Planning Large Wedding Arrangements: A Step-By-Step Guide

Large wedding flower arrangements can be a stunning addition to your big day. They can be used to fill empty spaces in your venue and add a bit of pizzazz to your wedding ceremony. The beauty of artificial flower arrangements is that they are easy to build, lightweight, and long-lasting. You can also get creative with real flowers and use a variety of vessels to arrange them in, such as an ice bucket or a vase. If you're using real flowers, it's best to prepare them by cutting the stems at an angle and letting them soak in water. When arranging the flowers, start with the flowers with the widest and strongest stems, and then add in the smaller flowers.

Choosing flowers: select something beefy with thick, strong stalks

When selecting flowers for a large wedding arrangement, it is important to choose flowers with thick, strong stalks, also known as "beefy" stems. These sturdy flowers will serve as the foundation of your arrangement and ensure that it stays intact.

One example of a flower with thick, strong stalks is the hydrangea. Hydrangeas are full and pillowy, and their stems must be sunk deep into the floral foam to secure them in place. They come in a variety of colours, including white, blue, and green, and are often used in bridal bouquets and flower installations like arches and flower walls. Hydrangeas are a popular choice for large wedding arrangements as they provide volume and lend a classic design impact.

Another flower with thick, strong stalks is the rose. Roses are the most popular wedding flower and are known for their beauty, fragrance, and versatility. They come in a myriad of hues, including orange, pink, purple, red, white, and yellow, allowing them to complement a variety of wedding colour palettes. When using roses in a large arrangement, strip any greenery from the stems and sink them into the floral foam.

Additionally, you can opt for baby coral roses, which come in bunches, making it easy to fill in spaces in your arrangement.

When selecting flowers with thick, strong stalks, consider the overall design and colour scheme of your wedding. For example, if you're aiming for a rustic summer or fall wedding, wildflowers or garden roses may be a better choice than calla lilies.

By choosing flowers with thick, strong stalks, you can create a stunning and stable large wedding arrangement that will impress your guests and serve as a beautiful focal point for your special day.

Using a vase or foam base: add flowers inside a vase or a foam base

Using a vase or foam base is a great way to create large wedding arrangements. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you craft stunning floral displays:

Choosing the Right Vase or Foam Base

First, consider the size and type of your vase. For tall, top-heavy arrangements, a weighted vase or a vase with a narrow opening is best. If you're using a wide-mouthed vase, opt for a floral foam base to provide support and stability. You can also use chicken wire or floral tape to secure the foam. Additionally, consider using a plastic floral bowl that fits inside your vase to hold the foam, providing extra stability and making transportation easier.

Preparing the Flowers and Greenery

Select an assortment of flowers and greenery that complement each other and fit your desired colour scheme. Cut the stems to varying lengths, making some short and others long to add depth and dimension to your arrangement. Remove any extra leaves, damaged petals, and unwanted buds from the stems. Then, create a fresh diagonal cut at the bottom of each stem and place them in water with flower food.

Creating the Base

If using a vase, create a grid of floral tape over the mouth to hold the stems in place. You can also use a floral frog (a vessel insert with pins) or DIY your own with chicken wire. If you're using a foam base, soak it in water before use to keep your flowers hydrated. Start by creating a base with greenery. Use greenery stems to form an inverted triangular shape within the vase or foam to guarantee both horizontal and vertical presence.

Adding the Flowers

Begin adding your focal flowers, which are usually the largest blooms or those with unique colours or textures. Place them in odd numbers at different angles to avoid a symmetrical look. Then, add smaller flowers and textural elements around the focal flowers to fill any gaps. Combine smaller flowers in groups of three or five to create a natural, clustered look.

Final Touches

Finish your arrangement with delicate blooms like baby's breath or yarrow, placing them last so they don't get squished. Spritz your arrangement with water to mimic fresh dew. Ensure you keep the flowers hydrated by regularly refilling the vase with water.

