Before you begin, you will need:
Medium glass bowls, used for floral arrangements or fish, one for each table
Clear glass aquarium rocks, enough for an inch to an inch and a half of coverage in each bowl
Floating candles
“Mardi Gras” beads
Start with a medium-sized glass bowl. You can generally find these for $2-3 each in the floral section of a craft store. You may also find a better price for the same type of thing in the aquatics section of a pet store.
Cover the bottom of the bowl with clear glass aquarium “rocks,” which can also be found in the floral section, often right next to the bowls. Layer the rocks about an inch to an inch and a half deep, and cover with water. Look for rocks in various sizes to add more dimension to your centerpiece.
Fill the bowl half full with water and use food coloring to dye the water to match your primary color. Drop in a floating candle to match your secondary color or your dress or both. Floating candles are available in many different shapes, or if you don’t find a shape that appeals to you, many craft stores sell kits for making your own. One or two candles per bowl is a good number without making things look crowded.
Surround the base of the bowl with several strings of “Mardi Gras” style beads in gold, silver or pearl, whichever best matches your wedding colors, available at most party supply stores and some craft stores. Drop them in arbitrary piles around the bowl and offer them to your guests as favors when they leave, making sure that there is at least one strand for every guest, including dates. You may also want to scatter more of the smaller aquarium rocks around the perimeter of the beads for a little more sparkle.
Appoint someone, a member of the catering staff, perhaps, to light all the candles fifteen or twenty minutes before the guests are set to arrive.
