How to Make Centerpieces Where the Flower Floats

Large flowers float well for centerpieces.

Floating flower centerpieces are growing in popularity and adorning the tables of many wedding receptions. These easy-to-create centerpieces can be put together by the bride and her wedding party without much hassle -- it’s not necessary to hire an expensive professional for the sake of gorgeous centerpieces. As long as you order the flowers early enough and buy the correct amount of display containers, creating these centerpieces should be quick and easy to arrange.

Things You'll Need

• Flowers, real or fake
• Display bowls, vases or glasses
• Fresh water, tap or distilled
• Scissors
• Orchid stems
• Hibiscus berries
• Cherry blossom branches
• Tall vases, square or cylindrical
• Food coloring
• Rose petals
• Floating candles
• Floral foam
• Dish, 7 inches wide
• Decorative leaves
• Fishing line
• Fishing sinkers
• Sand

Instructions

1. Fill a clear glass bowl or vase with fresh, cool water. For a more unique wedding, think outside the box for this step. Even large fish bowls or oversized wine glasses can be used to float flowers.

2. Choose either real or latex flowers. Larger flowers, such as daisies or lilies, work best for this type of centerpiece. Trim the stems close to the flower head and place the flowers in the water. Avoid placing too many flowers in each vase or bowl, which can make the centerpiece look overcrowded.

3. Enhance the centerpiece with elements such as orchid stems, hibiscus berries or cherry blossom branches. Use tall vases, either square or cylindrical, if your centerpiece includes long stems or branches.

4. Add a few drops of food coloring to the water to add color to your centerpieces.

5. Scatter rose petals around the floating flowers, either in the bowl or on the table. Add floating candles along with the flowers in the centerpiece.

6. Create flowers that appear to "float" on the table runner by cutting floral foam to fit a 7-inch-wide dish and then adding water to the dish. Push the stems of decorative leaves into the foam. Trim the stems of three large flowers and stick them into the foam as well, positioning the flowers on top of the leaves.

Tips & Warnings

• Submerge flowers or branches in water by tying fishing line around the stems or branches and tying the other end of the line to fishing sinkers to hold the flowers and branches under the water. Hide the sinkers with sand or gravel. Place floating flowers on top of the water.

• Tap water will create bubbles while distilled water will not. Play around with both types of water to determine whether or not bubbles will look best with the centerpiece.

References

• Martha Stewart Weddings: Floating Flowers Centerpiece How To
• Do It Yourself Weddings: Cheap Wedding Centerpiece Ideas
• DIY Wedding: Submerged Underwater Flower Centerpieces Instructions