Chair Back Floral Decorations

In the 21st century everyone loves floral chairbacks. They are now a very popular choice for civil wedding ceremonies or special occasions and are certainly one of the most effective ways of making a venue look very striking.

Certainly the increasing trend for civil ceremonies amongst newlyweds has increased the demand for chairbacks. A lot of the time the venues for these ceremonies are grand but the room where the wedding is taking place can sometimes be quite bland.

Add a stunning chairback to complement the other venue flowers and hey presto you have created an elegant and very pretty effect. You certainly shouldn't just limit their use to the grander occasions. A simple floral chairback is a lovely special touch to brighten up drab boring chairs at a dinner party.

Style

The style of chairbacks can vary enormously depending on the theme of the wedding but generally they tend to be of two types.

Traditional Chairback

If you want your wedding or formal event to be traditional, the flowers are generally packed very tight together with lots of flat foliage. The design is usually triangular or teardrop. