Centerpieces- are you reserving them for a special guest to take home? How?

I love the centerpieces. I don't have any ideas on how to help you avoid guests taking them. You could always ask the DJ to make an announcement. ??

You mentioned that you've seen people take them when they weren't rentals. How did they know they weren't rented? Did they ask someone? Perhaps you could make sure your wedding party and parents know that you have plans for them so that when people ask if they can take them, they could let them know that you have already made plans for them.

Thank you, Carole! I'm very excited to see them. Dragonfly, that's my point- how did these people know that they weren't rental vases, and that the poor bride & groom wouldn't be charged for them? Also, when I saw people with multiple centerpieces (who I knew were NOT immediate family members of bride or groom), I was a teenager. But, the rudeness stuck with me through today. Hopefully people would ask before taking (I'll tell wedding party not to give them out),but I fear that some people might be rude enough not to ask & just take.

I think if you strung a pretty little note from one of the branches that said 'Reserved for Mr.& Mrs." would be perfectly tasteful. or you could put something like "this arrangement will be donated to ___&___ from the Bride & Groom"

Love the "this arrangement will be donated to ___&___ from the Bride & Groom" idea.

Ar my sister's wedding the centerpieces belong to the venue and someone tried to take one home. (they were a plus 1 too) One of the staff stepped in thankfully.

OMG I did not know that people actually try to take them... OHH No they won't ..lol

That's scary because I'm renting my centerpieces not buying them. I'll be on the hook if they are taken.

I like the DJ's announcement as the best answer, and having the bridal party, mothers, etc. spread the word.

I'm planning to make the DJ announce that ours are being donated.

I was worrying about this too! I will probably have the DJ announce it as well.

I am making all of my centerpieces and have put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into them- and I already have a list of people I would like to give them to (bridal party, close family, friends, etc).

I have a day-of-coordinator and I was going to just make sure that she kept on eye on them- but I doubt she will still be there at midnight when the party ends...so I may have to stay on top of it myself (yeah right!)

Do you mind if people take the ones that you AREN'T giving to the special people? Or are you giving them all away? Because my fear is that if there was one that said "Reserved for ____ & ____" that people would assume that the ones that DON'T have tags on the are free game, and they'll take them.

We're donating ours to a local hospital or hospice center, so thanks for the "this arrangement will be donated to ___&___ from the Bride & Groom" idea. : )

I'm thinking we'll have between 11-14 tables including our sweetheart table (depends on the number of RSVPs we get), so pretty much all of them will be spoken with by the time I give one to my parents, his mom, his dad (they're divorced), best man, MOH, godmother, etc. So I might have the sign saying that "this centerpiece has been reserved for our very dear Aunt Margaret".

I'll have to find a tasteful way for the DJ to make the announcement w/o it looking tacky/insulting anyone. Perhaps near the end he could thank all of our guests for coming and say that "Patricia & Vince would particularly like to thank their parents- Mr & Mrs P, Vince Sr, Aunt Margaret, etc for their love, guidance and support. They ask that these guests please don't forget to take home the centerpiece they have set aside for you as a token of their gratitude." How does that sound?

Oh yeah, some people don't care, they just take them I've seen it. Lucky for me a co-worker will let me use her vases and she's gonna be at the wedding so she said she'll be on the look out but I can't also make an announcement. It's very hard to control these things, I saw a girl sneak out with a beautiful vase last december after the bride had the dj made an announcement not to take them

@ Patricia J- I can't believe the nerve of those people! They probably are the 1 guests and even if not, might not have brought a gift (or a cheap one at that). And then on top of that to think that not only can they party w/o some token of appreciation to the bride & groom, but that they are worth a $75-$100 centerpiece to boot! Grrr.. if I see someone try to do that at my wedding, I WILL intervene!

Lol.. we were thinking about putting a special lil something on one of the seats and the person who sits there gets the centerpiece. I pray it work

Well the vases that my flowers will be in are rentals. No one better not even think about taking anything. I will have a whole fit. Thankfully, my coordinator will be on top of that.