Totally NFR but I need some help, please.

Actually, I always make two leaf shaped fougasse(s?), one for serving and one for the table.

If our guests are a couple I send the centerpiece home with them. If we have more than a couple I put a paper under the centerpiece with a number on it. The person who guesses the number gets to take it home.

 
At a budget-friendly catered affair last Fall the hosts chose to do their own

centerpieces. They had brought in potted chrysanthemum plants (the pot itself was wrapped in colorful foil), the type you buy in 1 gallon pots at the outside nurseries at pharmacies like Rite-Aid, Longs, CVS and said they'd paid like $3.99 for each. They were colorful and lovely as centerpieces surrounded by 5 or 6 inexpensive votive candles.

A few weeks ago I saw this done again at an event...this time with potted daisies/marguerites...but what the hostess did this time, while we were setting up the event, was clip the daisies low down on the stem and place the flower bunch in a clear glass vase (that she bought inexpensively at Michael's craft store)....reallly lovely and so inexpensive. She said it actually cost less to buy the 1 gallon daisy plant than a bunch of daisies from the grocery store floral section.

 
Lovely idea. But make sure your venue will permit candles being lit. Often we run into

a venue with restrictions on lighting any candles whatsoever (this happened last week in fact) or with strict fire code rules that the candle must be at least 2 inches down inside the candle holder.

 
p.s. make sure the flowers aren't so high on the table that the guests can't see over them to chat

with one another. You could even use several 4" potted flowering plants grouped together in the center of the table. That way, the flowers will be much lower and not obstruct views.

 
What about heading to a craft store like Michael's, if you have that in your area, and asking

them for ideas. I find the folks there to be very creative so if you give them a budget figure perhaps they can make some suggestions for you. And if you do happen to actually have a Michaels in your area be sure to check the Sunday paper coupon section. In this area there's a 40% off coupon (non-sale items) every other week in the Sunday paper. Perhaps you could even pick up some ready made silk or other arrangements at a significant discount.

 
I like the idea of potted annuals. a small pot of garden daisies, wrapped in a square of burlap and

tied with a checkered or calico ribbon---no need to buy a fancy pot. Just wrap the garden pot in plastic and then cover it.

 
Got a pm asking for more info. The org is Palatine Literary Society. It's

over 100 years old. Informal dinner in 4 weeks. It's a service org but we also hold book discussions, collect books for pre schoolers, involved with the battered women's shelter, hold events at the local nursing home... well. you get the idea. We don't meet over the summer so we hold an end of year dinner in May. This year we're also honoring a woman who has been an active member for 60 years (last year she fell off a bar stool at the casino and broke her hip-really great lady!) I'm making the 60 mile drive to Michael's this weekend so I'd like to purchase some things there, if possible. All we have locally is the dollar store.

 
Why not use several books as a centerpiece, tying the stack with ribbon, or staggering in a tiered

fashion, then the books could be donated toward your particular causes.

Edited to add: Each table could have different books and even different heights. Could be conversation-stimulating as well.

 
PAT! What a perfectly wonderful idea!! I love the image of books as centerpieces smileys/smile.gif

and Cyn, you could put a bookmark at each person's place! You could make your own cheaply enough, maybe with 'Palatine Literary Society' on it, punch a hole at top and thread through a pretty ribbon.

 
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