Design/mechanics help please...

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rewolf

rewolf

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Jul 4, 2007
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chatham
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Need help with my mechanics. Will be doing several tall centerpieces.

Arrangement will sit on top of glass trumpet or cylinder. Water filled vase with submerged cymb. inside. Pretty basic. But the Bride wants the stems of the top arrangement to show in the water. Does not want arrangement designed in dish/foam placed on top of trumpet. (She's organic) Hence, my mechanics problem.
What is the easiest way to create this type of arrangement with the stems protruding into the water only about 4-5". How do I create it at my studio, transport it outside its container, plunk it back in the container at the wedding and have it hold its shape? I appreciate any and all input...:boggles:
 
you need to make an armature. Since she's "organic" I'd use sweet huck, my new favorite thing BTW! you can place the armature on top of the cylindar and create your design through it and still get a nice shape to your design. That's what I'd do anyway. I'm sure someone will post a better plan than me.
 
I would just create the designs in the vase and then bind the stems with bark or raffia covered wire to secure them plus, bonus, it's organic looking! Once you have bound the stems just drop them in a shorter vase for cooler storage and transport and then fill the trumpets and pop the handtied bouquets back into them at the reception site.

Best Wishes!
 
no girl.

you place the armature on top of the vase. I have also used twig balls. I placed them on top of vases and ran my flowers through the ball.

As far as the sweet huck goes, I would make a flat disk like armature. It will make it easy for you to "lace" the flowers together. as far as transporting, it would be just as easy to put them in a shorter vase because your stems are already short. I would probably assemble the rest of the arrangement on site and then top it there so your water will stay clear.

remember, the guests will be able to look up and see the mechanics of your design.
binding it is an idea but i think it would look better with the armature, just because you wont see the binding. the armature is your binding so to speak.

both ideas will work, I usually like to do things that non florists don't have a clue how to do. And i mean no offense to felicity with that comment. I just get annoyed by wedding planners who think they can shove a bunch of roses together in a wad, can call it a "bridal bouquet" or a "centerpiece" and they are always so quick to cut the florist out of the budget.

they can't cut me out if they don't know how to do it!!

ask CHR, she's a genius, I'm sure she'll have a WAY better idea then me. RWK is super smart too.

When is your wedding???
 
shannonlovesflowers said:
no girl.

you place the armature on top of the vase. I have also used twig balls. I placed them on top of vases and ran my flowers through the ball.

As far as the sweet huck goes, I would make a flat disk like armature. It will make it easy for you to "lace" the flowers together. as far as transporting, it would be just as easy to put them in a shorter vase because your stems are already short. I would probably assemble the rest of the arrangement on site and then top it there so your water will stay clear.

remember, the guests will be able to look up and see the mechanics of your design.
binding it is an idea but i think it would look better with the armature, just because you wont see the binding. the armature is your binding so to speak.

both ideas will work, I usually like to do things that non florists don't have a clue how to do. And i mean no offense to felicity with that comment. I just get annoyed by wedding planners who think they can shove a bunch of roses together in a wad, can call it a "bridal bouquet" or a "centerpiece" and they are always so quick to cut the florist out of the budget.

they can't cut me out if they don't know how to do it!!

ask CHR, she's a genius, I'm sure she'll have a WAY better idea then me. RWK is super smart too.

When is your wedding???
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Shannon,

I can't take offense to your comment because I'm a full time floral artist/owner - not a wedding planner. I just wanted to throw out an idea that would be cost effective and not time consuming. Your idea was just great and I've made curly willow arms for just about every single wedding that I've done lately but, that's an expensive option when curly is 10 bucks/ bunch here and it takes a bunch to create the look. If price weren't an issue that would have been my suggestion.

Anyway, the point of my suggestion was that no one would ever see it but, it would make easy transport of the centerpieces.
 
right on felicity!

I think the armature would be better to be made from sweet huck rather than curly willow though. and the look is really groovy. quick and easy! I guess I missed that price was an issue.

BTW I didn't hink you were a wedding planner! :)
 
shannonlovesflowers said:
right on felicity!

I think the armature would be better to be made from sweet huck rather than curly willow though. and the look is really groovy. quick and easy! I guess I missed that price was an issue.

BTW I didn't hink you were a wedding planner! :)
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Nah, she didn't say $$ was an issue but, whenever I make a suggestion and the budget isn't mentioned I always assume that price is a factor but, God I love it when it's not ;)

Personally, I love bittersweet and callicarpa and don't really care that much for sweet huck but that's what rocks about this forum is that we all have different likes and dislikes so we can all give great advice and suggestions.

