5 Sunflower Centerpiece Ideas for Your Wedding

Sunflowers are the perfect wedding flower for many reasons and decorating your venue with them symbolizes an adoring marriage. It can even put your guests in a great mood. 

Sunflower Symbolism

Sunflowers first appeared in the Americas around 1000 BC, showing up in what is now the US SouthWest. The people used the flowers for many things, including cooking, eating, bathing and building. 

Sunflowers got their name for how small sunflowers will turn to face the sun’s rays. They’re even named that scientifically, with their proper name “helianthus.” “Helios” is the Greek word for “sun” and “anthus” for flower. 

In Greek mythology, the sun god Apollo turned a nymph named Clytie into a sunflower. Clytie loved Apollo so much that she still faced him wherever he went. The story is a little convoluted, and researching it might ruin things for you, but people began associating sunflowers with love and loyalty. 

Aside from loyalty and love, other cultures use sunflowers to symbolize luck, vitality and provision, all good things to have as you and your partner start your new chapter. 

Their sunny disposition and bright colors have also improved the mood of the people around them. They can help reduce stress and anxiety, which is another reason they’re good to be around during wedding preparation. 

5 Sunflower Centerpieces 

  1. Indoor Sun Mason Jars

Mason jars are a classic centerpiece option for a rustic or fall wedding, and the best thing is you can customize them however you’d like. 

One way to add ambiance and joy to your reception is to bring the sun inside with sunflowers and lights. 

To make them, take warm-hued string lights and arrange them, so the bulbs are dispersed throughout the jar, making it glow. Note: You’ll want to ensure the sting light bulbs stay cool for safety reasons. 

Once you’ve dispersed the lights, trim the sunflowers’ stalks to the desired length and weave them in between the lights to form a bouquet. 

  1. Floating Flowers

These centerpieces are low cost, gorgeous, low maintenance and easy to make! 

Take fishbowls and pour some glass beads into them. Take your sunflowers and trim the stems right up to the head. 

Once you trim the stems, pour water into the fishbowl over the beads until it is halfway to ¾ of the way full. Then, place your flower heads gently into the water to make them float. 

Tip: You can add food coloring to the water to create different aesthetics. 

  1. Sunflower Lanterns

Another beautiful rustic centerpiece that will require less spending on sunflowers is to do a sunflower-accented lantern. 

Take old lanterns and place battery-operated candles inside. Then, tie ribbons into bows on the lanterns’ handles. You can choose black and white or colors that match the lanterns or complement the sunflowers. Then, insert a sunflower into the bow. 

You could layer flowers or greenery around the lantern for an added touch. 

  1.  Basket Bouquet

Perhaps the most customizable on the list, there are endless possibilities for this centerpiece. 

Take your favorite baskets and fill them with sunflowers and greenery. You can fill the whole basket with flowers and other plants, add candles or create a fairy garden-type experience by placing little trinkets representing you and your partner. 

As a bonus, you can keep the baskets after the reception for storage!

  1. Climbing Sunflowers

This final centerpiece will likely take longer to make than the rest but is sure to “wow” your guests. 

To make one, take a wide vase, bucket or basket and place floral foam inside. Then, trim a handful of sunflowers, all at different lengths. Start with the longest stem and cut the next stem and inch or so shorter, then continue to trim each stem slightly shorter than the one before until you get a stem with only a few inches. 

Once you cut them, place the flowers into the foam from shortest to longest. This creates a climbing effect. Then, cover any visible foam with real or artificial greenery to complete the piece. 

Using Sunflowers for Your Wedding

Sunflowers are great symbols of joy, love and happiness and could be a perfect flower choice for your wedding, regardless of the season. 

Centerpieces are a great way to incorporate sunflowers since your guests will look at them a lot. These little rays of sunshine will help keep your guests without stress and help the party last through the night.

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