Rhiannon Hendricks
A wedding arch is a beautiful and creative way to decorate your wedding venue. It is also a great way to save money by doing it yourself. You can use a combination of flowers and greenery to create a stunning arch that reflects your unique style. The arch can be used as a backdrop for wedding ceremonies, to decorate the entrance to your venue, or as a photo backdrop for your reception. The process involves creating a base for your arch, adding flowers and greenery, and then finishing with decorations such as ribbons or bows.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Height | 6 ft minimum |
| Width | 5-8 ft |
| Floral foam | Soak it and thread zip ties through the plastic cage |
| Greenery | Italian Ruscus, Salal, Eucalyptus, Viburnum, Willow, Italian Ruscus |
| Flowers | Roses, Snap Dragons, Rice Flower, Carnations, Dahlias |
| Other materials | Wire mesh, chicken wire, flower mud, pliers |
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What You'll Learn
Choose your flowers and greenery
When choosing flowers and greenery for your wedding arbor, you can use any combination of types you like. You can opt for a classic, pure aesthetic with white and ivory flowers, or go for a mix of colours.
If you're working with a budget, it's good to know that using greenery can help elongate your product and reduce the number of flowers needed. You can start with longer stems of greenery, such as Italian Ruscus, on the perimeter of your floral cage. Then, fill in with broader leaves like Salal and textured Eucalyptus. This creates a great foundation for your flowers and helps you save on flowers.
For a 6ft x 6ft arch, you'll need at least 10 boxes of flowers and 8 boxes of greenery. If your arch is larger, you might need more flowers and greenery to create a fuller look. You can adjust the quantity based on your budget and the desired fullness.
Some specific flower and greenery types to consider include:
- Roses (in various colours like ivory, toffee, and white)
- Carnations (in Terra-Cotta and mini varieties)
- Snap Dragons (in white)
- Rice Flower
- Viburnum
- Dahlias
- Pussy Willow
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Prepare the structure
Preparing the structure for your wedding arbor is a fun and creative process. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you get started:
Build, Buy, or Rent
Firstly, you need to decide whether you want to build your own arbor structure, purchase one, or rent it. Building your own gives you the freedom to customise, but renting or buying can save time and effort. If you're on a budget, consider renting from a wedding rental company or checking out second-hand options on sites like Facebook Marketplace.
Dimensions
The recommended dimensions for a wedding arbor are a minimum of 6 feet tall by 5 to 8 feet wide. This size provides a grand and visually appealing frame for your floral arrangements.
The Base
For a DIY approach, you can create the base using two 10-foot threaded poles from a hardware store, spray-painted to your desired colour. Ensure the poles are sturdy enough to support the weight of the flowers and greenery.
Floral Foam and Cages
Floral foam soaked in water is essential for arranging flowers. Secure the floral foam to the arbor using floral foam cages and zip ties. Ensure the zip ties are tight enough to hold the cages in place without damaging the foam. You can find floral foam cages of various sizes, from large to jumbo, to accommodate your floral arrangements.
Greenery Foundation
Start by adding longer stems of greenery, such as Italian Ruscus, around the perimeter of the floral foam cage. Then, fill in the gaps with broader-leafed varieties like Salal and textural Eucalyptus. This creates a beautiful foundation for your flowers and helps elongate your arrangement.
Stability and Shape
Remember that the base of your arch should be thicker than the top to achieve a natural, tapered look and greater stability. Take time to shape your arbor, as the foundational foliage sets the basic shape and character of your arrangement. You can use chicken wire or netting to help structure and secure the foliage.
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Soak the floral foam
Soaking floral foam is a crucial step in creating flower arrangements for a wedding arbor, as it provides hydration and structure to the flowers. Here is a detailed guide on how to soak floral foam:
Choosing the Right Floral Foam
Select the appropriate density of floral foam based on the types of stems you will be using. For example, if you plan to use large and sturdy stems, opt for a higher-density foam like Deluxe or Instant Deluxe. If you want to create a subtle contrast between the flowers and the foam, consider using Midnight floral foam, which turns from grey to black when wet.
