Now that it’s January, I’m thrilled to get to continue our non-floral centerpieces series. As part of this series, I wanted to create something with silk flowers or greenery, so I dragged APW’s own always-game stylist and wedding designer Michelle Edgemont to the silk section of our local Michaels crafts store. We pondered our options for a long time, because finding fake flowers that are going to look awesome is tricky business. I desperately wanted to buy garlands covered in glitter and fake snow (Camp! Plus glitter!) but Michelle tactfully steered me toward a more low-key option. (Not that glitter isn’t awesome, obviously. But she thought lots of you were going to want to use affordable fake greens to create something that didn’t look like an elf exploded.)
We ended up buying a very plain greenery garland (because yes, there are tutorials all over the internet about how to hand craft your own garlands, but I’m just assuming you have a job and will be otherwise employed in the week leading up to your wedding). And instead of letting the manufacturer fancy it up with ALL THE GLITTERZ, we took the dressing up into our own hands. We bought some additional fern greenery, which we spray painted bronze, and wired it into the garland. The result was a perfect mix of low key, shimmery, and quirky. We added some Ikea taper candles and silver ball candle holders. The result was just perfect for any winter wedding, or intimate dinner party reception, since it created the feeling of warmth and coziness.
But above all, when I sat down at that table, my reaction was, “This is so lovely and clever.” Not, “Fake flowers, huh?” And while you might not be insecure enough to wonder how your guests are going to take fake flowers, I for sure am. So for the others on team anxious? This centerpiece is classy (easy, affordable) perfection. I’ll let the braver among you (like Maddie) rock the neon blue velvet with glitter leopard print poinsettias. Because we got her one as a gift, of course.
OH. AND PS. I’m convinced that metallic greenery is the future (of wedding arrangements, not like, robot greenery farms). Check out Michelle’s (fresh flower) wedding bouquet with spray panted gold greens, and tell me you don’t agree.
Ingredients
- A fake greenery garland. Interestingly, you can get these to fit a ton of seasons and locations. We went with a more winter style garland, but there are lavender garlands, grape leaf garlands, Christmas garlands, the works. The trick is to get something that’s relatively simple, but still full on its own. (This is a great time to buy in person, or use that Amazon Prime membership, order a bunch, and return what you don’t like.) Longer garlands can be cut down to fit multiple tables.
- Additional complementary fake greenery, to spray paint.
- Metallic spray paint (though you could totally play with a bold pop of color, in which case send pictures)
- Floral wire
- Scissors
- Candles (we used cheap Ikea tapers)
- Candle holders (we used .99 Ikea versions)
- Ribbon, if you want to tie together bits of left over greens for place settings
