When it comes to wowing your guests at your wedding there can be no better way than with a statement floral arrangement. Not only can it completely transform a setting or a room but it can provide an amazing backdrop for your ceremony and photographs. Statement florals may be an investment, however I would always recommend to my couples to go for a large arrangement over lots of little ones. I have compiled my top 5 favourite statement floral arrangements for a wedding, what the pros and con's are and why they are always worth every penny...
THE FLOWER ARCH
The infamous flower arch of dreams! Even if you are not thinking of a large arrangement for your wedding, I bet you have swooned over a floral arch while doing your wedding Pinterest research. There is no better way to wow your guest than with a showstopper of an arch as they enter a country church or to have positioned in your ceremony area to frame your nuptials. Arches come in all shapes and sizes and can consist of a spray of flowers on a frame, a broken arch (where there are two columns of flowers with a break in between) or a full arch of flowers over something like a doorway. The best part of having a flower arch is the amazing photo opportunities it presents; They offer a stunning colourful backdrop to a couple, confetti and group shots and can help to bring a sense of the outdoors into a venue or increase the wild and abundant feel of the surrounding nature if outside. Most florists now also make their flower arches without floral foam due to the amazing mechanics and frames that have been developed meaning you can rest easy that this is a more eco friendly option than it might have been in the past. The downside with an arch is the price (with all the flowers and foliage that is needed to create the arch you can expect to pay at least £1000). We would also recommend that the arch is not moved once in situ, meaning that if its at the church, it ain't guaranteed to be at your reception afterwards, so you need to weigh up the investment vs the impact and photo opportunities if you and your guests are only going to be in that area for a short period.
2. GIANT URNS
Big impactful flower-full urns are fabulously romantic and opulent - think full Bridgerton vibes! Urns make a real statement about your day - they scream sophistication and elegance and in venues such as country houses they totally add to the vibe bringing an air of classical period drama! Urns are normally sat on top of pedestals or plinths meaning that they are at a height that guests can see when sat down, and because they are made in a container and separate to the plinth these beauty's can normally be lifted with some strong muscles and moved around a venue or even transported between sites. Urns can be used to frame doorways or on either side of an altar or ceremony setting. Due their ability to be moved they can then be positioned anywhere around the venue after their initial use - they can highlight cake tables or signs or put in entrance halls. Normally urns are purchased in pairs and your florist will make them so that they complement each other but are not identical (sisters not twins), but if you want to make more of a statement then go for multiple pairs and position them in groups at different heights to either side of a ceremony space. Urns can be pricey when buying multiple, but the price will depend a lot on the size of the urn that the florist is designing into, so find out what size urn the florist is planning to use and enquire if this can be scaled up or down. If your venue is not an elegant Manor House, but more of a farm or pub setting then you may feel that an urn is going to look out of place, so an arrangement in a milk churn will offer the same versatility but with a more rustic look.
3. FLOWER CLOUDS
Suspended arrangements are really having a moment. If your venue has amazing high ceilings or maybe you are in a marquee or tent and you want to break up the swathes of white then having something hanging above head height can really help to break up the space while offering something amazing and visual above eye level.
The great thing about flower clouds and other suspended arrangements is that they can come in all sorts of shapes and sizes so you get something that feels really unique and definitely creates that WOW factor. A lot of tent companies and some indoor venues will have pulley systems available or even frame work in place for your florist to work with, the big con however with these sorts of installations is that unless there is the ability to hoist something into place, or something very sturdy to hang the installation from then logistics may prevent you from having this sort of installation, or a compromise may have to be made in terms of where it is suspended. Another con is the price, with all of the design, mechanics, logistics & time that goes into creating these suspended pieces of art the cost can understandably mount up, and that's before you have even thought of how many flowers or stems of foliage are required on a design which needs to look good from almost every angle! But there is no denying it, there is nothing more spectacular, unique or opulent than having flowers hanging over your head while you eat your dinner.
4. MEADOWS
Meadows, also known as flower troughs, are arrangements where the flowers are positioned in a long vessel or block of floral foam in such a way that they look like they are growing upwards. Meadows individually are not big, normally only a foot or so long, however when used on mass they can create quite the statement. I think the thing I love most about meadow arrangements is their versatility, they can be used in so many ways, here are some suggestions:
Aisle markers - move over piddly pew ends, meadows create beautiful dream like walkways, adding to the natural beauty of your surroundings or bringing the outside in to indoor ceremonies.
Staircase florals - A meadow on every step creates beautiful full and abundant staircase flowers with a stunning natural look.
Ceremony Arcs - Becoming increasingly popular for outdoor weddings and hand fastenings, using a groups of meadows in an arc shape on the ground creates a stunning natural framing for the couple during the ceremony. This option can feel more understated and natural than an arch while still clearly defining an area and creating magical photos.
However the absolutely best thing about meadows is that they can be moved. After the ceremony they can be repositioned to adorn another space at your venue, spacing them closer together or further apart changes the look so suddenly you have two decorations for the price of one (and I bet your guest will not even realise that its the same flowers)! The only con with these arrangements is that you cannot just have one or two and expect to create something impactful, you will need a minimum of 5 -6 to make any sort of a statement on mass, and I can guarantee that your florist will want you to have as many as your purse can afford because we know just how fabulous they are going to look!
5. FLORAL PILLARS
Floral pillars are a great new way of having flowers at height but without the expense of a full flower arch. These pillars are made using tall box stands and stacking one or two on on top of each other to create height or two different heights, the flower arrangement is then designed to look like it is entwining the stand leaving parts of the frame exposed rather than covering it entirely. The great thing with these designs is you can have something that feels really unique and a bit more edgy than a fluffy and romantic flower arch meaning that these will suit venues that have a more industrial or contemporary feel to them. The other great thing about these stands is generally (and depending somewhat on the design) these can be moved; they look great on their own for venue decor or in pairs, and again if you are wanting something that feels more modern then they can be used in groupings with other styling items, such as around welcome signs.
The downside is that there is a limit as to how tall these can be, I would only recommend stacking two stands on top of each other before they feel unstable, and although they may be less in price than a full flower-heavy arch, the popular designs we are seeing tend to still be very flower heavy with minimal foliage and the mechanics need to be covered on all sides of the stand if its going to be away from a wall. The other thing I would say is that in a 'busy' environment these installations could look a bit lost, they are not going to carry the same impact that a broken arch is going to have at the entrance to a church as they could blend a bit in with the stone work due to them not having full coverage, but if its a pop of colour and versatility that you are after, and your venue offers a simple backdrop for them then they do make a great alternative.
I really hope this has been helpful and inspiring reading for you. I would love to know what you would choose to add some floral impact to your wedding day or event, is it one that I have mentioned above or do you have another favourite that I have missed? Please let me know in the comments.
Jen xox
