The DIYer can learn to create unique floral displays for many types of entertaining events, while still maintaining a budget.
Whether you are attending a very formal sit-down dinner, a casual spring wedding, or a child’s birthday party, flowers will usually play an important part in the overall impact of the decorations. Because flowers are alive, they are seasonal and they grow throughout the world in a variety of colors, shapes and fragrances, they lend themselves perfectly to whatever type of event you can imagine. However, rather than simply plunking a grocery bouquet into a vase of water, try some of the following ideas to truly create a floral display with spunk and a connection to your event.
Winter Holiday Events
Long Lasting Seasonal Display
- Create a signature focal piece that will last through the entire month of December (of course, you will need to water the display to maintain the fragrance and suppleness of the plant materials).
- Create a tall, one-sided display that would be perfect for the mantle or the front hall table, by using an old-looking, tall, conical metal vase. Make sure to line the metal vase with a glass or plastic vial, to prevent leaking.
- Create a large, rounded display (imagine the flowers are the leaves of a well shaped maple tree and the vase is the trunk) that is 1.5 times the height of the vase.
- To achieve this look, use long winterberry branches that are full with masses of red berries, paired with cut poinsettia flowers, red Hercules amaryllis, and holly branches.
- Distribute the stems and flowers in a pleasing manner, filling in bare spots with lemon leaves or any glossy green leaves that are available.
- To finish the look, spray birch twigs with gold spray paint and tuck them in throughout the display.
- Use trailing ivy stems flowing out of the vase to entwine the stem and base of the metal vase.
Unusual, Elegant Centerpiece for a Sit-Down Dinner
- Candles and unexpected plants create an old fashioned elegance in this low profile display of candles and flowers.
- In a 12 inch bowl (simple monochromatic porcelain or ceramic works best), place a block of soaked floral foam. Cluster 3 ivory candles (about 1 - 2” diameter) and sink them into the center of the foam. Stagger their heights slightly for a more appealing look.
- Surround the candles with small heads of white and purple ornamental cabbage, lilac stems (soak the split woody stems in lukewarm water for several hours before sinking them into the foam), and black calla lilies.
- Fill in any bare spots with small and medium sized foliage, so that the floral foam in not visible.
Spring Event and Flower Pairing Ideas
The copyright of the article Pairing Floral Displays to Theme Events in Entertaining is owned by Janice Benoit. Permission to republish Pairing Floral Displays to Theme Events in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
