How to make a DIY wedding centerpiece for $50? Houston event designer shows an easy way

A design expert shares tips to save you money on flowers

HOUSTON – If you are planning a fall wedding, now is the time to start thinking about floral décor elements for your big day. But weddings can be expensive and every detail adds up. That’s why making your own wedding centerpieces can help you save lots of money.

Taylor DeMartino, CEO and creative director of DeMartino Design Group, designs and creates stunning weddings, and he stopped by our studio to show viewers how to make an elevated DIY fall wedding centerpiece for $50 that looks like something out of a celebrity event.

“It’s going to be hardy flowers, easy things to work with, and beginner or not, it is very easy,” said DeMartino, who also shared great tips on how to work with flowers for your big day.

“You want to pick the hardiest, find the ones with the woodiest stems because they are going to last well on foam,” said DeMartino, who suggests “whenever you are designing, always cut it in angle. What that is going to do is allow your flower to go into the foam really easy, soak it up, and it’s not going to get hard on the bottom,” he said.

And to save money, don’t forget about fruits, because they add color to your arrangement.

“When you can do this, use what you have at your disposal at home,” said DeMartino, before suggesting to add inexpensive or free elements like veggies or even branches.

“Whenever you are trying to spread your money as far as possible, use some elements that are unconventional and that might be less expensive,” he said.

For more floral tips, watch the video above.


DIY Fall Wedding Floral Centerpiece

For the Container: ($20.00)
•    10” X 4” Round Cylinder Vase (Online for $12.00) – Bulk Orders Can Lower Cost [ $12.00 per Arrangement]
•    1 Yard of Vinyl Fabric (High Fashion Home for $20.00 – Covers 12 Vases) [$1.66 per Arrangement]
•    Grande Brick of Floral Foam ($5.00 from Local Florist) [$5.00 Per Arrangement]
•    1 1/2 Yard Roll of Double Stick Duct Tape (Home Depot $9.00 – Covers 12 Vases) [$0.75 per Arrangement]


For the Contents: ($30.00)
•    2 / 3 Textures of Greenery (Hand Picked from Yard) [Free]
•     4 Stems Fall Colored Mums ($0.75 a Stem from Local Florist) [$3.00 per Arrangement]
•     3 Stems Fall Colored Asiatic Lilies ($2.00 a Stems from Local Florist) [$6.00 per Arrangement]
•    6 Clementines ($0.30 a Piece from Local Grocery) [$1.80 per Arrangement]
•     3 Pears ($0.60 a Piece from Local Grocery) [$1.80 per Arrangement]
•     4 Red Apples ($0.50 a Piece from Local Grocery) [$2.00 per Arrangement]
•     6 Fall Color Roses ($2.50 a Piece from Local Florist) [$15.00 per Arrangement]
•    15 6 inch Floral Picks ($0.05 a Piece from Local Florist) [$0.75 per Arrangement]

Steps:
1)    Cut vinyl fabric into 4” x 36” strips
2)    Apply double stick tape to glass vase
3)    Cover vase with fabric and cut excess with Exacto knife
4)    Wet foam in water (do not force in water, allow it to soak up water itself by placing on top of water)
5)    Trim foam to fit into vase (foam should stand above the vase)
6)    Add greenery to the vase starting around the perimeter first and the center last (cover foam)
7)    Insert 1inch picks into all fruit
8)    Arrange fruit in foam
9)    Arrange fresh flowers in foam (cutting stems at a 45 degree angle right before inserting)
10)  Fill remainder of vase with water for flowers to drink overnight
11)   Store in a cool room of your house