Unique Ways To Give Away Your Centerpieces

I`m looking for suggestions on unique ways to give away the centerpieces at our wedding. I attended one wedding where the DJ had each table play hot potato w/ a $1 without telling them why. Then the person who ends up w/ the $1 wins the centerpiece. Other weddings randomly place a sticker behind one chair at each table, the person who`s chair has the sticker wins the centerpiece. Anybody have any others? Thanks.
Posted by Michelle; updated 09/24/03

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My girlfriend gave the centerpiece away to the person who`s bday was closest to the wedding date...the person at the table didn`t want it so I took it home!
Posted by ann; updated 09/25/03

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Give them away to the first people who compliment you on them because they are showing their true appreciation and will trasure them more than one would as a grab bag gift.
Posted by Deborah; updated 09/25/03

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I plan on giving them to family members. Both Moms, both grandma`s, both our Godmothers, my fiance`s greatgrandma,both our sisters, sisters in law etc....
Posted by Jemmy; updated 09/25/03

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Is the tradition of giving away the centerpieces specific to a certain area of the US? I`m just curious because I live in Minneapolis, MN and have been to dozens of weddings in: Wisconsin (where I`m originally from), MN, Iowa, and Illinios and I`ve never seen where the centerpieces are given away.

One of my employees asked me the other day how I was planning to give my centerpieces away and I was baffled as I`d never heard of that before.

Am I missing the boat here on something I should be planning to do? I certainly like the idea of giving them away to people who may want them but it`s a new concept to me.

Thanks!
Posted by Kay; updated 09/27/03

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I think it is a fairly new concept, I went to 4 weddings in the past several months and at two of them they autioned them off(for extra cash)...which don`t appeal to me but then I thought what we I do with them all...so thought I`d give them to the people I am closest to.
Posted by Jemmy; updated 09/27/03

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I would never raffle them off for extra money, i find that very tacky. I am giving them to those who have helped the most, my sisters, parents, grandparents, grooms parents and grandparents, etc. Usually they are given away because what are you going to do with 20 goldfish bowls or candleabras? i have seen the sticker idea but placed under the chairs, or having people`s names pulled out of a hat. You can also do a trivia, the first person to answer a correct question about the b&g : where was their first date? anywho, good luck to you
Posted by Sarah; updated 09/27/03

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It`s not so much that it`s a new concept. It`s a new concept with weddings. I`ve been to many charity functions over time and the centerpieces are always given away as door prizes or auctioned off for the cause. But I had never heard of giving away wedding centerpieces. I have a feeling that it`s a fairly new concept simply because the idea of making your own centerpieces has become quite popular. In many cases the hall or hotel or caterer provides the centerpieces or the couple hires a florist or designer and the pieces are rented. Therefore it wouldn`t be possible to give them away, as the bride and groom don`t own them.

If you can give them away, you might consider bringing them to a hospital or an old age home. Hospital patients and elderly nursing home residents would love them. Of course, always check first to make sure it`s okay - especially if you have fresh flowers. Some hospitals will not allow that for various reasons.
Posted by Linda; updated 09/27/03

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Recently I saw at a wedding where the bride & groom gave away their centerpieces to those who attended the gift-opening the following day of the wedding. They had brunch and invited close friends and family and allowed people who really wanted them to take them home. Things seemed to work well, a lot of aunts, cousins, and friends wanted them and put them to good use. That way the bride and groom gave a little something special to people who mean a lot to them.
Posted by Maddie; updated 09/27/03