Most of you know that I occasionally decorate for large church events and I've been doing a few others for some church business meetings this year as well. The goal is always to create stylish tables on a budget! I'm usually working with anywhere from 15 to up to 50 tables, so I try to gather what I have, borrow when I can, and use simple, inexpensive supplies. Last month I decorated 15 tables at an event center at our state's camp (Falls Creek if you're familiar with OK!). Since it was the Fall meeting in a rustic setting, I carried those elements inside for some Fall table decorations. I adapted an idea that I had seen and made some DIY metal ring centerpieces as well, I'll show you how easy they were! (*This post contains affiliate links, read my full disclosure policy here.)
But first, here's a look at the finished tables. The edges are still a little bare since I photographed before the caterers finished putting all of the place settings out, but let's just focus on the centerpieces!
I started with black linens and layered squares of Black and White Buffalo Check gift wrap in the center. Don't you love buffalo check in the mix for Fall (Or Christmas? or any season? Ha!) I really like how these ring centerpieces turned out, I love to add height to a table but often times when you do you can't see those sitting across from you. We didn't have that problem with these.
Here's a look at the simple base, I'll share more about that below.
A friend had a bunch of antlers that I borrowed to scatter around, and I pulled out my pine cones and acorns and spread them around with a few more leaf clippings to fill the rest of the space.
I attended a luncheon over the Summer and these were the centerpieces. I had never seen one like this before that thought it was such a good idea! I adapted mine for the occasion and made it even more budget friendly, but I'm definitely keeping this design in mind for a future event as well! Wouldn't this one be pretty for a wedding?
Faux Lamb's Ear Garland || Faux Ranunculus (these are REALLY good faux florals!) ||
Here's how I made mine. They didn't take much time at all and probably cost around $5 each or less, with most of the cost being for the steel ring itself.
Supply List:
19" Steel Ring
Landscape Timber
Saw
Wheat, Turkey Feathers, Pheasant Feathers, Fresh or Faux Leaves, other floral decorations if desired
Hot Glue Gun
Pipe Cleaners
Ribbon
Rather than the tree slice base from the inspiration photo, I got a landscape timber. An 8 foot piece was about $3, and the flat top and bottom allowed it to sit securely on the table. I cut them into about 5" pieces. In hind sight, I should have cut them a little longer. The weight of the decorations on the ring made some of them tend to tip over a bit if I wasn't careful, so if they were a few inches longer and a bit heavier I think they would have been fine.
Then, I used my saw blade to notch a slit about half way through the top. I'm sure there's an easier, fancier tool that could have been used but this is all I had to fit the bill. I made a cut and then slid the piece the tiniest bit over and made another cut to make the slit wider. I kept doing that until it was just wide enough for the ring to slip in. You want a tight fit so the ring will stand up straight and not tilt. I did have a few where I made the slit a little too wide, so I just wound some tape around the ring where it fit in the base and that was enough to give it a tighter fit.
Assembled!
I used some pheasant and turkey feathers, a few stalks of wheat, and some leaves that I trimmed minutes before ;) and gathered them into a bunch. You could certainly use faux autumn colored leaves as well, but again I was trying to be as thrifty as possible and our leaves weren't turning yet, so fresh oak leaves it was!
I wrapped them together with a pipe cleaner and then wrapped that tightly around the metal ring. It had a tendency to want to slide down the ring, so I used a little drop of hot glue on the back to secure it.
Then, I finished it off with a cute ribbon tie to hide the pipe cleaner and glue.
I'm happy with how they turned out and those in attendance seemed to enjoy it!
As always, I hope that those of you who might also help with decorating for church or other events might find this idea useful and get your creative juices flowing! You can find more of my event decorating ideas here.
This is perfect timing! I also decorate for my church, and next month have a women's meeting that we will then leave set up for a minister's retreat. I wanted something different, and this perfectly fits the bill! Please keep haring- it is hard to find ideas that are thrifty and also tasteful.
ReplyDeleteYay! Glad it was helpful, that’s exactly why I share these! And I went to HL a bunch of times buying the rings one by one with my coupon- ha!!
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