There are many unique and creative fundraiser decorations, especially for tables and centerpieces. Table decorations and centerpieces can be a sizable expense for some fundraising events. According to Murad Auctions, you should consider the following before selecting your decorations:
- Do they give you the return on investment needed for your audience?
- Do the centerpieces reflect the theme of the event or the message you are trying to convey?
- Decorations don’t have to be expensive
Here are some ideas for table decorations and centerpieces from Murad Auctions:
Vases Filled with Colorful Items Related to Theme
Simple colored feathers in vases in the center of the tables looked great at a recent Rio-themed event.
A sports themed event calls for simple decorations. Large, varied sized, clear vases filled with golf, tennis, and baseballs look great!
Cute Folded Napkin Decorations
Cute napkin folded like a tuxedo with a chocolate bow tie to finish off the look makes a great decoration. There are a lot of cute decorations you can make with napkins. Learn how to fold napkins all kinds of ways!
Photo Stand Centerpieces
At its fundraiser, one homeless shelter used photo stand centerpieces to display pictures of homeless families at the shelter. Pictures were all black and white and kept the mission of the event in the forefront of everyone’s minds. They were absolutely captivating and beautiful! See a sample here.
Inexpensive Photo Frame Centerpieces
A school fundraising event created small frames, enclosed photos of each guests’ child or children, placed them at each seat and sold them for $20 each. Who could leave their child’s frame behind? I bought all 4 of mine, making a nice $80 profit for the school! Click here to see where to buy inexpensive frames to do this at your school!
Dessert Centerpieces
A dessert centerpiece is an elegant and cost-effective way to decorate event tables and cut the cost of decor. In our Flip Flops and Lemon Drops Seminar, the Anatole Hotel provided a fabulous lunch and shared this idea with the over 150 attendees. They displayed chocolate shooters in the middle of our tables surrounded by lemon meringue pie spoons, and caramel bundino with salted caramel sauce on our tables.
“It is important to display individual desserts that do not have to be served hot”, explained Lynne Duncan, Director of Catering. The dessert needs to be displayed on the table throughout the event while serving their purpose as both decoration and dessert of course!
Donated Cakes as Centerpieces
Another nonprofit asked a local bakery to donate a cake for the center of each dinner table. This was a great way for the bakery to show off all of the different cakes they could create and the tables looked fabulous! Each table had a unique work of art in the center! This also eliminated the need to purchase dessert and lowered costs for the event!
Sell Your Centerpieces
Make your centerpiece available for sale at the event. If you do this, make sure the piece will appeal to the masses. Some good options are lanterns, candle holders or large vases. At an Orient Express event, the centerpieces were several different styles of classic beautiful, old fashioned lamps. I bought two for my dining room! Put a card on each centerpiece that says: Take me home with you tonight! Place your bid sticker on this tag and bring it to the checkout desk. You may claim your centerpiece after you check out.
Make it Easy for Guests to Purchase
By automating your check in and prescanning your guests’ credit cards when they arrive, their bid number can be used to purchase everything during the evening, to bid on the live and silent auctions and to make donations. All of these purchases are placed on their receipt and they are charged one time for their items. It is so easy and your guests experience the cruise ship effect of just using their number for everything! Make it easy for them to make their purchases. People will spend 30% more if they are not asked to repeatedly pull out their wallet in support of your cause!
Please share your ideas for creative centerpieces and table decorations and include pictures if you can!
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As professional charity auctioneers, Murad Auctions organizes and manages successful, profitable fundraising auctions for non-profit organizations in Dallas, Fort Worth and other cities across the U.S. We use our expertise, knowledge of the auction industry, new and creative auction ideas, and our effective and efficient procedures to host auctions that are so effective they often break records and exceed goals. We offer a variety of auction services to help make charity fundraisers successful, including live auctions, bid spotters, auction consulting, registration services, silent auction set up, auction solicitation services, and professional event planning.