Organiser's Guide - Flowers

Venue Review of Organiser's Guide - Flowers

Floral arrangements give any event a lift – but put a little thought into what you need before calling the florist.

Everyone loves flowers. They’re beautiful, soul-affirming and can create a big impact at events. Sadly, they can also be very expensive. If you don’t hold back on the floral arrangements, a large chunk of your budget will disappear quicker than you can say ‘hydrangea’.

The key is to maximise your spend to create the biggest impact with minimal outlay. One huge flower arrangement will get noticed more than three small ones, so ask yourself whether you really need impressive flower displays in the reception area, where guests will be more focused on finding the cloakroom or picking up a name badge. It’s a given that table centres for a sit-down event have to be stunning, but do they really need to be so big that guests are hidden behind them? Seasonal flowers are invariably the best value. In late autumn and early spring, consider amaryllis; in late spring, pussy willow or forsythia. In summer, you’ll be overwhelmed with options that won’t break the bank.

Think about how long the arrangements will have to survive. If you’re organising a conference or event that lasts a few days, opt for long-living blooms such as orchids or hilconia, and avoid peonies, which have petals that not only shed fairly quickly, but also stain carpets once they’ve been trodden on. Check out the venue’s rule book – some historic houses won’t allow you to use water to keep your flower arrangements fresh and might be fussy about pollen, too.

Don’t pick your flowers without taking the venue’s style and decor into account. If the walls are blue, blue flowers will ‘disappear’. Go instead for creams, greens, or even yellow and pink. How high are the ceilings? If it’s a tall room, go for tall displays, or you risk having arrangements that look as if they’re ‘sinking’ into tables. And make sure your vases don’t let your flowers down – any florist will tell you that successful flower arranging is all about the props. Think beyond the visual impact – consider the flowers’ scent, too. English roses, lilly of the valley and herbs such as thyme or rosemary will create a wonderful aroma in smaller rooms.

Finally, if you’ve got the budget, look past table centres and free-standing arrangements to play around with floral arches, statues draped in vines and mini indoor garden areas with carpets of fake grass. A good specialist events florist will relish the challenge and have plenty of fun suggestions for you.