Tuesday Top 5: Stylish Non-Floral Centerpieces

We’re not immune to the delicate, colorful blooms that fill so many of the events we are inspired by every day at PartySlate. But we’re also wowed by the creativity and vision necessary to craft gorgeous, statement-making centerpieces from non-floral elements. These untraditional tablescapes remind us that everyday materials like paper, ice, feathers, and light can be used to conjure stunning centerpiece décor. Read on to see our picks for memorable non-floral centerpieces that marry event theme and style in a new way.

1. Frozen, Floating Geodes

In the spring of each year, the World Science Festival holds their gala. The group is devoted to bringing the wonder of scientific discoveries to the general public, so it makes sense that their annual event would play host to innovative wow-worthy design elements. For this celebration at New York’s Jazz Lincoln Center, Apotheosis Events worked with Creative Director, Beth Howard, to curate centerpieces that piqued curiosity and awe. The team flew in priceless geodes from Colorado, and — in the perfect marriage of science and design —  ice artist Shintaro Okamoto of Okamoto Studios suspended the unique crystallized stones in clear ice. We love how the ice blocks were then placed on top of custom mirrored boxes that were lit from within and placed at the center of the dining tables (and conversations!). Floral and tree décor from David Beahm Experiences rounded out the spectacle with beautiful hand-cut hourglasses, lush terrariums, and a large ice centerpiece inside the bar. View the event to see the way lighting was used to transform the mood throughout the evening.

2. Baubles & Feathers Flock Together

Guests at this Great Gatsby-themed anniversary soirée were welcomed into a private residence in New York by white-clad flappers offering pearls, hats, and feather boas. The 1920s-style tented celebration, planned by Elegant Occasions by Joann Gregoli, wowed with period-inspired detail. Glam décor elements from Ed Libby & Company included gilded gates, feather and crystal chandeliers, and high-back gold seats and banquettes anchoring sleek black tables. We especially love the non-floral centerpiece elements and how they perfectly expressed the elegant theme: feather arrangements in gold trumpet vases dripped with opalescent glass orbs and pearls. Guests enjoyed dancing on the polished white dance floor and posing with a gleaming white vintage Excalibur auto while 4 Eyes Photography captured the fun. View the event to see beautiful Deco-style place cards, synchronized swimmers, and how the clear tent showcased the sky.

3. A Neon Night

Grand Prospect Hall in New York — with its luxe architectural detail and layered space — was a fitting spot for this annual holiday party celebrating the efforts of 1,200 Spotify employees. TINSEL Experiential Design planned and executed the design for the Journey Into the Unknown-themed event, featuring a seated intergalactic dinner catered by Pinch Food Design, a space-immersion arcade, a glitter face painting station, and a performance by experimental musical artist, Beck. Pulling off a futuristic theme in a historic space is no easy feat, but we are crazy for the modern table aesthetic with simple, yet statement-making centerpieces of glowing purple tubes of light. In fact, lighting was a hallmark of the event with shifting tones throughout the evening from the experts at Pegasus Productions and BML Blackbird. A photobooth from A1-Array featured neon signage and glowing orbs for guest to pose with, while Osh Images captured décor details and smiling guests. View the event to see a creative backdrop of color-changing cubes.

4. Centerpieces That Tell a Story

Invitations masquerading as books from Prim & Pixie set the tone for this book-themed dual Bar and Bat Mitzvah celebration, which somehow visually expressed all that is remarkable about the written word — surprise, wonder, and creativity. At the event, celebrating two book-and-music loving teens, designer and producer Kristin Banta Events showed guests to their seats via paper scrolls feeding out of vintage typewriters. The tables themselves were another story altogether (book pun intended), and we’re crazy for the towering tree centerpieces constructed from book pages…which themselves were once trees. André Maier Photography gorgeously captured the whimsical décor from R. Jack Balthazar which was on-theme, and on-point: rolled music scrolls in domed glass displays and a feature wall of books askew and interlocking with a giant “H” monogram. Los Angeles’ Terranea Resort provided a beautiful setting for a party that flowed in and out of doors, making great use of California’s temperate weather. View the event to see book- and music-themed cakes and a memorable custom dance floor from RCD Dance Floors.

5. Intricate Polar Paper

Engage Summit hosts quarterly gatherings filled with education, activities, and soirées for luxury wedding and event professionals in gorgeous locations across the world. For this gala event at the Fairmont Banff in Canada, WedLuxe created a vision inspired by winter’s snowy beauty. Revelry Event Design worked with TBD Design House to design the all-white event, which featured tabletops and laser-cut paper décor. We are all atwitter over tabletops festooned with paper evergreens and antlered moose lit by glowing candles. The custom-cut menus on each marble charger and pale gray napkin from La Tavola Fine Linen displayed a winterscape that included snow-capped mountains and deer. The space showcased displays of towering alabaster trees and life-sized paper animals, as well as fiberglass forest dwellers from Papa Fiberglass against elegant white draping and a lush white carpet resembling snow from Modern Luxe Rental. View the event to see how translucent seating and photographic installations support the icy vibe.

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