How to Make a Floating Flower Centerpiece

Flowers and petals can be floated to make a centerpiece.

Wedding centerpieces are must-have essentials on any bridal checklist. However, ordering a ton of flowers and having a professional create several centerpieces can get pretty pricey. An inexpensive alternative is to put together do-it-yourself centerpieces. Floating flower centerpieces are one of the easiest, cheapest ways to go. Each vase or bowl only needs a handful of flowers and some water. Choose flowers that coordinate with the wedding colors, shop around for a great deal on display bowls and get more bang for your buck overall.

Things You'll Need

• Flowers
• Shallow bowls or vases
• Distilled water
• Scissors
• Floating candles or tea lights
• Faux flowers
• Tall bowls or vases
• Stainless steel washers
• Fishing line
• Small rocks
• Mirror

Instructions

1. Fill the bowls or vases with water. To avoid any bubbles in the centerpiece, use distilled water. However, if the bride and groom want bubbles, regular tap water can be used.

2. Cut the stems of your flowers short, and place up to five flowers in the water-filled bowls.

3. Place a few floating candles in the bowls. These candles can be used over and over again, so be sure to save them for a future centerpiece. Tea light candles also work well for this project and can be less expensive than floating candles.

4. Completely submerge either fresh or faux flowers in a water-filled vase to create a different type of floating flower display. Tie a stainless steel washer to the stem using fishing line, and cover the washers with small rocks on the bottom of the vase. Submerged flowers look best in either tall vases or fish bowls instead of short vases.

5. Position a mirror underneath the centerpiece to add dimension to the arrangement.

Tips & Warnings

• Clear glass bowls and vases work well for floating flower displays. More creative ideas can be used too--for example, float flowers in wide martini glasses.

• Large blooms work best for this type of flower display.

• Both fresh and fake flowers have their own perks and drawbacks. Fresh flowers are nicer to look at, and some are scented; but they won’t last long. If using real flowers, the centerpiece will have to be put together no more than 24 hours before the reception. Faux flowers are easier to work with, but any frayed ends will become more obvious once the flowers are placed in water. Also, faux flowers need to be tested first to ensure that the colors won’t bleed when wet.

• While the centerpieces may seem easy to put together, they’ll most likely take more time than expected. Avoid having to rush on the day of the wedding, and get everything in place at least by the day before.

References

• Save on Crafts: Floating Candles & Flowers
• Wedding Channel: Do It Yourself
• DIY Wedding: Submerged Underwater Flower Centerpieces Instructions