21 Cheap Wedding Centerpiece Ideas

Written by
Stacy Fisher
Stacy Fisher is the former freebies writer for The Balance. She has over 18 years experience in teaching and writing about personal finance.
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Stacy Fisher
Updated 11/07/20
wedding centerpiece with flowers and citrus slices
marketmox / Getty Images

Even if you have a small budget to spend on the wedding centerpieces for your reception, it doesn't mean you have to compromise on style. There are many cheap wedding centerpieces that look more expensive than they actually are. It can be helpful to look at wedding centerpiece ideas to help you come up with your own design that will have your guests talking about how stunning it is. Besides being inexpensive, these centerpieces are also easy and quick to put together, giving you more time for other wedding tasks.

Here are 21 inexpensive wedding centerpiece designs.

  • 01 of 21

    Flowers and Sand

    Sand and flower centerpieces
    Something Turquoise

    These flower and sand centerpieces are simply gorgeous. And they would bring both simplicity and romance to your reception. You can find both the sand and simple glass vases at a low price. Fresh flowers are used in this DIY project, but you could just as easily use faux flowers. 

    Flower and Sand Centerpieces from Something Turquoise

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  • 02 of 21

    Book Page Topiary

    A topiary made out of book pages
    Sweet T Makes Three​

    This budget wedding centerpiece is perfect for a couple who love to read. It comes together using a candle holder and book pages to make a standout topiary that will bring on all the compliments. You can easily find inexpensive books at secondhand stores. You also could call your local library to see whether it has damaged books that could find a second life as part of your DIY centerpiece.

    DIY Centerpieces from a Book from Sweet T Makes Three

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  • 03 of 21

    Pinwheel Perfection

    Pinwheels in a vase covered with twine
    From Hello to Hitched

    Add some whimsy to your wedding reception with a vase or jar full of paper pinwheels on each table. You can easily find paper to use in your wedding colors or even go with a classic white or silver. Put a wedding table number beside the centerpiece, and you have a complete design. 

    Pinwheel Perfection from From Hello to Hitched

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  • 04 of 21

    Wooden Lanterns

    Wooden lanterns on a wedding reception table
    Jaime Costiglio

    These wooden lanterns are an easy and quick DIY project if you're handy with woodworking. There are free plans for four sizes, giving you all kinds of options for your wedding centerpieces. Plus, they can be made out of inexpensive wood that you stain or paint to fit your wedding color scheme. 

    DIY Wooden Lantern Centerpieces from Jaime Costiglio

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  • 05 of 21

    Paper Bag Potted Plants

    A potted plant in a brown bag with ribbon
    Gardenista

    Live greenery always adds some vibrancy to wedding decor. This DIY has you putting any potted plant of your choosing in a simple paper bag and decorating the bag with a twill tape bow. The bag adds a simple and organic look, and it can cover cheap plastic nursery pots. You can easily coordinate the bow with your wedding colors.

    Paper Bag Potted Plants from Gardenista

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  • 06 of 21

    Glitter Dipped Mason Jars

    A woman holding a vase with flowers
    Random Acts of Pastel

    Mason jars are a popular and versatile item to use at wedding receptions. And this DIY project really dresses them up. All you need is some glue and glitter to apply to the jars and make them sparkle. Add some real or fake flowers, and you have an inexpensive wedding centerpiece that looks high-end.

    DIY Glitter Dipped Mason Jars from Random Acts of Pastel

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  • 07 of 21

    Citrus Floral

    An orange with flowers in it
    Style Me Pretty

    Here's a unique wedding centerpiece design that uses citrus fruit as a vase for flowers. Simply cut a small circle into the top of a grapefruit or an orange, take out about 2 inches deep of the flesh, and replace it with a piece of craft foam. Then, stick flower stems into the foam for a centerpiece that smells amazing with citrus and floral notes.

    DIY Citrus Floral Centerpiece from Style Me Pretty

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  • 08 of 21

    Paper Lanterns

    Three paper lanterns with candles inside
    A Piece of Rainbow

    Paper is inexpensive and unassuming. But when you add some beautiful cutouts to it, glue or tape it together in a tube shape, and insert an LED candle inside, paper can turn into a magical lantern. You really can let your imagination run wild with these lanterns, choosing specific colors and designs to match your style. 

    DIY Paper Lanterns from A Piece of Rainbow

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  • 09 of 21

    Faux Peony Arrangement

    Faux peonies in a vase
    Afloral

    Simplicity can be stunning, and this faux peony arrangement proves that. With a basic glass vase, acrylic water, and some faux peonies, you'll have a beautiful and inexpensive centerpiece in minutes. If you don't like peonies, you always can switch out the flowers to something that's more your style.

    Faux Peony Arrangement from Afloral

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  • 10 of 21

    Paper Vases

    A pink vase made out of paper
    Papershape

    Vases are used in a lot of wedding centerpieces, but they're usually pretty basic and not the star of the show. That's not the case with this origami vase. Learn to make this easy DIY paper-folding project, and fill the vase with some simple greenery. Your guests won't be able to stop admiring your handiwork.

