Centerpieces
This list was taken from a post by sandy@sw.stratus.com (Sandra Frongillo) on
the soc.couples.wedding and alt.wedding newsgroups and is reprinted here with her permission (after
some cleaning up of the headers). A lot of effort must
have gone into compiling these posts (thanks Sandra!). Enjoy!
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From: paulamader@aol.com (PaulaMader)
Subject: Re: Centerpieces
Here's an idea I'm thinking of using, depending on where I end up having
this event... it's a combination of centerpiece/favors thing, actually.
An unmatched cluster of second hand stemware of different heights, etc,
with votive candles inside, and a bit of floral and ribbon tied around the
stem. This would be nice for a wedding with a victorian/country type
theme to it. Use flowers and ribbons that match the colors you are using
for wedding and use either ivory or white votive candles, or match those,
too.
I got the idea when I was trying to decide what to do with some mismatched
pieces I had. (I've broken a few in my day, but I'll be scouring the
Salvation Army's Thrift store regularly when I get this project together.)
Paula (and Glenn) June 23 or 24 1995
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From: jmh@anser.pdial.interpath.net (Jeanne Hinds)
Subject: Centerpieces
Several threads asked for ideas for centerpieces and I saw this one in
the 1995 Spring Issue of Bridal Crafts on page 20. It's called Pansy
Birdseed Basket and is a shallow forest green basket filled with
tulle-birdseed-silk pansy poufs. Since silk pansies look realistic,
the effect is a very pretty basket filled with pansies. The basket
could sit on the table as the centerpiece and when time to throw rice,
birdseed, guests just take a pansy pouf. I can see that almonds or
another candy would work just as well as birdseed so the poufs can be
favors as well. I like this idea so well I'm going to adapt it for
use at showers and tea parties. It is a very nice dual purpose
centerpiece.
If you cannot find Bridal Crafts in a craft store near you, email me
with snail mail address and I will send a xerox copy.
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From: pstoffel@ezinfo.ucs.indiana.edu (peggi smith stoffel)
Subject: Re: Centerpieces
Julie Ann Dickinson (jad@med.unc.edu) wrote:
> In article (3fhor8$mn6@newsbf02.news.aol.com),
> Magyarbabe (magyarbabe@aol.com) wrote:
> >
> >Someone else on line suggested bowls of goldfish. Personally, I thought
> >it was a great idea, but everyone in my family (including my fiance) hates
> >it.
We used snapple bottles wrapped in cellophane with flowers in them as
centerpieces... everyone loved them and wanted to take one home! We
thought of the goldfish thing, but we had an outdoor wedding in August
and were afraid the fish would boil (not to mention kids playing with them!).
Peggi & Larry
August 13, 1994
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From: tdvanoss@aol.com (TDVanoss)
Subject: Re: centerpieces for reception
We are giving tiny individual pots of ivy for favors, so we're using them
as centerpieces. We'll wrap the pots in ivory net and ribbon and then mass
them together in the center of the table. My mom came up with this idea,
and I just love it. I like the idea of giving away something living, plus
the symbolism of the ivy (fidelity).
Tammie (and Jon)
10-7-95
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From: rhoskin@rhubarb.ece.ucdavis.edu (Rosemary Hoskinson)
Subject: Re: centerpieces for reception
I just wanted to add that a Rose submerged in water with the
bowl sitting on a plate etc to keep the water from leaking out
looks great. My grandmother does this all the time. The
glass and water magnify the rose.
^ ^
^ rose ^
^ & water in^
^ here ^
^ ^ ^ ^
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
-Rosemary Hoskinson
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From: Dawn McNeill
Subject: Re: Table Centerpieces
I guess it really depends on the atmosphere you're going for and your
theme (if any). I'm getting married in July 96 so I have plenty of time
to think about this. At this point I'm considering having these really
cool triangle-shaped, mirrored bud vases with a single red rose. This is
meant to coordinate with what my attendant will be wearing/carrying-she's
probably going to wear a red halter-style dress and carry one
long-stemmed rose (cuts down on bouquet costs). I'll decorate the head
table with loose rose petals and long stemmed roses with my bouquet as
the centerpiece.