Cutting greenery: cut greenery branches into varying sizes and place the longest branches on the outermost corners

Creating large wedding arrangements with greenery and artificial flowers is a simple and fun process. Here is a step-by-step guide to achieving this:

Cutting the Greenery:

The first step is to cut down your greenery branches into varying sizes. Take your time with this step, as it is important to create a natural and asymmetrical look. Start by removing the greenery from each box and use sharp pruning shears to cut the branches into different lengths. A variety of lengths will add depth and dimension to your arrangement. Aim for a natural, sprouting-from-the-ground effect.

Now, select the longest branches and place them strategically on the outermost corners and edges of your floral foam block or vase/container. This will form the foundation of your arrangement and help define its overall shape.

Adding More Greenery:

Gradually add more willow leaf greenery or other types of foliage to your arrangement. Keep in mind that artificial flowers are usually added at this point, but we are focusing specifically on the greenery placement for now. Continue adding greenery to create the desired shape and size, ensuring that the arrangement remains asymmetrical for a natural, organic feel.

Filling in the Gaps:

Once you have placed your longest branches on the outermost corners, you might notice some gaps between the greenery. Don't worry! This is easily fixed. Simply add extra greenery and branches to fill in these spaces until your arrangement starts to look fuller and more cohesive. Play around with the placement until you are happy with how it looks.

Embellishments and Final Touches:

At this point, your greenery arrangement should be taking shape. Feel free to add in some fun details and embellishments to make your creation stand out. Use any leftover flowers, greenery, or accent florals you have and spread them throughout the arrangement. Let your creativity flow and design the free-standing arrangement of your dreams!

And there you have it! You can now make large wedding arrangements with a beautiful greenery foundation. Remember to be creative, patient, and adaptable throughout the process, and don't be afraid to experiment with different greenery types and arrangements. Happy crafting!

Adding flowers: trim flower stems to different heights and place the tallest flowers first

Adding flowers to your wedding arrangement is an exciting part of the process. It is important to trim flower stems to different heights to create depth and interest in your arrangement. Victoria Monsul Singolda, founder and creative director of Iris & Virgil in Brooklyn, New York, suggests that playing with the heights of your stems will create dramatic negative space in your arrangement. This will make your display eye-catching and allow you to sculpt your way into a fresh look and design.

Before you begin, trim your flower stems to a height that suits your arrangement. You want to create a mixture of short and long-stemmed flowers to add dimension and depth. Adding in an array of flowers, start with your tallest blooms first. Place your largest blooms at the bottom of the arrangement, with four on the bottom level and four towards the top, zigzagging around the design. This will give your arrangement a natural, rounded look.

After placing your tallest flowers, you can gradually add in smaller flowers. Mix up your colour pattern by alternating between light and coloured florals. This will create a more realistic and eye-catching arrangement. You can also add in some filler flowers, such as lisianthus greens, to add texture and fill in any gaps.

Finally, finish the arrangement with floaters or delicate blooms like baby's breath, sedum, or yarrow. These should be added last so they don't get squished or buried by the larger blooms.

Filling gaps: use extra greenery and branches to fill in any gaps

Greenery is an essential element of a floral arrangement. It adds texture and depth to your wedding bouquet, centrepiece, or wreath. It can also be used to fill in any gaps between flowers, giving the bouquet a more natural look.

When creating a free-standing floral arrangement, you can start by cutting the greenery branches into varying sizes. Place the longest branches on the outermost corners and edges of the floral foam block. Gradually add in more greenery to create an asymmetrical shape that gives off an authentic floral appearance, as if it's sprouting from the ground.

If you're creating a wedding arch, you can start by inserting the green leaves into the flower mud at a 30 to 45-degree angle, creating the illusion that the greenery is growing from the arch's base. Make the greenery fuller at the bottom to create a sense of depth.

Once you've added your flowers, you may notice some gaps between the florals. To fix this, simply place extra greenery and branches in between each gap until the arrangement starts to look fuller. You can always re-insert your flowers if you don't like the overall look.

Remember, greenery is versatile and can be used in a variety of ways to enhance your wedding decor. It goes well with almost anything and can be used to create a natural, elegant, rustic, or boho look.

Frequently asked questions