3 Fall Centerpiece Ideas to Elevate Your Wedding Table

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Today was the perfect fall day. It was rainy, moody, and windy. I spent multiple hours curled up on my couch under a blanket. Today’s weather has really inspired me to schedule the chimney sweep aka what I refer to as my “Marry Poppins Moment”, so I can enjoy the next rainy fall day with a crackling fire in the background.

As I have already established (see here and here), fall is my most FAVORITE season of all! It is so infused warmth. From the rich colors and cozy textures to to spicy scents (yes, I do have multiple fall scented candles). One of my favorite teas in the fall in Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice. Note I’ve always been partial to Celistial Seasonings becaue I lived in Longomont, Colorado for 5 years as a child. We used to tour the Celestial Seasonings headquarters annually. I distinctly remember running into the peppermint tea room on the tour with my siblings to see which one of us could stand the powerful minty scent the longest. If were to visit today, I would definitely seek out the Bengal Spice tea room in hopes the scent would permeate my clothing and hair so I could smell like fall the rest of the day.

I also love fall for the gatherings. It is sort of the kick off to the holiday season, which I also enjoy. From Thanksgiving to New Years, there are a million gatherings to attend. Each one promising the opportunity to bring people together - each one providing it’s own magical ambiance that seems to only be possible during this time of year.

Whether you're planning a fall wedding, hosting a festive autumn gathering or simply enjoying the season's ambiance, a well-crafted centerpiece can tie your table décor together beautifully. When thinking of how to best design your fall centerpiece, I encourage you to focus on one of three areas: lighting, florals, or pumpkins. By selecting one of these 3 options, you will be able to set the perfect fall vibe for your table.

Fall styled shoot designed by Gathered Here Designs - photography by Megan Ryska

Fall styled shoot designed by Gathered Here Designs - photography by Megan Ryska

1. Light-Focused Centerpiece

Nothing says autumn quite like the soft, flickering glow of candles. A candle-focused centerpiece brings warmth and intimacy to any table setting. To create a light-based centerpiece, you'll want to mix candle heights, holders, and styles for a layered, multidimensional look. If you’re hosting a wedding, be sure to check with your venue on what type of candles they allow. Some vendors do not allow candles, so you’ll need to go the battery operated route (don’t worry there are plenty of candle-like battery powered options!). Other venues may allow candles, but only a certain height. It’s always best to ask or check your contract to make sure you’re adhering to the venue’s established rules.

How to create it:

• Gather different sizes and shapes of candles: Mix pillar candles, tapered candles, and votives in fall shades like cream (my personal favorite), deep burgundy, gold, or burnt orange.

• Use a tray or wooden board: Arrange the candles on a rustic wooden tray or metal tray with a distressed finish. This anchors the centerpiece and keeps it contained. You can find options at your local second hand store for cheap and then spray paint them. If you go with a metal tray, I recommend spray painting in a hammered metallic gold or copper for a classic look.

• Incorporate natural elements: Add dried wheat, pinecones (dip in gold glitter for added sparkle), and small branches around the candles to give the arrangement an earthy vibe.

• Consider lanterns or glass holders: If you want a more structured look, place some of the candles inside lanterns or hurricane vases. This adds texture and protects the flames from breezes.

• Add twinkle lights: String a few battery-operated twinkle lights around the candles for an extra magical touch.

This light-centric idea brings warmth and sparkle to your fall tablescape, creating an inviting, glowing atmosphere perfect for intimate dinners or larger gatherings.

Add a cozy and intimate vibe with candles and lanterns

2. Floral-Focused Centerpiece

Fall flowers in rich, warm hues can make for a striking centerpiece that help bring the beauty of the season indoors. Whether you prefer a classic arrangement or something more modern, a floral-based centerpiece adds an organic touch to your table.

How to create it:

• Pick fall blooms: Go for chrysanthemums, sunflowers, dahlias, and marigolds. Deep reds, oranges, yellows, and purples are perfect choices for the season. You can also mix in berries, branches, and leaves. Read this post I did all about buying wedding flowers online.

• Use a unique vase or vessel: Opt for a rustic vase like a ceramic pitcher, a hollowed-out pumpkin, or a woven basket. You can even use mason jars for a casual, farmhouse-style arrangement. Again, your local thrift store or Dollar Store is a great place to pick up these items on the cheap!

• Incorporate greenery: Eucalyptus, olive branches, or dusty miller can complement the flowers and add texture and contrast to the rich fall colors.

• Think asymmetrical: Create a less structured arrangement for a more modern look by having blooms and greenery spill over the sides. This gives it a wild, freshly-picked feel.

• Add seasonal accents: You can tuck small accents like mini pumpkins, cinnamon sticks, or feathers into the arrangement for a seasonal twist.

A floral-focused centerpiece is versatile, allowing you to mix and match colors and textures to suit your personal style. Consider using all dried florals for your centerpies. This will allow you to create them in advance and provide the options for your local guests to bring them home after the wedding to use to keep the fall season alive in their own home.

