Potted Plants

• Beautiful potted plants make excellent centerpieces for a casual outdoor wedding reception. Not only are the potted plants and flowers attractive, but the pots make it weighty enough that they don't easily tip over. At the end of the event, the plants can be given to honored guests such as grandmothers, or the bride and groom may decide to keep the plants and use them in their new home as a living reminder of their special day.
  
  

Pail of Sand

• If you're having a beach wedding and are looking for an attractive, inexpensive and theme-specific centerpiece, consider a pail of sand. Buy inexpensive children's sand pails and spray paint them in white or in wedding theme colors. Add sparkle to the pails before the paint dries. Adorn the handle of the pail with a pretty ribbon. Fill the bucket with white sand and seashells with the name of the guests assigned to that particular table. Stick the shovel into the bucket and supply guests with small glass bottles they can shovel sand into to take home as a favor along with the shell with their name on it.
  
  

Floral Centerpiece

• Of course, there is the old standby floral arrangement. It may be predictable, but it is still gorgeous. If you are concerned about attracting bugs, consider silk flowers. Use low vessels to help prevent the centerpieces from tipping in the wind. Also, use river rocks or other heavy and decorative items to weigh down the vases. Any flower will work well for an outdoor wedding reception.
  
  

Pinwheels

• Embrace the outdoors and highlight that breezy weather with beautiful pinwheels in wedding colors. Fill a white pail with sand and rocks for weight and stability. Cover the pails in white tulle and stick various size pinwheels into the buckets. Vary the heights, colors and the directions the pinwheels are facing for a fun and whimsical centerpiece.