Planning a Cocktail or Dinner Party? Get Creative with a Centerpiece Without Putting a Hole in Your Budget!

Planning a party can require some thought and a bit of work — ok, a lot more work than you want it to be. Don’t fret and don’t worry about your budget. Au Ciel Design Studio Creative Director, Minoo Hersini has some great ideas for you to create innovative, pretty and fragrant centerpieces by using vegetables, fruits and herbs from your local farmer’s market or large supermarket. Here are several photos to show you want you can do and I have some ideas of various vases or vessels to use to put the various vegggies, fruits and herbs and how to arrange them.
Minoo Hersini, Creative Director at Au Ciel Design Studio shows you how to think outside-the-box with these unique non-floral centerpieces.
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The first centerpiece is made with grass, setaria and panicum.
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The second one is constructed with peppers, beans, green tomatoes and steel grass.
This one would require either a tall vase or a florist’s bucket that you can find at Home Depot or a tall vase found at places like Target.com, Pier One or World Market


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The third centerpiece is an oasis ring with purple cabbage, tomatoes, pomegranate, cynara/artichokes, winter red sedums, asparagus and quinces.
Minoo’s step by step instructions
Centerpiece: Oasis ring with purple cabbage, tomatoes, pomegranate, cynara/artichokes, winter red sedums, asparagus and quinces
Materials
I large 18″ ring
5 purple cabbages
5-7 pomegranates (depending on the size)
9-12 tomatoes with stem
2 clusters of asparagus
7 mini artichokes
Instructions
Soak the oasis ring for at least 30 mins
Cut your cabbage stems 1/4″ shorter than the height of the ring, push the stems all the way into the ring and place them randomly around the ring
Do the same with all other elements until the ring is completely covered. If you find any empty spots, use more of the product to cover it or use more of the green moss
This one is pretty easy to do and you could use a lazy susan or large platter or even a round or oval dip platter to put this all together (a dip platter is a round platter with a container in the middle for the dip and usually you put crackers around the plate’s outer ring). You could even use an oval or large round baking dish. Adapt to your own utensils or
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Here’s Minoo’s step by step directions
Centerpiece: Ornamental kale, green chrisanthemum, brazilia berries and the container is wrapped in moss.
Materials
· a shallow glass or plastic container
· fresh green moss
· 9 green mums
· 11 green bronia/brazilia berries
· 7 green/white kales
Instructions
· Cut the stems one inch higher than the height of the container in order to create a cluster compact design
· Use the flowers in groups of 1’s and 2’s and randomly spread them out throughout the centerpiece
Surround the centerpiece with votive glasses and wrap them in fresh green moss
This one is totally cool and so very easy to do. I even figured out and I know each of these plants, veggies and know where to find them! This is made with ornamental kale, green chrisanthemum, brazilia berries and the container is wrapped in moss. You can get a moss wrapped container at a floral department OR you could use a container wrapped in a green or metallic foil paper or mesh (mesh would be amazing)
Totally different vein of centerpiece:
Gather all your liquor bottles–all in the same color. They can be different sizes and shapes. Collect several (10+ is good) in the center of your table. Use a single type of Christmas greenw with pine cones or flowers (think small Poinsettia). The idea is to use one type of a fresh element and let the difference come from your containers. Use drinking or stem glasses ( filled with green or red beverages — juice, watercolor is interesting. The point is to use various sizes and colors of the same type of glasses. Don’t forget candles either!!
Switch it up, be creative and have fun!
Check out http://www.au-ciel.com/ for more information and ideas!
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Event planner, interior decorator, floral designer and fashion designer Minoo Hersini is the founder of Au Ciel Design Studio – an event and design studio that offers customized event planning on any scale. Ms Hersini has orchestrated such high profile events as The Princess Grace Foundation and The NY Arts Fund. Ms. Hersini’s services have been requested by celebrities such as Vanessa Williams, Glenn Close, Bill & Hillary Clinton, David Letterman and Meredith Vieira.
Stevie Wilson, LA-Story.com


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