You can scarcely spend any time looking for wedding inspiration on Instagram or Pinterest without seeing a beautiful, breath-taking floral installation suspended in air. And for very good reason. They are a great way to dress up any tent or transform a ballroom. Suspended installations have the power to put a new spin on almost any environment. Most of all, they have the awe-inspiring power to make your wedding ceremony or reception just that little bit more memorable and unique. Stringing greenery across your space is a great way of bringing the outdoors in. Strands of greenery nestled amidst twinkle lights takes you from romantic to full on environment. This is easily one of the hottest trends in floral design and for good reason.
Practical Considerations for a Hanging Floral Installation
Have some elevated dreams but also wondering what it might cost? That is a very important consideration. That impressive, hanging floral installation is going to come with an equally impressive floral price tag. Anything that needs to be hung from the ceiling should not be taken lightly. There is a lot of liability to consider in suspending something above peoples’ heads. As magical as it is to have a lush, floral chandelier above the dance floor, the magic would be dashed in a second if it came crashing down to the floor. This is not a place to skimp – in budget OR experience. You are asking for a great deal of skill and knowledge to engineer something that is not only beautiful, but that won’t (take a deep breath) FALL. We always like to say that you should for at least an extra couple thousand dollars for a suspended floral installation, regardless of how simple the level of materials or flowers appear. That might not be always the case, but it’s a good starting point.
A hanging floral installation tends to be very site specific, and can really vary in size and scope. Some considerations we take into account:
- Are there hanging points in the ceiling to securely rig to? Does the venue allow you to use them? If there is nothing to hang to, either it may not be able to be done, or equipment would need to be brought in to create the rigging points (which might not be so pretty or easy to hide!)
- How tall are the ceilings? Is it accessible with a regular ladder or is a cherry picker? Renting mechanical equipment to get to the ceiling is going to be far more expensive than a ladder, not to mention possibly requiring you to rent more time with the venue.
- How complex of a rigging system is needed for the installation? If you intend for the dance floor with a web of hanging candles, that might require quite a lot of wires and equipment. If the request is simply a hanging a long board, a square of fabric or a square of decorated plywood / 2×4″s for a chuppah top, then it might not be to complicated, and thus less expensive.
- How heavy is the design to be hung? Flowers, and the water/foam they have to go in are very heavy! Are you open to using silks in the design? Can the rigging hold that? Most importantly, how will the structure be engineered so it doesn’t fall on someone’s head? Garland, for example, is less heavy, and can sometimes just be tied to existing structures on walls or ceilings. Naturally vining greenery, like smilax or ruscus, can often be delicately added to lighting you may have at the site.
In the end, if having a hanging centerpiece or ceremony arbor/chuppah is important to you, but the budget for flowers is not unlimited, here are a few key recommendations:
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- Choose your venue with hanging pieces in mind. Look for a venue that can limit some of the issues mentioned above. For an urban affair, look for unfinished warehouse type spaces with exposed pipes/venting, for similar reasons. For a rustic venue, choose a barn, or similar type of structure, with low exposed beams, as those sturdy beams are easy to get to and secure items to. Additionally, some hotels have rigging points already built into their ballrooms. And always, always get permission.
Photo by Love Life Images
Photo by Michelle Lindsay Photography
Photo by Lindsay Mack Photography - Focus your attention. If your budget limits you to one splurge, think about focusing your hanging floral installation in an elegant design over the dance floor or head table. Depending on your venue, a focal point piece can be multifunctional – serving as a ceremony backdrop and later for your head table or sweetheart table at the reception. There is a good chance that by focusing, you can get the look you want without the Kardashian price tag!
Photo by Susie & Becky Abby Grace Photography - Compromise. You love the look of hanging, but a suspended floral centerpiece just isn’t in your budget. How about, instead, a piece that is elevated but not truly suspended? A lavish piece over the head table, for example, might not carry the price tag (and liability) of a suspended floral installation, but still give you that gravity-defying, otherworldly feel.
Kurstin Roe Kurstin Roe Brianna Wilbur Photography Brianna Wilbur Photography
Ashley Cox PhotographyAll photos courtesy Petal’s Edge.
- Choose your venue with hanging pieces in mind. Look for a venue that can limit some of the issues mentioned above. For an urban affair, look for unfinished warehouse type spaces with exposed pipes/venting, for similar reasons. For a rustic venue, choose a barn, or similar type of structure, with low exposed beams, as those sturdy beams are easy to get to and secure items to. Additionally, some hotels have rigging points already built into their ballrooms. And always, always get permission.
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