I assume these are round tables. What you have to think about, too, is how the centerpieces will look when the table is set with all the place settings. Will the 3"one feel lost among all the glasses, plates, etc?

I think bubble vases are nice for roses, but I would think a rectangular or square vase would be nicer with the hydrangea. Add in a few stems of curly willow wound through for some additional texture and movement.

The other advantage of the square or rectangular vase over the bubble vase is that you can print something fun or pretty on vellum and wrap a band of that around the vase, perhaps baby items or the baby's name if known. Or you can add bands of pretty ribbon around the vase to make them even more special, for almost no cost.

IKEA sells the rectangular vases for next to nothing. They have two sizes that might work - the shorter one is just over 5 inches, the other almost 9, for $2.49 and $4.99 respectively. Great to have on hand after the shower to give or keep.

rektangel vase

les - thanks for the reply. Yes the tables are round, so the idea of a rectangle or square vase is a good one. The table linens will be pink, dishes are all white round.

I've never seen roses in a bubble ball. I did send a dozen pink roses to my SIL when we found out that the baby is a girl. However, I think it might get a bit pricey to do all roses table arrangements. I am trying to work within a reasonable budget. Hosting the shower and still being able to give a nice gift!

I use the 3" bubble ball vases on my long dining room table for dinner parties. They are the perfect size - low profile and a good size to use 3 or 4 down the long table and not obstruct the view or conversation.

Also send the 3" bubble ball vase with a single gardenia in the bottom to the home in condolence situations. It's very simple look (and smells wonderful).

As far as fresh flowers, I like the look of only one type of flower - never liked using a mix of flowers in live arrangements. Just my own preference.

What is vellum? I think that the rectangle vase shown on your link would be nice. Not sure about doing the ribbon or wrap around. Pretty much wanted the arrangement of hydrangea to be very simple.

Thank you again, I appreciate your insight!

You could always add a dark leafed filler to the arrangement. Many times when I arrange flowers I find I need something to fill up the space a little which also helps the cut flowers stay in place. At home I use holly, acuba japonica, magnolia leaves, skip laurel, Otto Luyken,photinia, boxwood, even hosta leaves or small tips of a pine branch.

Oh, gosh, I didn't explain that well. I didn't mean I thought you should switch to roses to use the bubble ball. Sorry if that is how I wrote it. I just meant that roses are the most oft used flower in that type of vase. In fact, the vases are often called rose balls.

I think the hydrangea would be lovely, and I do think that the rectangular vase would be a nice contrast, especially since the hyrdrangea tend to be so round themselves.

Vellum is a kind of paper, sort of translucent, that is softer than using a solid white paper. You can get it at any craft or office store.

The ribbon would just be a band of ribbon, no bows or anything - perhaps one about an inch and a half wide in pink, with a 3/4 inch one over the center of it in white or green. You use double-sided tape to stuck the ends together so you get the look of a solid band. Or you could do a pink, green and white plaid, or a baby-theme print ribbon. Here is an example:

ribbon-wrapped vase

That's the size table we used for DD2's wedding reception. We used three vases on each table - 4" 5" and 6" Each vase had one type of flower, so each table had three kinds of flowers. We only repeated a combination on three tables. Didn't want them all the same

Here are photos after we brought some home:

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At the wedding:

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I'd go with the 6". I think the 3" container itself would look too small. You might not need 5 hydrangeas. The way they clump together you wouldn't know how many you had in there. I like the square vase better too for contrast.