25 Affordable Wedding Centerpiece Ideas

You don’t have to sacrifice style to have a budget-friendly wedding, and this is especially true when it comes to reception centerpieces. On average, floral centerpieces can range anywhere from $30 to $100 per arrangement, but we’re going to offer some affordable wedding centerpiece ideas to help you stretch your budget while still creating elegant arrangements that accent your reception beautifully. 

Discover 25 affordable wedding centerpiece ideas we love: 

Simple wedding centerpiece options

1. Minimalist floral clusters 

Rather than a few larger floral arrangements, consider a bunch of small arrangements. We’re talking vases with just three flowers each. Make sure to choose your flowers wisely since they need to stand out while being limited in quantity. We love structured flowers that really add a fun architectural element to the table. 

2. Eucalyptus

Add eucalyptus along with greenery of your choosing to vases, bottles, jars, or any container that fits with your wedding decor for a perfectly simple centerpiece. Place on top of a small mirror for a little bit of glam. 

3. Seashells

If your wedding is taking place near a beach or you’re having nautical-themed nuptials, seashells are the perfect centerpiece for you. Take clear vases of various shapes and sizes, fill with sand, and then add your favorite seashells, coral, seaglass, and more. 

4. Candles and greenery

For a simple and elegant centerpiece, use a few different sized candles and surround with greenery. It’s easy, beautiful, and chic. 

5. Dried floral arrangements 

Dried florals are a wonderful centerpiece, especially for a rustic or outdoor wedding. Place in the container of your choice and tie a ribbon, twine, or bow around the center. 

6. Moss table runner

Rather than a traditional fabric table runner, opt for a more natural version using moss and branches. Add a few candles and you have a romantic, earthy reception table.

7. Customized wooden centerpiece

This option works especially well for rustic and outdoor wedding receptions. A wooden planter is etched with your choice of words, whether it’s your initials, your new last name, or anything in between. Add flowers of your choosing and you’ve got a personalized wedding centerpiece.

8. Submerged greenery

We love this as a centerpiece option because it’s impactful without being over the top. Fill tall glass vases with your favorite greenery, from rosemary stems to eucalyptus branches, and top with water. 

9. Lavender bunches

Add potted lavender bunches to your tablescape for a wonderfully fragrant centerpiece.

10. Vintage books

Collect classic hardcover books and stack in groups of 3-4 for a whimsical, outside-the-box centerpiece. Top your book stacks with candles, pinecones, table numbers, or anything in between.  

DIY wedding centerpiece options

11. Wood lanterns 

For a rustic wedding, create these incredible wooden lanterns to house your candles for the perfect centerpiece. Build them in various heights and sizes to increase the table’s aesthetic appeal.

12. Edible centerpieces 

A great way to have affordable centerpieces is to have them double as part of the meal! Whether it’s a grazing board of fruits, cheese, and crackers or a dessert platter of doughnuts, having an edible centerpiece is a fun way to be both creative and budget-friendly.

13. Monstera leaves

If you’re looking to add an exotic element to your wedding, look no further than Monstera leaves. These gorgeous tropical leaves are a wonderful centerpiece. Add candles on top for a touch of romance. 

14. Paper flowers

Create your own paper flower centerpieces with crepe and tissue paper. Choose vibrant colors or a monochromatic color scheme. Even add texture details with glitter and satin bows.

15. Floating pearls

If you’re looking for a unique centerpiece sans flowers, this DIY project creates a vase full of floating pearls. Choose beads in whatever shape, size, and color that works with your reception decor for a fabulously original centerpiece.

16. Papier-mâché fruit

For a minimalist and artsy centerpiece, create papier-mâché fruit. You can paint in realistic colors or a monochromatic color scheme like this all-white fruit bowl centerpiece.

17. Melon bowls

If you’re having a beach wedding, add a tropical twist using hollowed out melons and pineapples filled with flowers of your choice as centerpieces. 

18. Wine cork vases

Create rustic vases by gluing wine corks together and adding any type of flower inside. These DIY vases work especially well if your wedding is more casual and homey. 

Floral-focused wedding centerpiece options

19. Baby’s breath

Baby’s breath are some of the most affordable flowers for weddings and they never go out of style. Add them to a mason jar, vintage ceramic vase, short crystal container, or any other vessel that accents your wedding decor.

20. Fruits and vegetables

This couple’s wedding took place in California, so as an affordable and locally-sourced nod to the Golden State, the centerpieces at the reception were fresh oranges in crates with a local postcard placed in the center. Consider a version of this for your wedding using seasonal, fresh and local vegetation. 

21. Wine glasses

This centerpiece uses three wine glasses of various sizes, flipped upside down as a tea candle holder, with a single bright flower bloom inside the rim of the glass. Talk about creative and affordable!

22. Hydrangeas 

Hydrangeas aren’t just elegant, they are also cost-effective. Due to the size of the flower, it doesn’t take many stems to fill up an entire vase. We love the look of white hydrangeas placed in different sized vases in clusters at tables. 

23. Gladiolus

These flowers are a fabulous budget-friendly option because of how striking they are. These lush and tall flowers add height and drama to your tablescape without breaking the bank.

24. Chrysanthemums

Mums are known as one of the more budget-friendly flowers and because of their hardy texture and variety of colors, they’re the perfect flower to get creative with.

25. Sunflowers

Not only are sunflowers an affordable floral option for weddings, they bring a fabulous pop of color to your tablescape and work especially well for a rustic reception. Lean into the homey theme by placing sunflowers in a burlap wrapped mason jar and placing it atop large circular pieces of a wood from a tree trunk. 

Try out any of these chic and affordable wedding centerpiece ideas!

No matter your budget, you can have stunning centerpieces for every season both with and without flowers.

Now that you know the decor for your reception tables, take a moment to think about whether you want to sit at a sweetheart table for just the two of you or a head table complete with the wedding party during your reception. To help you weigh your options, we’ve compiled 20 show-stopping sweetheart tables to inspire you for your big day.