If you are looking to add style to your wedding reception without paying a lot for a florist, think about making your own centerpieces.
There are lots of beautiful designs which are easy enough to make yourself, and with all the money you save, you can splurge on something with long lasting value, like your wedding jewelry.
These great ideas for DIY summer wedding centerpieces will provide all the inspiration you need to get started.
When you begin planning your reception centerpieces, think about the ways in which you can tie the arrangements in with both your wedding style and the season.
If you are having a beach theme wedding, right down to the food and jewelry, incorporate that motif into your centerpieces.
Or perhaps you are having a 4th of July wedding; DIY decorations with an Americana flavor would be ideal.
Summer weddings tend to be brighter and more relaxed than winter events, so keep your design light and laid-back.
A gorgeous DIY centerpiece for a garden wedding would be a butterfly "bouquet".
Take a cute enamel watering can in your favorite color to use as the vessel.
Then use a collection of butterflies on long stems to wire together into a unique and colorful centerpiece.
Of course, you won't use real butterflies, but rather ones created from beautiful paper, fabric, or feathers.
They make a colorful and charming alternative to a floral table arrangement and are easy to assemble yourself.
One of the best part about using non-floral elements for DIY centerpieces is that you can put them together a long time before the wedding.
Fresh fruit can make a striking wedding centerpiece.
One of the simplest DIY table decorations you can create is to fill a tall clear vessel with sliced lemons and limes.
Pack them tightly around the sides so that the round slices are pressed against the edges of the vessel for a great graphic design.
The citrus fruit adds color and a summery feeling to the wedding.
For a more modern effect, use a clear tall cylinder or choose a footed urn if your wedding style is more romantic.
A lemon or lime flavored signature drink would be the perfect accompaniment to these centerpieces.
Beach theme centerpieces always fit in with summer weddings and are very easy for the DIY bride.
Fill tall clear vases with a variety of seashells and surround them with low votive candles.
Or go for a modern beach style by placing red faux coral into clear Lucite boxes and stacking them up.
They will make very striking centerpieces for your reception, yet are a breeze to assemble.
Of course flowers are always popular for wedding decorations, and there are plenty of designs which do not require any experience to create.
If you want to try your hand at DIY centerpieces but are not confident in your flower arranging abilities, gather a collection of pretty potted plants.
For an Americana wedding, bright red geraniums would look fantastic in white wicker baskets.
Best of all, after your wedding, the cheerful flowers can be planted outside your new home.