When people mention weddings you immediately think 'flowers' but have you any idea the extent that brides go to make flowers such a memorable part of the occasion? Most probably you won't realise the extravagant costs involved. Although most brides certainly want floral bouquets for her and her bridesmaids, these alone can cost in the region of $200 and very often more depending on how many bridesmaids you are talking about.

Although it is traditional for the wedding table centerpieces to also be made of fresh flowers which match the bouquets, these can very often stretch that flower budget way into the thousands of dollars. Cheap centerpieces are what this article is about and reading on you will discover some very effective and delightful alternatives that won't have you crying into your pillow every night.

If you are a big flower fan and can't imagine doing without, then you could purchase some lifelike silk or artificial flowers for a low cost or you could wait and buy fresh flowers at your local supermarket the day before the wedding.

Feathers, Candles, Berries and Twigs are all pretty adornments that can be used as cheap centerpieces and can also be used again after the wedding. Candles are particularly good for this; they offer a beautiful romantic light at the dinner tables and the guests can take them home as keepsakes afterwards. Candles come in many shapes and sizes, they can be scented or colored, they can be tall and thin or short and stumpy. Votives (also known as tealights) work well scattered around the table or at place settings, but it is always important to be wary of using too many candles around children or elderly guests with poor eyesight. Colourful lanterns in different shapes, sizes and fabrics can be used as cheap centerpieces or they can be used to light your way down the aisle. Lanterns are a must-have at outdoor weddings for they keep the candle alight in a breeze and they offer pretty lighting when the sun goes down.

Placing mirrored glass in your table center is a wonderful idea for creating an illusion of space and style. It is important not to over-clutter the glass though, so this looks lovely with a scattering of rose petals, diamonds, crystals or small flowers, with a big church candle in the middle.

Another popular cheap centerpiece alternative to flowers are fresh herbs which have a wonderful scent which can be tailored to suit the couples theme and decor. Different colored herbs and leaf shapes can be arranged on a plate or decoratively piled into a vase for a very pretty but cheap centerpiece idea. Pine cones, rosemary sprigs and rose petals all offer a wonderful scent which lingers throughout the day and if you collect or grow your own then the cost is very low indeed.

Very often you can customize your wedding table centerpieces to include a favor for each of your guests. By personalising little boxes and piling them up on reflective glass with a spray of confetti or ribbon you can make a little extra room on the table for the crockery and wine bottles. In each of the boxes you could give cupcakes or chocolates or any wedding favor of your choosing. You can guarantee your guests will be so busy excitedly admiring their favors, they won't even notive that there are no floral wedding centerpieces.

Now, whatever direction you decide to take for your cheap centerpieces, you must first decide on a suitable size and theme for these wedding table centerpieces. It is important they fit nicely on the wedding reception tables but still leave plenty room for other items like plates, glasses and bottles. There is nothing worse than an overly-cluttered table, which is sure to mean spilt drinks and upset guests.

Take a trip round discount stores and charity shops or look on eBay for suitable vases, mirrors and containers. Brightly colored bags, cheap pottery, reflective glass and large wineglasses can all be adapted to be the focal point of your cheap centerpieces.  Balloons are very popular too, a single balloon can be tied to your centerpiece idea and then bunches of balloons can be tied to the backs of guests chairs. These don't get in the way of the food and drinks on the tables and can be color coordinated to match your wedding theme. Children love balloons so if you have young guests at the wedding they will be entertained for hours with an abundance of balloons. Helium balloons are best but you can cut costs by buying your own and blowing them up yourselves.

Whether you opt to have a DIY attempt at creating your wedding table centerpieces or you go ahead and hire a florist, if you carefully consider low cost alternatives to traditional flowers you will be able to drum up cheap centerpieces at a fraction of your original quote. Decide on your theme and color scheme then take it from there. With a little creative thought and inspiration from websites and magazines you will have a lot of fun and be proud of your hands on input to the wedding preparations.