The winter wedding season will be here before you know it, so Shanna and I found it perfectly fitting to start looking for winter wedding centerpieces. Our challenge was to put together 15 centerpieces for under $10 each (we based the number on a wedding for about 100 guests – one head table with two centerpieces and 13 round tables with one centerpiece each). Shanna went with a birch bark theme, and I went with an ornaments theme.

 

Birch Bark & Pine Tree CenterpieceBirch Bark & Pine Tree Centerpiece

 

Birch Bark & Pine Cones CenterpieceBirch Bark & Pine Cones Centerpiece

 

Red & Blue Ornament Vase CenterpieceRed & Blue Ornament Vase Centerpiece

 

Winter Candle CenterpieceWinter Candle Centerpiece

 

Everything that we needed, we purchased at our local Hobby Lobby store, and in Shanna’s case, the great outdoors! We ended up putting together 4 different centerpieces.

Here is the cost breakdown for Shanna’s centerpieces:

Birch Bark & Pine Tree Centerpiece

  • Birch bark “vase” : Free
  • Pine tree branches: Free
  • Red berries: $2 per stem
  • Pine Cones: Free
  • $2 per centerpiece!

This centerpiece can be gathered in your backyard or during a walk through the woods (on the property of family or friends preferably). I actually gathered a bunch of birch bark from my recent cabin trip up north. Birch bark remains intact and holds its round shape as the tree trunk rots. So find a birch tree that’s been decomposing for a while and use the bark.
Pine tree branches and pine cones can be purchased at a hobby store but we didn’t collect prices for those things. You will probably have to buy red berries. We recommend these berries from Hobby Lobby for $2 apiece.

Birch Bark & Pine Cones Centerpiece

  • Birch bark strips: Free
  • Pine cones: Free
  • Medium glass hurricane: $47.99 for 12 on Ann’s
  • Green ribbon: $3.99 per 5 yard roll (cut into 12” lengths)
  • Burlap placement: $5.99 per 5 yard roll at (cut into 6”x6” pieces)
  • $4 per centerpiece!

Birch bark curls nicely as it decomposes and dries. Gather scraps of curly birch bark pieces and a bunch of pine cones to fill a clear vase. Wrap it with your choice of ribbon and set it on a placemat (we cut 6” x 6” pieces of burlap to use as placemats). To do the 14 centerpieces necessary to fit our criteria, we would have had to purchase three more vases from the hobby store. We still would have been well under $10 per centerpiece. The ribbon and burlap are enough for 15 centerpieces.

Here is the cost breakdown for Brooke’s centerpieces:

Red & Blue Ornament Vase Centerpiece

  • Ornaments: $5.99 per 18 bulbs
  • Medium glass hurricane: $47.99 for 12 on Ann’s
  • Plate charger: $1.99 per charger
  • Silver ribbon: $1.99 per 5 yard roll
  • $9.97 per centerpiece!

Red and blue are great jewel tone colors and very popular, so I wanted to make a centerpiece combining the two. It had a unique look to it. I didn’t use all 18 ornaments in one centerpiece, so one box could be used for 2 centerpieces. To tie it all in, I decided to place a silver ribbon around the vase and plate charger to add an extra “sparkle” (since it’s for Winter, after all!) The ribbon that I purchased would be enough to use for almost all 15 centerpieces, which cuts down the cost per centerpiece. If red and blue is too much for your taste, you could try another accent color, such as hunter green, silver, or gold.

Winter Candle Centerpiece

  • Candles: $3.99 for 3
  • Red ribbon: $2.99 per 5 yard roll (cut into 6” pieces)
  • Plate charger: $1.99 per charger
  • Ornaments: $5.99 per 18 bulbs
  • Gold berries: $2 per strand
  • $10 per centerpiece!

Candles are a great way to make an intimate setting, so I thought they would be a perfect and inexpensive centerpiece idea! I got a package of 3 non-scented candles from Hobby Lobby during their half-off sale. I glued the 6” pieces of red ribbon around the candle to dress them up a bit. I went with a red color for ornaments, but I also wanted to add an accent color, so I added gold berry strands and a gold plate charger. If you’re not a gold fan, silver would be another great option.

Easy as that! Using our local hobby store (and the great outdoors!) we were able to put together centerpieces for under $10 apiece. Remember, you can use any color you desire for these centerpieces, depending on your tastes. Happy planning!