Dawn
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From: cabrowne@acs.ucalgary.ca (Christine Ann Browne)
Subject: Re: Centerpieces with candles
We are having candle centerpieces at our wedding (also in
October). We wanted something enclosed so we decided to place
the candles in Rose bowls. Each rose bowl has about 1 1/2 inches
of coloured sand in the bottom, a utility candle (.69 cents from
industrial supply store) wrapped in beeswax (for colour) and a
ribbon and silk roses wrapped around the top. We are keeping it
simple but you could have a small floral wreath around the base
if you want a floral motif. Anyway , we like them and they look
quite elegant when they are lit.
Good luck,
Christine (and Dean - Oct.7/95)
P.S. Remember to take into account how long the candles burn.
We wanted ours to burn throughout the dinner and dance so we
bought the 12 hour candles. Some only burn for 3-4 hours. =)
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From: lwalsh@titan.oit.umass.edu (Laura Walsh)
Subject: Re: Centerpieces with candles
>>: Anyone have good ideas for table centerpieces? I would like to have
>>: candles on the table, but our hall will only allow it if they are
>>: enclosed, perhaps in a hurricane globe or a floating candle in a glass
>>: container. O.K., if that's my starting point, then what? I would like to
>>: have something floral with/around/on/under it. I only have to make 10,
>>: and I figure if I make something nice I can give them to special family
>>: members after the wedding.
We are having candles on the tables with crystal globes. Our florist is
making wreaths of flowers (freesia, wax flowers, and roses I think) and
ivy to go around the base of each candle. We'll have a bigger
centerpiece for the head table with a spot in the middle of it for my
bouquet to complete the arrangement.
HTH
Laura (& Mike)
July 23, 1995
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From: myoung@Market.NET (Margaret Young)
Subject: Re: Centerpieces -- Suggestions
LisaDold (lisadold@aol.com) wrote:
: Anybody have more suggestions for centerpieces? I like the idea of using
: mirrors, but where do you get them? I thought I could have a goblet type
: glass with a votive candle in it on a mirror tile, then spread flowers
: around the edge of the mirror. Can others help me with ideas?
You might also consider glass bowls with floating candles and flowers
on a mirror.
margaret
: Lisa 10/14/95
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From: rosey@cba.bgsu.edu (Lisa Rosenberry)
Subject: Re: Centerpieces -- Suggestions
We did something a little unusual- but it was very inexpensive and
extremely elegant for our evening wedding. We used red roses, blue iris
and yellow accents for flowers and then had our bouquets hand tied with
gold lame ribbons. We used this gold lame everywhere else including the
centerpieces.
The caterer ordered very nice white table cloths (with some sort of
pattern) and then scrunched up gold lame in the center of the table. On
top of the gold lame was a white taper candle in a brass candle holder
(pier 1 - 3.00 each) and then surrounded by a tall hurricane globe. The
whole effect worked well. The serving tables and bar also had gold lame
accent covers.
Not everyone's style I know - but these taper candles worked out well for
us.
Lisa (and Frank Married 3 weeks).
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From: Shannon (selvitsk@cymbal.aix.calpoly.edu)
Subject: Re: Table centerpieces idea
This is going to sound crazy, but I actually attended a wedding where
there were live birds in cages as centerpieces. The cage was wrapped in
tulle and ribbons. Inside were two "lovebirds" which were kind of cute
until they pooped all over the cage. I thought it was really unusual and
possibly cruel. The bride planned to return them to the pet shop after
the wedding for a partial refund. Seemed strange, but just MHO.
