Nothing fills a space or creates drama in a room better than vaulted or elevated centerpieces. Here is a great photo from one of our events just a few weekends ago. The centerpiece was elevated on a clarinet vase. The vase was filled with limes and the floral arrangement was placed on the top of the vase. The arrangement is created on a clear plastic plate that is not visible when it’s placed on the elevated stand. The plate is easy to transport and easy for guests to take home. When we have 10 or more tables we like to design at least two styles of  florals. If the event space has high ceilings or is very large we often suggest that half of those designs be elevated. This gives the room visual movement, in other words the eye is seeing ups and downs throughout the space and not just a sea of monotony. When a bride wants to walk into her reception room and get that big “ahhh” moment then elevated designs are almost always needed.

Elevated designs can easily be seen from a distance. This above image shows a room that is designed with half high and half low centerpieces. The low centerpieces were designed in 12 by 12 vintage boxes, they were truly large and substantial designs but they simply do not show up in this room shot. The below images are the actual centerpieces from the room shot above.

The disadvantage to elevated designs is the cost, elevated designs are often more expensive than low designs. The height and stature of the vase much be matched by the design, meaning the centerpiece and the amount of flowers used will be substantial. Another disadvantage to the elevated design is that your flowers will be in the air. This is great as guests walk into the space or as guests look around the room once they are seated, but for those guests seated at a table with an elevated design the table itself is often void of flowers. This can be resolved by submerging flowers into the stem of the vase if you are elevating with glass vases or another option is to create small satellite designs.  These small additional designs can be placed at the base of the vase or stand but  this of course adds more cost to the flowers but resolves the issue, this route is by far the fullest and most lush alternative.

High or low centerpieces? The decision you make will have a big impact on the look of your space.

All images taken by photographer Genevieve Leiper.