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Your Guide to Finding the Perfect Centrepiece

​Beautiful table décor starts with the perfect centrepiece. It’s one of the first things guests notice and plays a key role in setting the tone for your event.

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Whether you’re planning a wedding, party, or corporate celebration, this guide will help you choose centrepieces that suit your tables, complement your theme, and bring your whole space together beautifully.

The Secret to a Show-Stopping Centrepiece

 

A centrepiece isn’t just a decorative extra — it’s the visual anchor of your table. The right choice brings cohesion, balance, and personality to your event, while tying together colour, lighting, and overall styling.

 

This guide will walk you through the key things to consider, from table shape and layout to colour, height, and practical details.

1. Start With the Table

 

Your table shape and size should always guide your centrepiece choice.

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  • Long or banquet tables work well with:

    • Multiple smaller arrangements spaced evenly

    • Greenery runners with interspersed candles

  • Round or square tables suit:

    • A single, well-proportioned centrepiece

    • Symmetrical designs that keep the table balanced

 

🪄 Styling tip: Always allow enough space for tableware, food, and glassware. Your centrepiece should enhance the table, not overcrowd it.

💡Styling tip: Always allow enough space for tableware, food, and glassware. Your centrepiece should enhance the table, not overcrowd it.

2. Match Your Theme & Mood

Your centrepieces should feel at home within the overall style of your event. A rustic arrangement may feel out of place at a sleek, black-tie celebration, while minimalist styling may feel lost in a romantic venue.

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Style Your Centrepieces by Theme

At Classy Parties, we believe beautiful centrepieces should be accessible at every budget. From simple candle arrangements to statement floral displays, we offer a wide range of hire options to help you bring your vision to life.

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Modern

  • Geometric stands with large florals

  • Contemporary candelabras with LED taper candles

  • Clear glass or cylinder vases with clean lines

  • Neutral artificial florals with a bold accent colour

  • Mirrored bases, tealights, and LED pillar candles​

 
Romantic

  • Soft silk florals in blush, ivory, or champagne tones

  • Gold martini vases and matching accessories

  • Gold geometric stands with full floral displays

  • Birdcages, bud vases, and vintage-style lanterns

 
Rustic

  • Log slices and hessian or natural table runners

  • Faux greenery garlands and eucalyptus stems

  • Lanterns and birdcages with flickering LED candles

  • Bud vases, wooden candle holders, and natural textures

 
Boho

  • Pampas grass, bunny tails, and dried flower accents

  • Gold, rattan, or wood-style candleholders

  • Earth-toned table runners in terracotta or blush

  • Mixed-height vases with LED pillar or taper candles

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💡 Styling Tip: Build your look with accessories that echo your theme and create atmosphere from top table to guest tables.

3. Set the Tone With Colour

Your centrepieces should harmonise with your event’s colour palette. This might mean matching key colours exactly, or introducing complementary tones for balance.

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For weddings, colour choices are often guided by bridesmaids’ dresses or bouquet flowers. Using these colours within your centrepieces — whether through flowers or accessories — helps tie your tables into the rest of your day for a beautifully coordinated look.​​​​

Add some colour, artificial roses in a choice of colours

 

Start with neutral base florals and introduce colour through, foliage, or accent flowers for a timeless, flexible look.

 

Our Forever in Bloom collection is designed to be timeless and versatile, featuring high-quality artificial white and ivory flowers paired with lush greenery.

 

Beautiful on its own for a soft, elegant look, the collection can also be personalised by adding your choice of coloured roses with over 40 colours available to suit your theme or colour palette.

Metallic accents are especially popular for adding a touch of elegance and warmth. Gold and silver accessories, such as candleholders, stands, and mirrored bases, work beautifully across a wide range of themes and pair well with both neutral and bold colour schemes.​For a more dramatic look, you can introduce colour beyond the centrepiece itself.

 

Table runners and coloured chair sashes are an easy way to add impact and tie your tables into the wider styling of the room, helping your décor feel cohesive from floor to table.

Chair covers with organza and satin sashes – stylish finishing touch for your event decor

Premium Chair Covers with Satin or Organza Sashes – DIY Hire or Full Setup

Dress your venue in style with high-quality lycra chair covers and a wide choice of sashes. Choose our money-saving DIY hire or let us handle the full setup for a stress-free finish.

4. Tell a Story With Seasonal & Personal Touches

While the centrepiece remains the focal point of the table, seasonal details and personal finishing touches help complete the overall look and make your styling feel truly unique.

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Seasonal Styling Ideas
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  • Winter: Rich reds, forest greens, berries, log slices, pillar candles, and gold accents

  • Spring: Pastels, soft greenery, bud vases, delicate florals, birdcages, and lanterns

  • Summer: Citrus or bright tones, fresh florals, mirrored bases, and clear candle holders

  • Autumn: Burnt orange, pampas, gold candle holders, wooden elements, and natural accents

 
Personalised Finishing Touches

 

Small, thoughtful details add depth and meaning to your table styling and help your centrepieces feel personal rather than purely decorative.