Shannon (who hasn't decided on centerpieces yet) & Tom
April 27, 1996
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From: bj@alpha1.csd.uwm.edu (Barbara Jean Kuehl)
Subject: Table centerpieces idea
I was just browsing through our local garden center (Stein's) today
and I happened to wander through the basket department. Remembering
that someone recently asked a question about obtaining small baskets
for table centerpieces, I spent a little time looking at all the various
baskets available. Then I noticed something that might make an
interesting table centerpiece.
Stein's carries about two dozen different types of bird houses/nests/
cages. Some are made of twigs, some straw, etc. For a person with a
nature bend, I could see using an assortment of these bird cages,
each with a different bird (not live, of course) inside the cage.
These cages (and the birds) could be saved and used later, i.e., the
birds could be used on your first Christmas tree, the cages could be
hung outside (if birdhouses) or given to your wedding party members as
token favors after the reception.
Just an idea.
BJ
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From: cah@meaddata.com (Carol Hovey)
Subject: Cinderella Slippers
I was in a fabric/craft store the other day and wandered into the bridal
section. They had a large table with tons of favors, one of which was a bag
of small, clear Cinderella slippers. I'd say they are about 2.5 - 3" long.
These are nothing I planned on using at my reception tables, but they are so
adorable. We'll have the long tables, so my centerpieces will be round, gold
trays with a bud vase holding a single ivory rose (silk) and ivy loosely lying
at the base of the vase. Flanking each centerpiece will be small baskets,
which I'm going to spraypaint gold, holding Andes mints, or something of that
nature.
Anyone have any ideas on how I can incorporate the slippers? I'm not giving
favors to the guests, so I'm thinking of them as a decoration of some sort.
Thanks!
Carol and Tom
10/21/95
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From: anit@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca ()
Subject: table decorations
I have an idea for table decorations/centerpieces that I am using instead
of flowers, and I thought I'd share it.
Both my sister and I paint clay flower pots in our spare time, so we
thought it would be neat to get lots of mini ones (about 40 cents each in
Edmonton), paint them with my wedding colors - including B & G's name and
wedding date - and planting ivy or peppermint in them. With only 75
people coming to my wedding, I thought I could make one for everyone and
place them at each seat at the reception. That way, there will be lots
of plant life in the room and no need for flowers. They also serve as a
momento for guests that isn't tacky like mints wrapped on cellophane.
I figure it'll cost maybe $60 dollars, which is way better than hundreds
for flowers.
You could also just do a few bigger pots and plant wildflowers. I guess
it depends if you are going for the ultra formal ceremony, or just trying
to have a fun day without going broke. (I'm in the latter category)
To paint the pots is quite easy. Any kind of acrylic paint works and
you can use brushes, sponges, fingers, whatever.
Good luck to everyone planning a wedding. And congratulations.
Tina and Andrew
August 12, 1995
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From: bj@alpha1.csd.uwm.edu (Barbara Jean Kuehl)
Subject: Unique centerpiece idea
Date: 2 Aug 1995 02:49:05 GMT
While browsing through a stoneware pottery a few weeks ago, I had an
idea for centerpieces which someone might like to use on their reception
tables (I'm already married so it's too late for me). Along with
all the handmade goblets and bowls and pitchers I was looking at, I saw
a number of stoneware vases of various shapes and designs. How
nice they would look holding informal wildflower bouquets, I thought to
myself, especially since each vase is a unique artform of its own.
And, as an additional bonus, the vases could be given to the attendants
as special mementoes or favors after the wedding.
Just a thought for those who like earthenware and wildflowers.
BJ
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From: ksmith@ils.nwu.edu (Karen T. Smith)
Newsgroups: soc.couples.wedding
Subject: Re: suggestions on table center pieces???????
Date: 4 Aug 1995 16:31:33 GMT
In article (3vqli3$vqi@usenetp1.news.prodigy.com), ZHEC39B@prodigy.com
(Sharon Vanderpool) wrote:
> I have to make table center pieces for 15 tables. Since the restaurant is
> a Chinese one the table clothes will be red. The bridesmaids will be in
> light gold. The piece I was considering are made up of a tall clear
> glass candle holder , with a gold candle, large white w/gold wire trim
> bow, small red dried roses, and two small butterflies perched on the
> ribbon.
