Don't forget to decorate inside your flower vases

I'm of the opinion that while every flower lover loves a vase, that the vase itself tends to be wasted real estate. Seriously! So let's start using up that vase to make the entire arrangement work hard at looking beautiful.

For example, from a past 25th anniversary celebration, you've got a sprig of yellow cymbidium orchids submerged in water on top of a bed of rocks. Simple, yes? And expensive, too -- a sprig of orchids can run you about $25 each, I believe. Can you imagine an extra $20 per table, in addition to your arrangement. It's just an option, and there are so many more...


Here's another example, from the huge event I stumbled upon in St. Petersburg. Those are pink glass pebbles in the conical vases, and bigger glass pebbles submerged in water below an unlit candle in the cubed vase. Again, simple, high impact, and you add an extra oomph to the decorations. But, wait! There's more!

Photo by Flickr's Flor & Forma

These are really tall, cylindrical vases, but those roses aren't the gargantuan type that would have such straight stems, right? So in the taller vases, it looks as though they wrapped the inside with long, green variegated leaves (meaning, it has the white stripe). I don't remember the name of the leaf, but doesn't it look like that one houseplant so many people have? Simple, huh? The slightly shorter vases look like they've got what could be reeds in it, but I'm not sure. The effect, though, is increased depth and stature to the entire arrangement.

Photo by Flickr's lovyprincess

Fruit is increasingly being incorporated in wedding flower arrangements, and why not? It's cheap, its colorful and its fun. However, I don't know how the acidity of certain fruits, like lemons and limes, might interact with the flowers -- I would imagine that it might decrease the shelf life of the cut flowers, but I have never done an experiment to find out. I'd also recommend possibly working with colorful vegetables, like carrots or eggplant. :) My mom often liked to use green beans.

Photo by Flickr's Tabbi Kat

This might be my favorite vase arrangement. Inside a punch bowl, there's water, some dendrobium orchids, a second vase (presumably filled with another flower arrangement) and a fighting fish! It's awesome. It's fun. And it moves! What a conversation piece. But probably only recommended for the boldest (or most fun loving) of brides.