• White flowers and white candles create a classic reception table display.wedding flowers image by e-pyton from <a href='http://www.fotolia.com'>Fotolia.com</a>
  
  Next to the bride, flowers are one of the most attention-catching aspects of a wedding. Floral selections highlight the festive and life-changing nature of the ceremony. Honoring the guests, the setting and the occasion with conversation-piece flower arrangements challenges the designer to suit the bride's tastes and the style and mood of the wedding. Follow some basic centerpiece guidelines to choose or create memorable centerpieces with flowers and candles.
  
  

Floating Centerpieces

• Bowls in clear glass, crystal or art pottery with floating candles and floating blossoms such as gardenias or orchids create dramatic low centerpieces for a wedding. These centerpieces provide the advantage of an eye-catching presentation without obscuring the guests' view of each other across and along the table. Water in the bowls adds to the candlelight reflections.
  
  

Tall Centerpieces

• Simple, one-flower arrangements in tall flute vases enhance the wedding table, adding height to the center decorations while being narrow enough not to block guests' line of sight. A spray of orchids with a fern frond, a single bird of paradise with a stem of bamboo greenery or a red rose with a spray of baby's breath all provide an effective display. Flanking each vase with a pair of tapers in low taper holders, such as plain heavy glass rounds, adds the illumination and atmosphere of candlelight without the distraction of having the flames at eye level. A larger centerpiece of matching flowers with a circle of candles around it makes the wedding couple's table stand out.
  
  

Dome-shaped Arrangements

• A traditional dome-shaped floral arrangement in a low bowl with a taper in the center offers a classic decoration for wedding tables. This works well for weddings set with round or other shapes of tables for small groups and fills out the center of the tables. The flowers drape over the edge of the bowl all the way around and form a rounded shape. A candle holder secures the taper in the center of the arrangement. Vine flowers such as sweet peas and all types of medium-sized flowers such as daisies, carnations, roses, lilies and proteas work well in dome arrangements. Single-color or mixed-color arrangements to match the bride's bouquet add to the special day.
  
  

Bridesmaids' Bouquets

• For a small wedding, setting up vases the right size to hold the bridesmaids' bouquets offers a convenient means to decorate the wedding tables. Choose pillar candles on low candle holders color-coordinated to the flowers or table linen colors to flank each vase. After the wedding ceremony, all that's required is an assistant to remove any ribbons or fabric wrappings from the flowers and to put a bouquet in each vase. A larger arrangement made from the same flowers as the bridesmaids' bouquets makes an effective display for the reception table and the newlyweds' table. Four pillar candles arrayed around each of these larger bouquets completes the flower and candle decorating theme.