How do I make DIY table decorations for a wedding?

Short answer

Start with a simple base like a mirror, wooden slice or linen runner. Add a low centrepiece of flowers or candles in jars. Finish with place cards and small favours. Keep heights low so guests can chat.

DIY table decorations work best when you build them in layers. Choose a base for each table, such as a round mirror, a wooden slice, or a strip of fabric. Then add a centrepiece. Low arrangements are easier to make and safer for conversation. Use jars, bottles or tins as vases. Fill them with seasonal flowers from a market or your garden. If flowers are tricky, use candles in different heights on a tray of sand or pebbles.

Add personal touches around the centrepiece. Place cards can be folded paper, wooden tags or leaves with names written on them. Favours can double as décor, like small pots of herbs or homemade biscuits in cellophane bags. Tie napkins with twine and a sprig of rosemary or lavender.

Make a test table a few weeks before. This shows you what works and what does not. Ask a friend to sit at it and check the view across the table. You want guests to see each other, not a wall of flowers. On the day, assign someone to set up and clear the tables so you are free.