'Center This'

Hosting a surprise birthday dinner with 25 guests can be a heavy undertaking, especially as a mother of three. But that’s just what my cousin managed to do this past weekend for her husband, who turns 30 Tuesday.

The dinner included generous portions of authentic Dominican cuisine: yucca, beans and rice, pernil, chicken, tostones and potato salad. Guests were seated at a long table and served their choice of white or red wine.

Its success got me thinking: How might I organize and entertain a large party such as this? How might I decorate to highlight the occasion?

I started my search for creative centerpieces, and found the following do-it-yourself solutions:

Candy and Flowers Centerpiece

Sweet on Me

With Valentine’s Day just a few weeks away, entertain guests with a centerpiece that combines candy and flowers. Pick your favorite solid candy (ie. jelly beans) to fill the bottom of the vase and then add flowers.

All That Glitters

Glitter candles light up the tabletop without even having to be lit. Buy a few plain candlesticks and spray with adhesive. Coat the candles with glitter and dry overnight. Tip: Try this art & crafts project with your kids.

Birch-wrapped Vases and Amaryllis Flowers

White Knight

I adore the look of this winter white arrangement. Create the arrangement by wrapping birch bark around glass cylinders. Fill the glass cylinders with amaryllis flowers and add trimmings from the holiday tree or geranium leaves. Simple, easy and surprisingly chic.

Mixed Greens

Similar to my last post where I discussed sustainable décor, think of reusing leftover decorative greenery to make a new centerpiece. Take leftover evergreens, for example, and mix with fresh cut flowers. Your guests will never know.

Candles Centerpiece

Light It Up

Sometimes a centerpiece is as easily created as adding an already-made arrangement of candles atop a bed of stones.

Biscuits and Potted Teacups

Easy Treat

Or create a tabletop arrangement of cupcakes cookies wrapped in colorful ribbon and accented with little blooms in teapots.

Candy Cane Striper

Get inspired by swirly mints by creating an arrangement with red-and-white amaryllis flowers. Wrap glass vases in vellum or pearlescent paper and glue on thin strips of red ribbon.

-S. Gonzalez

*Photos courtesy of marthstewart.com