I'm sure rewolf will come up with something rockin'.
 
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Rewolf, why don't you simply make a handtied spiral bouquet? it could be compact or airy or even cascading.......
 
shannonlovesflowers said:
...
When is your wedding???
Click to expand...
The wedding is mid-july

felicityflowers said:
Nah, she didn't say $$ was an issue but, whenever I make a suggestion and the budget isn't mentioned I always assume that price is a factor
Click to expand...
$175 per centerpiece. Money is always an issue for me...

sklepikova said:
Rewolf, why don't you simply make a handtied spiral bouquet? it could be compact or airy or even cascading.......
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Because this is a very large wedding and I need the simpliest way for my staff to make beautiful round arrangements. I'm afraid if they all apply the hand-tied spiral method that I will be busy tweaking their end-product and I won't have time for that.
 
One thing I've seen done is to tie 5 large calla lilies in the middle of the stems (leave the stems as long as possible) and lie them right on top of the vase, or cut at an angle and have them "balance" just in the inside of the vase with the stems barely in there and the head of the calla lilies out at a >90 angle.

This would slove any transport issue and would make the set up really easy. Plus it would give it a really clean and modern look, if that's what the bride is into!

Good luck!
 
I would also like to mention this, on the water issue in the large vase,be very careful on this, and also make sure that there is no pad on the table, and if you do put water in them, put it in your contract that you are not resposiable for this if a wonderful guest has way to much to drink and knocks into the table, it will be a big arse mess. and I am stating this, because of a shop that I know did the sumerged orchids, and well lets say the guests/site were not aleast happy, I have to say, I do this with the creating of the look of but no water just a tad in the bottom. Just cover all bases on this, and it will work out fine for you..
 
After a very long and rough Mother's day and a well deserved day of sheer rest, I can finally turn my attention to this dilemma.

The bride wants the stems to show in the vase........Depending on how large the mouth of the vase is, I would use a large vine orb......insert the flowers through the orb into the vase.......after completion, tie it off as though it were a handtied, and go from there.

I think you rewolf said the vases you were going to use are cylinders......if you want a more modern feel, take this idea and adapt it. We recently did a large party and the vases were these 42 inch tall giant chanpagne flutes from accent decor. We make a cone shape fram of bamboo split into fourths and topped with a circle of bamboo and grapevine........placed that structure into the vase and draped string of dendrobium florets alternating with origami cranes.

You could make an extension of the cylinder with your frame at the top and use that as an armature......especially if you incude some draping cyms the same color as the submerged orchids.
 
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RWK said:
After a very long and rough Mother's day and a well deserved day of sheer rest, I can finally turn my attention to this dilemma.

The bride wants the stems to show in the vase........Depending on how large the mouth of the vase is, I would use a large vine orb......insert the flowers through the orb into the vase.......after completion, tie it off as though it were a handtied, and go from there.

I think you rewolf said the vases you were going to use are cylinders......if you want a more modern feel, take this idea and adapt it. We recently did a large party and the vases were these 42 inch tall giant chanpagne flutes from accent decor. We make a cone shape fram of bamboo split into fourths and topped with a circle of bamboo and grapevine........placed that structure into the vase and draped string of dendrobium florets alternating with origami cranes.

You could make an extension of the cylinder with your frame at the top and use that as an armature......especially if you incude some draping cyms the same color as the submerged orchids.
Click to expand...
I guess "vine orb" does sound better than "twig ball"!! ;)
 
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Lally's Bouquet said:
One thing I've seen done is to tie 5 large calla lilies in the middle of the stems (leave the stems as long as possible) and lie them right on top of the vase, or cut at an angle and have them "balance" just in the inside of the vase with the stems barely in there and the head of the calla lilies out at a >90 angle.

This would slove any transport issue and would make the set up really easy. Plus it would give it a really clean and modern look, if that's what the bride is into!

Good luck!
Click to expand...

Seen an example of this on http://www.fourseasons.com/paris/photo_gallery/
The 3rd pic in the gallery shows this technique, no close ups though.

If you are worried about having water to the top you could just use a bit in the bottom for the cymbid inside the vase, add some pebbles or something for weight, especially if you place an armature or something on the top. You could cold-glue cymbids to the armature or frame or dangle them. They hold up just fine out of water for an event. What sort of natural materials to make armatures/frames are available in your area at that time of year? Have you sketched out all your ideas?
 
The head designer at the Four Seasons hotel in Paris is a wonderful talented guy. His name is Jeff Leatham. He does some incredible work. I believe Florists Review library has some of his books for sale. Great stuff for sheer inpiration.
 
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