DIY: Nautical Centerpieces

Inspired by all things maritime, we wrapped straight sided cylinder vases with rope to create a unique and modern vessel for flowers, and we made simple, fun signal flags to identify tables instead of table numbers.

The result?  A striking centerpiece that compliments a nautical-themed wedding perfectly, without being too beachy.

For the vases, you'll need:

1. Cylinder vases, one for each table (Cylinder vases come in a variety of sizes, and are readily available at craft and discount stores.  Online sources are plenty, like here. )

2. Rope (To determine how much rope you'll need to cover each vase, take a measuring tape and twist it around the entire vase, starting at the bottom and winding your way up to the top.  And while hardware stores carry different types and sizes of rope, we used a bundle of clothesline.)

3. Instant glue, like Super Glue or Krazy Glue

Unwind your bundle of rope to give yourself plenty of slack to work with.  Starting at the base of the vase, put a dot of glue on the glass and affix one end of rope to the glue.  Press in place for a moment until it dries.  From that starting point, carefully wrap the rope around the diameter of the vase, making sure the rows are tight against one another.  Once you reach the top of the vase, dot the end of the rope with glue and affix it to the glass.

For the signal flags, you'll need:

1. Wooden sticks (available at craft stores) or long bamboo skewers (available at grocery stores)

2. 12 by 12 inch scrapbook paper in primary colors

3. Double-sided tape

Signal flags can symbolize either letters or numbers and are mainly red, blue, white, and/or yellow.  Choose the flag you want to make for each table by referring to a maritime signal flag chart, like this one.

We folded the scrapbook paper in half, and then cut that in half, leaving us with perfect 6 by 6 inch squares for our flags.  We slid a wooden stick inside the fold of the paper, and secured shut with double-sided tape.  Then, we cut and adhered additional paper as needed to create our finished flag.  The flag can be propped up against the vase, or stuck inside the flower arrangement.

Images Courtesy: Mary Swenson