Save costs on florals by picking seasonal flowers

3. Pumpkin & Gourd-Focused Centerpiece

Pumpkins and gourds are quintessential fall décor elements, and they can easily become the centerpiece of your table. Their natural variety in shapes, sizes, textures and colors makes them perfect for creating a rustic, farm-to-table feel.

How to create it:

• Gather different types of pumpkins and gourds: Use a mix of mini pumpkins, white pumpkins, striped gourds, and even heirloom varieties in shades of orange, green, and white for a visually appealing mix. You can search your local area for “u-pick” options, where you can pick up fresh pumpkins and gourds from a local farm.

• Use a base like a wooden tray or runner: Set the pumpkins and gourds along a long table runner made from burlap or plaid fabric for a rustic base. You can also use a large wooden crate or shallow bowl to contain the arrangement (and to help keep those pumpkins from rolling off the tables!).

• Mix in foliage and texture: Surround the pumpkins and gourds with dried wheat stalks, autumn leaves, or moss. Pinecones, acorns, and chestnuts also work well to add texture and depth.

• Layer with candles or lanterns: To add a little glow, intersperse the pumpkins with small votive candles or lanterns, which create soft lighting against the rustic arrangement. I love faux mercury glass votives (this these ones) for added detail.

• Play with height: Stack some of the pumpkins or place them on raised stands or antique books to create different levels of height and dimension.

This pumpkin and gourd centerpiece exudes a relaxed harvest charm that’s ideal for fall weddings or your Thanksgiving dinner table.

Incorporate a variety of color and textures with gourds/pumpkins

Each of these centerpiece options will help create a stunning fall table that is infused with the cozy and inviting spirit of the season. Whether it's the flickering warmth of candles, the vibrant beauty of fall florals, or the rustic charm of pumpkins and gourds, your guests will be delighted by these creative and easy-to-make centerpiece ideas. So light the candles, gather your fall blooms, or pick out your favorite pumpkins, and let your table be the star of your dream fall wedding!

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Centerpieces are easy as 1-2-3

Today I’m pivoting from my usual wedding chatter to focus on another summer season event: graduation. 

My nephew is somehow old enough to be graduating high school - not sure how this is possible, as I am certain I just graduated a few years ago, right…???  Apparently how old I am and how old I feel do not quite match up. Anyways…I digress.

When my sister-in-law mentioned a dual graduation party for my nephew and his girlfriend, I was all over it. With weddings, my favorite design moment comes with the centerpieces and graduations are no exception. I jumped at the centerpiece opportunity. These centerpieces are easy to create.

Materials Used:

• Metallic wrapping paper

• 2x4 wood cut into 1 foot pieces

• Cardstock

• Photos

• Photo Sticks

• Stickers

There are a few things I like to prioritize when working to create centerpieces:

1. Personal

2. Portable

3. Easy to Duplicate

Make it Personal

I know some people love luxurious over-the-top centerpieces, but for me they feel too cookie cutter. Graduations like weddings are very personal. It’s a moment in time that those getting married or graduating will remember forever. Instead of making a centerpiece that looks like every other wedding (or graduation) centerpiece, find a way to make it personal. Add photos or elements that reflect the interest of the couple or graduate. 

For my wedding, we had very personal centerpieces. Each table included photos that included moments in time from myself and my husband with those sitting at the table. It was one of my favorite design elements of our wedding!

For the graduation, I created centerpieces that included 3 photo spots (one of my nephew, one of his girlfriend, and one of them together). I also included stickers that reflected their interests (camping, music, cooking, gaming, etc.

Make it Portable

For the graduation party, we’ll be driving 6 hours to Central Oregon and for most weddings some centerpiece travel is also likely (even if it’s just down the road). It’s important to make sure the centerpieces you create can be broken down for transport. The centerpieces I made can easily have the photo holders removed, so the blocks can be stacked on top of eachother. To protect the photos during transport, pot them in a hard container (like tupperware) to prevent scratching, folding, and wrinkling. 

All the centerpieces can be packed into a storage box to be loaded into the car and carried easily to the event location.

Make it Duplicatable

When making centerpieces, you want to make sure you can easily duplicate them. While centerpieces don’t have to be exactly the same, you will likely want some similarity amongst them. To make a centerpiece easy to duplicate, keep the same elements for each centerpiece. If you want a little variation, change a minor detail such as the color, photos, or a few flowers. For the graduation the colors are blue, silver, and red. I used each of those colors on the base and varied the stickers. The photos on each will also be different. You don’t want to vary centerpieces too much, as it will look messy or incohesive. To keep it from looking too wild for the graduation centerpieces, the base size, amount of photos, and styling will be the same for each.

For weddings duplicative centerpieces are especially important, if you’re having someone else put together your centerpieces (which I strongly suggest as you’ll be much too busy on the wedding day to put them together yourself). A couple ideas to make duplicating easy? Create a sample centerpiece of how you want it to look, then leave that example for others to reference or take a photo of the centerpiece for people to reference

I would put a picture of my high school graduation, but I literally don’t have one. My parents took zero photos of my graduation. The only one I had was one my college roommate’s parents took of us from really far away and I lost it, so see…it really is like I never graduated and am still young because there’s no photographic evidence my high school graduation ever happened!

Happy grad season!

~Amanda Jean