I am planning on doing the large glass bowls (probably on a colored napkin
or mirrored plate) filled with water and then have flower blooms and
possibly candles floating in them. (Don't know if the candles would end
up burning the flowers or not...) Maybe we'll even use waterlillies since
they're used to being in the water. This is a very simple idea and I've
seen it done and it looks so elegant. Maybe if we don't float candles we
will have several tapers (in simple candle holders) lit around the bowl to
give more light and a more romantic feel. It's also very inexpensive--you
can get the bowls at a craft store for very little (or even borrow crystal
bowls from friends, family, etc...any newly married couple should have
about 12 extra on hand to lend to you! =) and just a few large blooms in
each bowl really looks great.
Good luck!
KTS
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From: mp1@unlgrad1.unl.edu (Mary Kay Provaznik)
Subject: Re: Unique centerpiece idea
Date: 3 Aug 1995 15:46:41 GMT
Barbara Jean Kuehl (bj@alpha1.csd.uwm.edu) wrote:
: While browsing through a stoneware pottery a few weeks ago, I had an
: idea for centerpieces which someone might like to use on their reception
: tables (I'm already married so it's too late for me). Along with
: all the handmade goblets and bowls and pitchers I was looking at, I saw
: a number of stoneware vases of various shapes and designs. How
: nice they would look holding informal wildflower bouquets, I thought to
: myself, especially since each vase is a unique art form of its own.
: And, as an additional bonus, the vases could be given to the attendants
: as special mementoes or favors after the wedding.
: Just a thought for those who like earthenware and wildflowers.
: BJ
I just saw another good idea. I went to this romance store, that had
classy things like balloons, and cards, bouquets, stuffed animals,
etc. One of the bouquets that they would deliver resembled roses,
only the stem was wire wrapped in green tissue, the leaves were
toffees in green wrappers (attached at one end to the stem) and the
buds were to hershey kisses put bottom to bottom and wrapped in some
sort of red celephane. They looked like they would be simple to make
(and relatively inexpensive), they look really neat, and after the
wedding you can eat them! As soon as I have some time, I'm going to
try to make one.
Cheers!
Mary Kay (and Phil May 25, 1996!)
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From: Sheri_Richardson@brown.edu (Sheri A. Richardson)
Subject: Giving away centerpieces
Date: 23 Aug 1995 04:24:49 GMT
We are having a "Christmas theme" wedding, December 9, 1995. For our
centerpieces, I am making ceramic Christmas trees with battery operated
light bulbs so they will be illuminated at the reception hall. My problem
is: I would like to find a unique way of giving away these centerpieces,
which I have been working very hard on. I do not want to use the typical
"giving away centerpieces" routines used at other weddings I have been to,
such as:
The birthday closest to the wedding day
The dollar bill
Putting pennies or notes under china, glassware, or chairs
I want it to be different, please help. Maybe, something that can
incorporate the Christmas or holiday theme to it, but not necessary.
If anyone has any suggestions please e-mail me at:
Sheri_Richardson@brown.edu
All suggestions will be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks
Sheri & Mario (December 9, 1995)
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From: mlh@ecegrad.ncsu.edu (Molly L. Hodges)
Subject: Re: GREAT favor ideas!
I am making button topiaries for the tables at the reception to give away.
The town the wedding is in has a very old button factory and I'm getting bags
of "rejects", that are perfect for the job. I'm making three sizes of
topiaries, glueing the white, cream and pearl buttons to spray painted gold
styrofoam balls and then inserting them into clay pots filled with sand and
spanish moss to top it off. I'm tying each one with gold french ribbon bows.
There will probably be 20 or so tables, so that means 60 or more topiaries,
but I have lots of cousins who have volunteered to help. We're just doing the
assembly-line thing. So I'm killing two birds with one stone, per say, by
making my own centerpieces and having them as favors, as well.
