You have the games and activities planned, the food prepared and the guests invited to your birthday party. Decorations are the only thing missing. Spruce up the buffet table or dining tables at your party by adorning them with a beautiful centerpiece. While it doesn’t take much time or effort to make a centerpiece yourself, the effect it will have on the look of your party is substantial.
Function
A centerpiece makes the purpose of the party clear. For instance, if you are throwing a birthday party for your husband’s 40th birthday, a centerpiece that is made of a large foam 40 will announce the purpose of the party to all who wander by the food table. Centerpieces are also a great way to mark each table. For instance, if you have a gift table, the centerpiece can resemble presents. The centerpiece for the desert table can actually consist of pieces of candy or be an arrangement of cupcakes.
Features
Flowers are a common feature of centerpieces. Fresh flowers may provide the freshest look, but artificial ones tend to be less expensive and will last a long time, so you can reuse them for other parties and celebrations. Candles may also be a common feature of a centerpiece, especially if the birthday party is a formal one or if the party takes place outdoors in the evening.
Theme
Incorporate the party’s theme, if there is one, into the centerpiece. For instance, a birthday party for an older relative may have a remembrance theme. Group framed photographs of the relative through the years together in the center of the table. Place a real or LED tea light by the pictures to illuminate them. Arrange seashells and candles around vases filled halfway with sand for a beach-themed birthday party. At a Tex-Mex themed party, set a small pinata in the center of the table.
Planning
Before you begin to make the centerpieces for a birthday party, determine how many you will need as well as the size of the tables they will go on. You do not want to finish creating the centerpiece only to realize it completely overwhelms the table or does not take up enough space. If you use fresh flowers, buy them the day of the party so that they do not wilt beforehand.
Considerations
You may decide to hold on to the centerpieces after the birthday party. Or, you might have guests take them home as a party favor. Small bouquets of flowers make ideal centerpieces for guests to take home. If balloons are part of the centerpiece, give them to small children at the party’s end. You can also use the centerpiece in some way during the party. For instance, if you use a pinata as a centerpiece, hang it up midway through the party, and have guests take a swing at it.
Photo Credit
- sunflower centerpiece image by Paul Retherford from Fotolia.com
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