 

Consider adding:

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  • Unique favours that double as décor, such as candles, jars, or keepsakes

  • Sentimental table names, inspired by places, dates, or shared memories

  • Personalised table numbers or signage that ties in with your theme

  • Photos, quotes, or handwritten notes placed subtly around the centrepiece​

💡 Styling tip: Keep personal touches consistent across all tables. Repeating the same style of favour or signage helps create a cohesive look while allowing each table to feel individual.

5. Fresh, Faux — or a Mix of Both?

Both fresh and artificial flowers have their place, and the right choice often depends on your venue, styling plans, and what matters most to you on the day.

  • Fresh flowers: Natural scent, organic beauty, and a seasonal feel

  • Artificial flowers: Consistent in colour, more colour choices, allergy-friendly, won’t wilt in warm temperatures or under venue lighting, and are often more cost-effective for large displays, multiple tables, or full venue dressing

 

At Classy Parties, you can:

  • Hire our fully styled artificial centrepieces

  • Use your own fresh flowers with our dry-hire vases

  • Mix fresh bouquets with artificial table centrepieces for flexibility and impact

 

Many couples choose fresh flowers for key elements, such as bridal bouquets, and use lifelike artificial centrepieces for guest tables & venue decor — most guests won’t notice the difference.

💡Styling Tip: When brides and bridesmaids arrive at the reception, bouquets often get put down and forgotten. Displaying them in suitable vases on side tables, the bar, sweet cart, or guest book table allows them to become part of your venue décor. Add a small mirrored base and a few tealights for a simple, elegant display.

 

Ask us about suitable vases and styling ideas.

6. Make a Statement (Without Blocking the View)

Statement centrepieces add height, drama, and visual interest, but the key is choosing the right style for your space and layout.

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Taller centrepieces work particularly well in venues with higher ceilings and larger rooms. They can be used as a central feature on round or square tables, or styled in a row along long banquet tables for added impact. Many taller pieces are also versatile enough to be repurposed as floor-standing décor, making them ideal for entrance styling, aisle features, or altar décor.

 

Lower centrepieces are perfect for banquet tables and guest seating where conversation and clear sight lines are important. They pair beautifully with candle clusters, and can also be used creatively as decorative balloon weights, helping tie your table styling into other areas of the venue.

💡 Styling tip: Choosing centrepieces that can be repurposed throughout the day allows your décor to work harder, creating a cohesive look from ceremony to celebration.

7. Consider the Practicalities

Alongside styling, a few practical details can help your day run smoothly and ensure your décor is handled with care.

 

Consider:

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  • Venue access times, including when décor can be delivered and set up

  • Clear-down and collection timings, particularly if items are collected the following day

  • Candle policies, including whether open flames are permitted

  • Lighting conditions, as darker rooms often benefit from added candlelight

 

If centrepieces are removed from tables before collection, it’s helpful to check whether your venue has a secure storage area where décor can be safely kept until it’s collected.

 

Many venues prefer or require LED candles, which provide a warm, atmospheric glow without wax, smoke, or fire concerns and work beautifully throughout the day and evening.

💡 Styling tip: Confirming access, clear-down, and storage arrangements in advance helps your décor move smoothly from set-up to celebration to collection.

Final Thoughts

The ideal centrepiece strikes a balance between beauty and practicality. It should complement your tables, reflect your style, and enhance the atmosphere of your event without overwhelming the space.

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There are no right or wrong choices when it comes to centrepieces and decor choices. In our experience, certain layouts, colours, and styles tend to work particularly well — but the most important thing is choosing something that feels right for you and works comfortably within your budget.

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Whether you’re drawn to fresh flowers, lifelike artificial designs, or a combination of both, thoughtful styling choices make all the difference. By considering your table layout, colour palette, and a few practical details, your centrepieces can tie everything together beautifully.

 

Above all, your celebration should feel personal. The most memorable events are the ones that reflect your story and make the day feel uniquely you 💛 

Centrepiece Planning Checklist

Before choosing your centrepieces, it can be helpful to run through a simple checklist to make sure everything works beautifully together on the day.

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✅ Know your table layout (round, square, or long banquet)
✅ Decide on a style and colour palette that suits your event
✅ Choose fresh flowers, artificial flowers, or a mix of both
✅ Consider height and scale in relation to the room and table size
✅ Think about lighting, such as candles or LED options
✅ Add personal touches, such as table names, favours, or keepsakes
✅ Check venue guidelines, including candle policies and access times
✅ Confirm set-up, clear-down, and storage arrangements

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💡 Styling tip: Considering all of your décor elements as a whole — both large and small — helps create a cohesive look across your ceremony, reception, tables, and venue.

📦 Collection or 🚚 Delivery?

✨ Collect for Free
Pick up your DIY hire items from our Selsey studio completely free of charge and enjoy a 5-day hire period — giving you plenty of time to collect, style and return.

 

💖 Prefer Delivery?
Orders over £250 qualify for free local delivery, subject to availability.

 

🛠 Professional Set-Up
Professional set-up is not included but may be added as an optional service, subject to availability, venue access and additional charges.

 

Whether you want to DIY or simply relax and enjoy, we’re here to help make your event run smoothly. 🥂

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