It was a brisk 30F this morning in Massachusetts’s north shore, so it was delightful to take another look at Twistie’s post on stuff for springtime weddings. I’m not ready to surrender to the cold just yet, so I thought I’d piggyback on her great post with a warm weather post of my own.
Of all the low-cost decorative items one can incorporate into reception accessories — and I’m talking about free things like autumn leaves or things one can buy at the grocery like in-season pineapples — lemons and limes are my favorite.
Surprisingly, lemons and limes won’t roll all over the place if you give them time to “settle,” making them a fun, summery place care delivery method. The couple who envisioned these citrus place cards had their wedding planner create the final product, but you could easily make this a pre-wedding weekend DIY project.
When it comes to tarting up your reception tables, you can do no wrong. And, FYI, ripe and colorful fruit of all sorts lend a freshness to the entire affair, even during the colder months. All the lemons and limes in the playful centerpieces above are whole, but you can also slice them and slip them into vases to hide stubby or otherwise unattractive stems. Even something as simple as a beautiful bowl of stacked citrus can make an elegant centerpiece.
The cake on the left was just one part of Elizabeth from My Maine Cottage‘s stunning citrus wedding theme. The cake on the right includes lemons and limes, but also lets oranges and kumquats in on the action. This is another area where DIY could work if you have a good eye — just order a plain white (or yellow or green) tiered cake and embellish it with lots and lots of lemony loveliness.
While I think lemons are limes are the truly chic members of the citrus family, the sky’s the limit when it comes to tarting up your party. Oranges are orange, of course, grapefruits are yellow or pink, and blood oranges are red (sometimes). Size is another variable, with everything from giant ugli fruit to tiny kumquats. That means that no matter what you like best, there’s lots of room to play!
One thing I really adore about using fruit as part of the decoration is that fruit is usually less expensive than flowers, so you can stretch your budget further while doing something a little unexpected in a good way.
And of course citrus is perfect both because of the sturdy skins, the bright colors, and the near endless supply available.
My favorite part, Twistie? They’re re-usable, and in the case of things like apples or pears, guests can take them home and eat them!
Once again, we’re on the same page!