be willing to help with this project. get everyone to do one arrangement as per your design, and see which person has the most natural ability for this sort of thing, then ask them (with bribes!) if they''d be willing to do all of them. some people have a flare for this sort of thing which could stand you in good stead.

i hope these work out for you.

just one last thought - you can overcome the lean if you use a florist ''sponge'' to insert the branches into. then wrap the insert in moss so it can''t be seen. that way they''ll stand straight and will also be less prone to falling if the table is bumped etc.
 
You could try that... it''s not always the easiest to work with, espeically in a smaller vase like that, and you''d want to make sure you really cover it up well with the moss cause it''s not very pretty. But it would give you more flexibility as to where you position your branches in the vase. The foam would hold it in place.
 
lol whitby, i think that might actually be the best idea! i don''t think i ever would have thought of that!
 
yw. i want it to look pretty for your special day. good luck with this.
 
thank you so much, ill post another picture when i can get it looking halfway decent :)
 
Date: 8/12/2009 1:23:01 PM
Author: whitby_2773
smurf, let me make a different suggestion then...

try to rustle up half a dozen people who might be willing to help with this project. get everyone to do one arrangement as per your design, and see which person has the most natural ability for this sort of thing, then ask them (with bribes!) if they''d be willing to do all of them. some people have a flare for this sort of thing which could stand you in good stead.

i hope these work out for you.

just one last thought - you can overcome the lean if you use a florist ''sponge'' to insert the branches into. then wrap the insert in moss so it can''t be seen. that way they''ll stand straight and will also be less prone to falling if the table is bumped etc.
Click to expand...

I second Whitby''s idea with one modification. Perhaps try giving the materials to each person and asking them to make you a centerpiece using what you''ve given them- rocks, moss, floral foam, branches, and the vase. I wouldn''t tell them about your previous design and just see where the "ingredients" take them. Who knows, someone might come up with something completely different than you came up with and you might love it! Don''t constrain them with your design. Worse comes to worse, you can always go back to what you think will work well for you and just see who can execute it the best like Whitby suggested.

My one other suggestion is to possible shorten the branches so the height of the vase and the height of the branches is balanced.
 
:) atta girl.
 
that''s a really good idea too claritek, thanks :)
 
Or what about foregoing the secondary arrangements all together, and having three vases of different heights clustered on the table You could have the branches arranged similarly, but at different heights as well (all the same height within each respective vase though). then you could just use a sprinkling of tealights on the table. No mirror, bowl, or green stones required. I think you're on the right track and with a few tweaks it could go to amateur to more professional looking. See attached for my idea...

I also want to remind you that the great outdoors can be a wonderful resource for sticks and twigs. That way you don't have to keep forking over money to Michael's!

smurfy idea.JPG
 
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