Preparing the Floral Foam
If you are working with multiple arrangements, pre-cut your foam bricks to the desired size using sharp floral knives or a serrated blade. Floral foam is available in various forms, such as blocks, bricks, and foam cages, so choose the one that best suits your arrangement. Always store unused floral foam in a dry, sealed bag until you are ready to soak it.
Soaking Techniques
There are two main techniques for soaking floral foam:
- Float-and-Soak Method: Place the floral foam on top of a bucket of water and let it slowly sink on its own. This method helps prevent air pockets from forming within the foam.
- Direct Soaking Method: Place the dry foam in your chosen container and pour water over it. While this may not be the "gold standard," it is a functional method that keeps flowers hydrated. Avoid dunking the foam underwater, as it can trap air inside, leaving dry spots.
Tips for Optimal Soaking
- Ensure the floral foam fits snugly into your container. If it's too loose, it won't hold the flowers steadily, and if it's too tight, it may crack.
- When using shallow trays or low dishes, secure the foam with Oasis tape to prevent shifting.
- Disguise the foam by laying down sheet moss or tucking in fresh greenery before arranging the flowers.
- Soaking floral foam overnight is a common practice, but it is not necessary, as the foam saturates with water in approximately 90 seconds.
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Secure the zip ties
Now that you have soaked the floral foam and threaded zip ties through the plastic cage of the floral foam, it is time to secure the zip ties.
First, ensure that the zip ties are tightly secured around the floral foam cages. The cages should not shift or move easily, but be careful not to tighten the zip ties too much, as this could damage the floral foam. Once you are happy that the zip ties are secure, you can attach the cages to the arbor.
If you are using a rented arch, you may need to attach the cages without flowers first and then insert the flowers into the cages afterward. However, if you are using silk flowers, you can pre-arrange the flowers in the cages and then zip-tie them to the arbor on the day.
If you are using wire mesh or chicken wire, you can zip-tie it around willow or another type of branch to create the shape you desire. Make sure there are no sharp edges of wire protruding.
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Finishing touches
Once you have arranged all the flowers and greenery to your liking, it's time to add the finishing touches. Insert the longest branches of greenery near the base of your arch, taking care not to make them too symmetrical. You can also add ribbons or bows to complete your arch, using colours that match your flowers.
If you are using a floral foam cage, you can pre-arrange the flowers and then zip-tie the cage to the arch. Ensure that the zip ties are tight enough to secure the cage but not so tight that they damage the floral foam.
If you are using chicken wire, cut the wire to the desired length and crunch it to echo the shape you want to create, then zip-tie it around your foundational foliage.
The arch should capture the aesthetic of your ceremony and reflect your unique sense of style. Your imagination is the only limit!
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Frequently asked questions
You can either build, purchase, or rent an arbor. Many cities have wedding rental companies that rent out arbors at affordable prices. The recommended dimensions for an arbor are 6 ft tall (minimum) and 5-8 ft wide.
You will need floral foam cages, zip ties, wire mesh or chicken wire, flowers, and greenery. You can also add ribbons or bows to complete your arbor.
First, soak the floral foam and thread zip ties through the plastic cage of the floral foam. Then, zip-tie the floral foam cages to the arbor, ensuring that the cages are secure.
You can use any combination of flowers and greenery that you like. It is recommended to have at least 10 boxes of flowers and 8 boxes of greenery to create a fuller look. Some popular choices include roses, carnations, snapdragons, Italian Ruscus, Salal, and Eucalyptus.
Start by creating the base shape of your arbor using taller stems of greenery, such as Italian Ruscus, around the perimeter of the floral cage. Then, fill in with broader leaves like Salal and textural Eucalyptus. Finally, add your flowers, starting with linear blooms like Snap Dragons to create the desired shape.