Molly (and Andy)
8-3-96
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From: jorfirer@k12.oit.umass.edu (Julie Orfirer (Rebecca Johnson School))
Subject: Table Centerpieces
We're thinking about doing a "horn of plenty" type centerpiece -- basket or
bowl filled with fruit, nuts, cranberries (Dec. wedding) surrounded by
greens. Trying to figure out how to "hang" mistletoe at each table. If the
baskets have handles we'll do that, but what we might do is attach each
mistletoe to ?3 helium balloons and let them float around so that people
will never know when they'll be under the mistletoe.
I don't know about this "favors" or "taking home the centerpiece" business
but I guess everyone can take home a kiwi or an orange...
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From: careerpro2@aol.com (Careerpro2)
Subject: Re: NEED Ideas for Centerpieces
I have a suggestion for centerpieces, similar to what we are using for my
daughters wedding in October.
Use a painted planter from a store like GardenRidge Pottery, place a
weighted green sponge designed for using as a plant base. Fill with peat
or spanish moss, and place a candle in the center. You can then place
potpourri or dried flowers worked into the moss and use a netting ribbon
and tie around the top of the pot.
We will have live ivy draped around the base and tied to other planters on
the same table.
We are using planters that have a hunter green background with plum
flowers. The candles are plum colored and the spanish moss is kind of
grey.
The day of the wedding you may light the candles after you have sprayed
the moss and dried flowers with water, or place a hurricane lamp over the
candle and light.
Good luck
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From: weiseea@heron.tc.clarkson.edu (Beth Weise)
Subject: Re: NEED Ideas for Centerpieces
For my Sept. 16 wedding, my mother is decorating grapevine wreaths with
dried flowers and ribbon. In the center we are placing a candle in a
hurricane lamp. This also ties in with our favors--we are giving the
2 ounce size Yankee Candles (in Eucalyptus, Cinnamon, and French Vanilla).
Good Luck...
Beth (& Tom)
9/16/95
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From: turner@reed.edu (Johanna Colgrove)
Subject: Re: NEED Ideas for Centerpieces
We did our centerpieces ourselves, and it takes a bit of work.
We bought 99cent shallow plastic bowls (sort of cabbage shaped)
from the kitchen section of Fred Meyers (cheap store that has everything),
in these we planted a variety of flowering annuals, some we'd grown
from seed, some we bought.
I'd go to the local garden stores (places like kmart and home depot
have good deals on stuff) and see what kind of flowering plants
they'll have in November. Things I'd look for would be primroses,
maybe violets/pansies, some sort of greenery thing like scotch
moss to fill in, and whatever looks good. For a 10" diameter bowl
you want about 6-7 things, really pack them in. Then give them a
week or so to recover from planting and to filling a little. Also
you could look for plants with colored foliage.
I'm not sure how you'd figure in floating candles with this, except maybe
put them between planters or around the planters.
Good luck. We had 20 planters and almost all of them went home with
other people. The planters we had were REALLY shallow (good so people can
talk across the table) so they needed to be watered regularly with the
heat wave we had right after the wedding. Ours died, but hopefully
some people got theirs planted and kept them.
We also filled a few big pots for around the ceremony site (outdoors) but
you could also have them around the reception hall, near the doors and
stuff. Personally I loved the live plants everywhere.
Johanna
>Janet (& Bruce who is being for patient will he listens to me ramble on
>and on) 11/05/95
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From: hollis@jacobs.mn.org (Holly Kilheffer)
Subject: Re: NEED Ideas for Centerpieces
Because Geoff and I were going to have tables indoors as well as outdoors we
had to come up with two different types of centerpieces.
What we ended up with were:
Indoors: blue glass bowls resting on a blue glass salad plates resting on
a peach linen napkin (the dishes were the ones we had registered for
buying extras wasn't a problems as both wanted LOTS of them :)
Inside each bowl we floated a Sonja rose (peach) and a bit of baby's
breath around them. The part of the plates that weren't covered by
the bowls were filled with a mixture of Hershey's Hugs and Kisses
(plain and almond.)