    Paper Flower Vase from Papershape

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  • 11 of 21

    Paper Feather Tree

    Branches with paper feathers in a vase
    The House That Lars Built

    This budget wedding centerpiece is so unique that your guests won't even think about the inexpensive materials it takes to make it. Simply collect some branches, and adorn them with paper feathers you cut out of craft paper in colors and patterns of your choosing. Add just a few feathers for a simple look, or make a lush feather tree. 

    Paper Feather Tree from The House That Lars Built

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  • 12 of 21

    Painted Faux Pumpkins

    A wooden bowl full of rustic pumpkins
    I Should Be Mopping the Floor

    If you're having a fall wedding, a stack of faux pumpkins makes an easy and affordable centerpiece. You can leave them in their natural colors if you want to embrace the harvest theme. Or you can paint them in colors that coordinate with your other wedding decor. That customization can make them look more expensive than they really are.

    Painted Dollar Store Pumpkins from I Should Be Mopping the Floor

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  • 13 of 21

    Succulent Wedding Favors

    Succulent wedding favors
    Joann

    Succulents are inexpensive, and their different shapes, sizes, and colors look amazing when they're grouped together. You can doll up some succulents in basic pots with craft paper wrappings, ribbons, tags, tiny banners, and more. Use them as your centerpieces on the reception tables, and then let guests know they can take them home as their wedding favors.

    Succulent Wedding Favors from Joann

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  • 14 of 21

    Wine Cork Vases

    Two vases made of corks
    Designed Improvised

    Here's another way to create your own unique vase—this time using wine corks. The options are virtually endless for how you can glue together the corks to create vase shapes. Stack them in different heights and widths to really add some interest to your reception tables. You'll need somewhere between 40 and 70 corks per average-size vase.

    Wine Cork Vases from Designed Improvised

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  • 15 of 21

    Spray-Painted Beans Vase Filler

    A succulent in a glass
    Something Turquoise

    Vases can look pretty boring when they're just filled with water. And they're even more bland if you're using faux flowers and don't bother to fill the vase with anything. You can make your vases pop by spray-painting inexpensive dried beans in the color of your choice. Then, simply fill the vases with the painted beans.

    Spray Painted Beans from Something Turquoise

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  • 16 of 21

    Faux Galvanized Zinc Vase

    Two flowers in vases on a wooden table
    A Piece of Rainbow

    Give your wedding a high-end vintage vibe with these faux galvanized zinc vases. It's a very cheap wedding centerpiece because all it uses is paint and cardboard. But the outcome looks like something you would see in a high-end magazine.

    Anthropologie Knock Off DIY Galvanized Zinc Vase from A Piece of Rainbow

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  • 17 of 21

    Paper Flowers

    A vase full of colorful flowers
    The House That Lars Built

    Instead of expensive fresh flowers, consider making some paper flowers to use as a frugal wedding centerpiece. Using any color of crepe paper you'd like, you can make these beautiful flowers. Even better, you can take them home after your wedding to enjoy the paper flowers for years to come. 

    Paper Wedding Bouquet from  The House That Lars Built

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  • 18 of 21

    Holiday Floating Candles

    A vase with a candle and berries with greenery
    The Greenspring Home

    If you're getting married in the winter, these holiday floating candles would make a great wedding centerpiece. Simply add some greenery and berries to a small vase of water. Then, add a floating candle to the top, and light the candles right before guests arrive to ensure they burn through your reception. 

    DIY Floating Candles from The Greenspring Home

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  • 19 of 21

    Beach-Inspired Mason Jar

    A mason jar decorated in sea glass

    A Pumpkin & A Princess

    This centerpiece is perfect for a summery or beach-theme wedding. The mason jar DIY project has you glue faux beach glass around a mason jar. Then, top it off with a string or twine bow. In the jar you can put flowers, LED candles, or other decor items that fit your wedding theme.

    Beach Inspired Mason Jar from A Pumpkin & A Princess

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  • 20 of 21

    Crepe Paper Water Lilies

    Two water lilies made of paper
    Ash and Crafts

    These water lilies aren't meant for the water, as they're made out of crepe paper. But they are still incredibly beautiful while being inexpensive to make. Create several, so you can scatter a few on each reception table to add some romantic pops of color.

    Crepe Paper Water Lilly from Ash and Crafts

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  • 21 of 21

    Sand Art Terrarium

    Glass hurricanes full of sand and plants
    Honestly WTF

    If you're not sold on flowers or candles for your wedding centerpieces, consider a sand art terrarium. Use different colors of sand to create stripes and other patterns in a glass jar. Then, add some greenery to top it off. The sand will be the star of this inexpensive centerpiece.

    Sand Art Terrarium from Honestly WTF