Question from LFM: Budget: Centerpieces and invitations. Please help!!!!?
I really would appreciate everyone’s ideas on this
1. Please give me centerpiece ideas that cost next to nothing (less than $ 2 each; nothing with candles)
2. Anyone know any good websites to order invitations that cost no more than 50cents each? No RSVP cards needed.
Thank you very very much 
Best answer:
Answer by Megs
You don’t have to have a centerpiece. A lot of people are opting to do away with them because they tend to be a lot of money.
You could get some photos of you and your fiance and frame them, put them in the center of the tables with flower peddles around them. You could also use photos of other married couples in your family, or of memorys of you and your families ect.
Answer by Jessica
$ 2 per centerpiece is not a whole lot, so I can’t come up with much. If something dawns on me, I’ll let you know.
Rather than ordering invitations, you can print them yourself. Staples has a bunch and they’re not too expensive! It’s what we’re planning on doing.
Answer by tinktink20
Go to the clearance section of the craft store and see what you can find. I found flowers ($ 8 for 20 tables worth) that I am putting in little vases with a bow tied around and some fish gravel in them. Or you could get fish bowls with a fish in them. Or you could make your favors your centerpieces somehow.
I did my invitations myself….well, I bought the kits and then printed them off myself. I paid $ 80 for 300 invitations.
Answer by jennafer719
I am trying to find something cheap too. The best idea I could think of for centerpieces are to go buy some seeds and grow my own flowers and use those, as for invitations we are making our own.
Answer by sarenaemily
I made my own invitations. I designed them in MS Word and then took them to get printed on fancy paper. You can get them printed at Staples on cardstock or cover paper for cheap. I made a sort of petal-like inner envelope out of colored printer paper, just traced them, cut and folded them. The envelopes were the most expensive thing! I also made my own RSVP cards, and cut corners by not including stamps on the RSVP envelopes. But, you already said you didn’t need them anyway.
Check out Staples or Office Max or FedEx Kinkos. You can save lots of money by just doing it yourself.
Also, I had a friend who made their invitations by printing a picture of themselves (the two of them) on a postcard with all the info. Pretty sure those were cheap too, but they looked nice, got all the info across, and it was cute because it was a pic of the two of them.
Check Craigslist for centerpieces. People have things left over from their weddings that they don’t know what to do with so they sell them for cheap. If you can find something that matches your colors, then you’re good to go.
Good luck!
Answer by Sunny
for my wedding we did fake flowers in vases. we bought the vases from the dollar store, so they were only $ 1 each, then we bought some cheap fake flowers and put them in the vases. you can find nice looking fake flowers at walmart, kmart, or dollar stores.
http://www.theflowerpot.com/images/product/Mat-15.jpg
Answer by itsalwaysthequietone
Man, $ 2 is tough. I’ve racked my brain. One thing I thought of is a nature-themed centerpiece, where you go and collect strips of bark, twigs, leaves, etc. yourself. Then maybe all you’d have to buy is something to display it in or on, and a hot glue gun. One of those DIY projects. But if it were me, I think I’d do nothing. Even the picture frame idea (which is really cute, we’re doing that as well) but even at target, the simple black picture frames were $ 5 for a 4×6.
Answer by piper07
I’m thinking about making centerpieces out of empty wine bottles (ones that have a pretty label!) with a single flower in each one. You could post on craigslist and probably get the bottles for free since people just throw them out anyway. My grocery store sells bouquets of flowers like carnations or daisies for around $ 3, or Walmart has 6 roses for $ 10.
Answer by iloveweddings
Hi.
Your budget is very tight….but it can be done! You need to look around to see what is available to you.
First, with the invitations. There is no place to order on the internet for .50 each. You might want to check Ebay, but even then, you are going to have to pay for shipping.
Here are a couple of options:
~ You can buy plain cardstock with envelopes in a package at craft stores like Michaels. I think there are about 15 in a package for about $ 5. These will be very plain. You will need to bring them home and try to format them yourself on your computer.
~ OR….buy some “invitation paper” like what is pictured on this link. I have seen lots of different types of invitation paper (like the one with the rose petals) at Walmart. Again, you will need to format your own invitation.
Search on Google for “wedding invitation wording.” There are lots of examples.
Here is the link:
http://www.invitationpaper.com/parties.html
For your centerpieces. Again, this is very hard, but it can be done! Are you against candles, or does your venue prohibit candles?
~ Go to a Dollar Tree (or any dollar store) and get a bud vase $ 1/each. Go to Walmart and get some flowers. You can buy roses for $ 10/dozen at Walmart. Use 1 rose and some greens (also available at Walmart) in each vase.
~ A cute craft project using recycled jars is here:
http://www.craftideas.info/html/glass_jar.html
It is meant to hold a votive candle….but you wouldn’t have to have a candle in it. OR…you could use the flameless (battery operated) ones.
~ Another idea is to get cheap frames (from a Dollar Store) and arrange some pictures of you and your fiance.
When is the wedding?
~ If it is in the summer or fall…..just get some nice wicker baskets (from a dollar store)….paint them if you want….and arrange some fruit (summer ~ lemons; oranges; limes) or (fall ~ different colored apples…red & green). This is easy and inexpensive.
Hope this gives you some options. Good luck!
Answer by nanny1
Buy small glass bowls from the dollar store and then buy pretty but cheap fish from walmart. Its really neat and let your guest take them home after the wedding! Its center pieces and wedding favors all in one
Answer by B2B 6-27-09
1. photo frames with pictures of the two of you or wedding photos of the guests
small vases with wild florers or silk flowers
small balloon bouquets
2.walgreens photo cards
Add your own answer in the comments!
