Reader's Dilemma: "Help! I Need 12 Centerpieces for Less than $200!"

Today, we'll wrap up reader LilLis2010's three-part question. (Here are the answers to part one and part two.)

Here's her final question: What do I use for centerpieces? It's a spring wedding and I can't find anything all that great on a budget of $200 for about 12 tables!

Here are my thoughts: You mentioned your wedding colors are "Dunkin' Donuts pink and orange." If you buy 12 bright pink vases, two dozen bubble votive holders, and 42 white votive candles, it'll cost you just shy of $150 with shipping. (You might be able to rent all the glassware from your caterer for cheaper—I'd check!) Use the $50 that's left to pre-order the least expensive white flowers your local supermarket stocks (think carnations or those puffball-shaped ones).

Ask a couple friends to pick up the flowers from the supermarket an hour or so before the reception, then arrange one pink vase and two votive holders on each table. A candle goes in each votive holder (obviously), and the trimmed flowers fill the vases. Everything will be simple and pretty. (And people won't have to strain to see around them, which is nice!) If you're worried they'll look lonely in the middle of the table, try paper circles underneath it all to tie everything together, which is what we did (see here).

I'm not sure if these fit the mood of your wedding, but they're too cute not to share! For her rehearsal dinner, our own Jenny Feldman filled jumbo glass jars with hay and buttons from Micheal's. She said each centerpiece cost her around $5.

For her wedding, she used wooden boxes (made by a local carpenter) filled with crab apples. (So sweet—and cheap!)