5 Ways To Decorate With Mercury Glass

Mercury glass has been used in decor since the 1800s, and for good reason. Its vintage shine suits a variety of styles and spaces – a couple of mercury glass vases adds a touch of shimmer to table settings, while pairing vases with candles and romantic blooms makes for eye-catching centerpieces perfect for a vintage wedding.

store-bought flowers rearranged by color in small mercury glass containers
STORE-BOUGHT BUNCH DECONSTRUCTED This (seemingly) well-curated quartet arranges itself. Just sort a supermarket bouquet by color and cut the stems short. – REAL SIMPLE

Be sure to always use a liner in mercury glass vases if you are filling them with fresh flowers or liquids.

Here are five ways to decorate with mercury glass:

1. Showstopping Centerpieces

For a romantic table right out of a fairytale wedding, combine antique silver pillar holders and ribbed votive holders with blooming bouquets of pink and white roses. Alternate the mercury glass pillar and votive holders with tall floral arrangements accented with crystal garlands on soft pink fabrics for an amorous setting for a vintage wedding.

Fairytail Wedding: Roses & mercury glass pillar holders.
1a. Fairytale Wedding: Pink roses in ribbed votives and mercury glass pillar holders. (via Tantawan Bloom)

To create a stunning, old-world centerpiece for a classic wedding, fill antique silver bowls with anemones, clematis, geranium leaves, scabiosa, viburnum berries, lisianthus, and sweet peas.

Classic wedding: purple & green centerpiece.
1b. Classic wedding: purple & green centerpiece. (via Gotham Florist)

2. As Delicate Table Accents

Antique mercury glass jars with lids, that recall antique apothecary containers, make charming accents for an escort card table when placed among green vases filled with bright green and white hydrangeas and parrot tulips.

Escort card table. (via BRIDES)
2a. Escort card table. (via BRIDES)

Elegant mercury glass candle holders add a soft and romantic touch to table settings with floral arrangements in silver planter urns.

Centerpiece in silver urn with greenery, dahlias, and roses
2b. Centerpiece in silver urn with greenery, dahlias, and roses. (via Style Me Pretty)

For a white wedding, create your tablescape with bright white linens, white sweet peas, roses, and ranunculus in glass urns, and mercury glass votive holders. The candlelight from the candleholders adds a lively warmth to the decor.

White wedding tablescape. (via Style Me Pretty)
2c. White wedding tablescape. (via Style Me Pretty)

3. For Natural Drama

Fill vintage mercury glass urns with sprawling eucalyptus for a dramatic natural centerpiece, then surround with mercury glass votive candle holders containing delicate bunches of white flowers.

eucalyptus in mercury glass urns
3. Eucalyptus in mercury glass urns. (via New York Magazine)

4. As A Sparkling Centerpiece

Mercury glass can be used to create stunning non-floral centerpieces, too. This table uses a sparkling mix of silver, copper, and pink cylinders and votive holders to add color and pretty candlelight.

Mercury glass non-floral centerpiece. (via Martha Stewart Weddings)
4. Mercury glass non-floral centerpiece. (via Martha Stewart Weddings)

5. To Display Table Numbers

Paper flags printed with table numbers add a playful touch to reception and event tables. Secure them in small mercury glass votives, or a platinum tea light holders, filled with moss.

Mini banner table numbers. (via Martha Stewart Weddings)
5. Mini banner table numbers. (via Martha Stewart Weddings)

Want to get even more ideas about how to decorate with mercury glass? Check out our video below, where we provide a brief overview of what mercury glass actually is, popular uses for the timeless finish, and fresh ideas on how to incorporate it into your next event!

 

THE SOURCES
1a. Design: Tantawan Bloom. Photo: Studio Webber. 1b. Design: Gotham Florist. 2a. Design: Claire Bean Events. Photo: Allan Zepeda. 2b. Style Me Pretty. Photo: The Nichols. 2c. Design: Anthology Floristry. Photo: Katie Lopez Photography. 3. New York Magazine. Photo: Heather Waraksa. 4. Martha Stewart Weddings. 5. Martha Stewart Weddings. Photo: Orchard Cove Photography.

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