apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Well, if your theme colors include yellow and white, I would suggest having a row of "vases" (maybe actual dollar store vases or maybe various shapes of clear glass bottles -- but a series of at least five) holding white daisies (with yellow centers.) Maybe a few white votives, if you have some. (If you have vases with small necks, you can probably get away with a dozen or so daisies from a florist or (if you are lucky) picked from a garden or roadside...

The main problem with the photo shown, to me, is that it looks totally conventional, like that's the way your mantle always looks... not "party festive".

If you have any Christmas balls that are sparkly and either one of your three theme colors, or silver or gold or mirrored (so they aren't overwhelmingly "Christmas", but more "gala") you could scatter them among the vases for further glitz (and to further say "party" rather than "everyday".)

It's kinda hard to tell you what to do without seeing the other accessories you might have in your house...

...but if you're sticking to these items, I'd definitely get away from the symmetry: move the two candles to one side, put the flowers off center towards the other side, and get rid of the other two pieces.

What about some white bridal garland? See this: http://www.thebridesbouquet.com/snowWhiteGarlandBIG.jpg

Obviously you would need something more fuller, but use it as an inspiration. You could get some seasonal green leaves and add in white and yellow flowers. Throw in some small white Christmas lights and black ribbon.

You could use black construction paper and cut out a groom and bride silhouette (or a kissing couple) and then tape/adhere it to the mirror (so it looks like a cameo). Then, if you replace the peonies with a bright yellow flower (or add a bright yellow flower to peonies) you've given the mantel a bit more oomph without spending a lot of money. Just an idea...

The problem is that the objects you chose are similar in height and size. It's also too prim and restrained.

You need something tall, 4-5 inches taller than everything else, preferably at one end of the mantel to make the arrangement lopsided.

And you need a bit of lightheartedness. Maybe put a lot of yellow and white Gerbera daisies into that little goblet. I love peonies but they're making your arrangement too girly and stiff. And since it's a party, you could make a little paper banner in your chosen colors to hang from the mantel.

Put all the matches in one of the vases/containers. Get rid of one of the other. Find a piece of art or two to layer in front of the mirror. This could be an interesting art tile, a good photograph, a framed leaf, etc.

The Martha Stewart website has lots of tips on decorating for weddings/showers. One idea in particular sounds cheesy, but looks beautiful (at least on the web site!) and is very cost effective: tissue paper pom-poms and luminarias. Here's the link: http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/article/pom-poms-and-luminarias

Agree that it doesnt look festive so i'd love to see a combination of Sherry and Tara's ideas

Why not incorporate a few pics of the happy couple up there somewhere? You could even hang them off wire or twine, a la 1001 Layer Cake's Jen & Dan's wedding?

http://100layercake.com/blog/archives/1256

If you have a printer, copy some photos of the couple, cut them into circles and glue on a ribbon you can drape over the mantle - pinking shear the edges for a nice look. The mantle could be nice just with clumps of votives on either side in little glass holders (ikea for cheap) and then a taller floral arrangement in the center - 2 good bunches from trader joes or the farmer's market would not be too pricey.
I'm sure you'll have a great party!

Yellow? Black? What about Sunflowers?

I'd take everything off, beg-borrow-steal white containers (jars like your match holder, vases, pitchers but all white only) and then buy yellow blooms to fill them, making sure to amass just ONE top of blossom in each container. It'll look modern, fit in with the party theme, and set a lovely tone as everyone makes their way to the backyard. The easiest way to find matching containers is to go through everyone's kitchen cupboards. Honestly! I did this once, for a super budget wedding, and we amassed enough all white containers and platters to feed 50 people and have vases for the flowers. For a mantel you'll only need 3-5 containers. You can also try inexpensive shops like IKEA or your local charity shop. Remove the candles unless it's an evening party (held by candlelight) and, if you like, put a small framed picture of the bride & groom on the mantel... perhaps their engagement photo? For under $25, assuming you're only buying flowers, you could have a lovely mantel arrangement.

Ok, you need more drama. Your mantel looks fine for everyday, but you're having a party! Also, the stuff you have is not working. I would say ditch the horseshoe-- the scale is completely off. And leave out the decorated match holder, you don't need two, it's too symmetrical, and it's got an aggressive pattern that doesn't coordiante with your color scheme. And finally, the candle holders are mismatched with the mirror and again, too symmetrical. You need either a low flower arrangement in the center or a high arrangement to one side, and bigger-- plus the peonies are lovely, but since the colors are yellow and white, use those, not pink! So do a long oval bowl (black, white, yellow or clear) filled with full white or yellow flowers in the center, or a cluster of tall vases on the side (can be found for cheap at a thrift store or borrowed from friends). Personally I would do three bunches of yellow and white flowers at one end, in clear vases of differing heights, and some clear votives scattered across the mantel, and then a large black and white framed picture of the bride and groom at the other end with the white match holder. Re: flowers, I second the TJ's recommendation and would add that hydrangeas are pricey, but you get a huge impact with just one bunch. Hang a yellow papel picado (Mexican cut paper, you can get it easily and cheaply online or at Olvera St. or Mexican party stores) banner down and you're done! Whatever you do, good luck and have a great time. I think you could get everything you need for under $20, cheaper if you borrow from friends/clip from your garden or theirs and use things you already have.

For my bridal shower, my mom made a display of pictures of me and my fiance, her wedding photo, and the wedding photos of my grandparents in neat, vintage frames, and incorporated my veil, and a bunch of other little sentimental knickknacks. If you've got enough notice to collect pictures, it made a nice little shrine to the marriages in my family.

Add a glass vase full of ping pong balls. Whatever else you do will be a bonus.

I just threw a bridal shower for one of my co-workers and it was super DYI. I made those tissue pom-poms in her colors (green & white) and hung them from the ceiling. Then I bought several bouquets of white grocery store flowers and put them into the clear vases, glasses and empty Coke bottles already laying around the office. And I made her favorite, carrot cake cupcakes. Yum. Here's a photo from her blog.

I like the all white with one color of flowers. What are the wedding colors? I would use one of them.

How about loading the mantle with various glass jars and vases full of yellow and white flowers? The more the better, but keep the flower types the same. Make a sweet little garland with cut out colored paper (heart shapes? or the names of the bride and groom?) and put up something above the fireplace (a blown up picture of the couple, or something out of cut paper adhered to the mirror) This look is a bit cutesy...and maybe too casual...but certainly affordable!

Consider combining two suggestions listed above: Glass vases and/or bowls filled with ping pong balls (cometz) alongside sunflowers (HurricaneKate) or black-eyed Susans. Maybe tea light candles/votives, too?

Try Lemons!

Since the party is largely outside, I wouldn't get all theme park. Lots of flowers, and maybe a large photo of the happy couple, blown up. But don't make it look like a kid's birthday party.

with only the items shown and the purchase of some yellow spray paint...

move the candles to the right corner and take one of the glass hurricanes off the wood stand to vary the height...

a little off center to the left, place the flower vase and the white match holder (spray paint it yellow), place white daisies/gerbers in the now yellow holder and yellow flowers of a different variety in the metal vase...

love the above idea of making a cameo on the mirror of a couple kissing with some black construction paper

This mantel looks pretty for everyday, you just need a little something to make it more "party." How about a paper bunting? it could be in the wedding colors, or say the couple's name, etc.

It doesn't have to be this fancy, but here's an idea:
http://tinydecorblog.com/blog/2009/04/02/paperbunting/