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  1. Production & Strategy
  2. Strategy

9 Budget-Friendly Centerpieces for Fall Events

Stay within budget with these cost-effective tabletop decor ideas for events and meetings.

Michele Laufik
July 11, 2014

These centerpieces creatively incorporate everything from reclaimed rocks and seashells to '80s cassette tapes, providing low-cost alternatives to standard tabletop decor.

Use unique structural containers to show off a few impactful blooms for a modern, artistic look, like the creation by Blueprint Studios that features butter yellow calla lilies and Billy Ball flowers.
Use unique structural containers to show off a few impactful blooms for a modern, artistic look, like the creation by Blueprint Studios that features butter yellow calla lilies and Billy Ball flowers.
Photo: Michelle Nicole Photography
Similar to branches, stumps are creative replacements for expensive vessels and leave more funds for flowers. Showorks dresses up the humble tree trunk with vibrant roses and gerbera daises.
Similar to branches, stumps are creative replacements for expensive vessels and leave more funds for flowers. Showorks dresses up the humble tree trunk with vibrant roses and gerbera daises.
Photo: Courtesy of Showorks
Collect reclaimed rocks, wood, and seashells to fill apothecary jars of varying sizes, shapes, and heights for displays such as the underwater-inspired design from Blueprint Studios.
Collect reclaimed rocks, wood, and seashells to fill apothecary jars of varying sizes, shapes, and heights for displays such as the underwater-inspired design from Blueprint Studios.
Photo: Courtesy of Blue Print Studio
Liz Page Associates, along with designer Max Ultimate Food, wove gold-wire ribbon throughout short glass vases, using reusable LED pillar candles as accents. The look brought to life the theme of the Arnold P. Gold Foundation fund-raiser—“The Golden Thread”—in an affordable way in October 2013.
Liz Page Associates, along with designer Max Ultimate Food, wove gold-wire ribbon throughout short glass vases, using reusable LED pillar candles as accents. The look brought to life the theme of the Arnold P. Gold Foundation fund-raiser—“The Golden Thread”—in an affordable way in October 2013.
Photo: Courtesy of Liz Page Associates
As a budget-friendly alternative to lush fall flowers, fill vases with affordable tree branches sprouting colorful autumn foliage, like the bountiful, statement-making maple leaf arrangement by Van Wyck & Van Wyck.
As a budget-friendly alternative to lush fall flowers, fill vases with affordable tree branches sprouting colorful autumn foliage, like the bountiful, statement-making maple leaf arrangement by Van Wyck & Van Wyck.
Photo: Courtesy of Van Wyck & Van Wyck
Showorks creates cheerful centerpieces by filling Mason jars of varying sizes with wildflowers, which are reasonably priced per bunch. Repurposed wine and liquor bottles also work as makeshift vases.
Showorks creates cheerful centerpieces by filling Mason jars of varying sizes with wildflowers, which are reasonably priced per bunch. Repurposed wine and liquor bottles also work as makeshift vases.
Photo: Shannon Livingston
Found objects don’t always have to be from nature. For this year’s AMC upfront after-party, Empire Entertainment used classic ’80s artifacts—floppy disks and cassette tapes—to construct lighted lamps in lieu of high-end floral centerpieces.
Found objects don’t always have to be from nature. For this year’s AMC upfront after-party, Empire Entertainment used classic ’80s artifacts—floppy disks and cassette tapes—to construct lighted lamps in lieu of high-end floral centerpieces.
Photo: Rick Gilbert
Lanterns, whether simple or ornate, offer a theatrical alternative to traditional tabletop decor. Style the lighting items to suit any event theme or atmosphere, such as the Moroccan-inspired ones used by Showorks.
Lanterns, whether simple or ornate, offer a theatrical alternative to traditional tabletop decor. Style the lighting items to suit any event theme or atmosphere, such as the Moroccan-inspired ones used by Showorks.
Photo: Courtesy of Showorks
Blueprint Studios lines up basic votive candles in a mirrored box for a dramatic, low-cost solution.
Blueprint Studios lines up basic votive candles in a mirrored box for a dramatic, low-cost solution.
Photo: Courtesy of Blue Print Studio
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