Cost: $1.49 per bowl/plate x 10 (5 plates, 5 bowls) = $37.25
$1.79 per napkin x 5 = $8.95
$2.29 per bag of Hershey's Kisses/Hugs x 4 bags = $9.16
as I didn't get an itemized cost sheet from the florist I don't know
how much the roses were but I'm guessing they were around
$1.50 per rose x 5 =$7.50
Total = $62.86 (approximate)
Outdoors: a clear glass filled with assorted hard candies sitting on a green
linen napkin inside a bread basket.Three small bundles of dried
baby's breath and eucalyptus tied with raffie were arranged in
the space between the candy filled glass and outside rim of the
basket. Two tiny peach paper ribbon bows were also placed in that
space.
Cost: $1.00 per basket x 5 = $5.00
$.97 per glass x 5 = $4.85
$1.79 per napkin x 5 = $8.95
4 lbs of hard candies = $9.00 (approximate)
1/2 bunch of baby's breath = $1.50
$2.50 per bunch eucalyptus x 2 = $5.00
raffia I had on hand
paper ribbon @ negligible cost (leftovers from making big bows)
Total = $34.30 (approximate)
Total = $97.16
Seems like a lot for hand-made decorations but the dishes, napkins, and
baskets are things we can keep using. Actually, we're still using the candies
and eucalyptus bunches -- we had a bunch of candy left over and the euc-
bundles are sweetening up various areas of the apartment :)
As you may have guessed, we had 10 tables total. If you went with your
tulips in a vase your end cost would be around $150 for the same number of
tables. I know, not much difference in cost, but as I found out during the
past 5 months -- EVERY PENNY COUNTS! :)
One of these days I'll get the pictures scanned and put them up on my web
page so you all can see how our deco worked (the were a lot prettier than
they sound here -- believe me!)
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From: obaniokm@ctrvax.vanderbilt.edu (Keisha O'Banion)
Subject: Re: Centerpiece ideas
I just decided on my centerpieces. They will be fresh ivy topiaries in 4
inch pots. The pots will be terra cotta pots painted white. Very simple,
but I think that they will look very elegant. We are having the reception
in a big room in the center of a botanical garden, so I think that they
will be appropriate for the setting.
Keisha
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From: apr@fc.hp.com (Anne Reynolds)
Subject: Re: Centerpiece ideas
For our centerpieces Tony and I had three pillar candles of different
heights on a round 12" mirror. Then we scattered colored glass beads
around the base of the candles and the mirror.
If you go out and buy the candles, you can expect to pay about
$3/candle (in Ft. Collins, CO), $.75/table for the beads, and about
$1/mirror (rented). This comes out to $11/table for centerpieces.
If you go out and buy some paraffin and a candle mold, you can expect
to pay $10/mold and $10/10-15 candles for the paraffin. That amounts
to about $5/table if you have 10 tables. We did one candle pour each
evening for several weeks. It took very little time and saved us a
lot of money (about $120) because we had 20 tables.
Anne Scott
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Have a table at the reception with old family snapshots
of the bride and groom (pigtails, missing front teeth, the works).
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From: obaniokm@ctrvax.vanderbilt.edu (Keisha O'Banion)
Subject: Centerpieces!
Hi Y'all,
I just found the best centerpieces for our reception on October 29th.
They are ceramic pumpkins and ceramic paper bags with jack-o-lantern faces
carved on them. We will put candles in them and they will look great! I
am so excited. We were going to use ivy topiaries, but this is lots
cheaper and much more fun! We also got really big ceramic pumpkins to put
outside, beside the doors. Oh yeah, they also had these little tiny bags
with faces that you can put a votive candle inside of, so we got 14 of
these and we will put them on the food tables and the cake table. Yay for
me! Finally, a good planning day.
Thanks for listening,
Keisha (& Sashank 10/29/95)
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