Newbie!

mrsnana

Hello Ladies and Congrats to all! I am new to the boards and we are having our wedding ceremony on June 25 2011.

 I have been priced quotes for flowers and for my centerpieces alone they want 300 per centerpiece. WHew to expensive for me. So I wanted to try and make them. However I don't know what type of materials i need to do this. I know I need a flower foam ball but it doesn't seem like 8" one is big enough.(that's the largest size i can find) It's for a 60" round table. and then I don't want the round circle flower pomander ball look, i want the half circle look like in the pic. What size floral foam ball do i need and do i need a half one or what?  what material do florists use to make the HUGE floral centerpieces like this?
http://tiny.cc/oiipf

sorry so many questions.
Thanks


But here is what I want
http://tiny.cc/mwscd
http://tiny.cc/joumu
But in a vase http://tiny.cc/ecrcs
thanks and congrats to all again.

jagore08

They wanted $300 for that?!  Did you ask other florists?  That just seems absurd.  

mrsnana

Yeah! I asked other florists and the cheapest was $150 but it would be way smaller.

suz62984

I can see those being more expensive; however not $300 expensive! Get other quotes. I interviewed 7 florists before nailing down one. Also, maybe you could do these yourself. It doesn't seem that hard.

I think 8" will be just fine. If you want the ball smaller you just use shorter stems. If you want it larger, use longer stems. I've never seen oasis spheres larger than 8". Check out places like Costco, Sam's Club, fiftyflowers.com, etc. for wholesale flowers; price them before deciding to DIY or go with a florist.

Catwoman708

I assume you want fresh flowers, a round "mass" of flowers, in a vase. 

If it's a clear vase, you either just put a many flowers stems in a vase as you can,  or make an arrangement in a foam container that is placed on top of the vase.  If you want the arrangement bigger, you have to use more flowers (will be more expensive), more filler or accent flowers (a little more expensive), or more greenery (fairly cheap way to get the arrangement bigger).

If it's an opaque vase, you just fill it with a brick or partial brick of Oasis wet foam.  The special shapes of foam will cost more, the bricks are cheaper and can be cut to fit the container.  The greenery or blooms will cover or hide the foam.
 
If you want to learn how to DIY, there are some tutorials on You Tube, or you might find a class, a book, or someone that would give you a lesson or two.  You migtht try floral department personnel at grocery stores, Sam's, Costco or some craft stores offer low cost classes from time to time.

 all blooms

 Roses and alstromeria as filler

  
 Types of foam containers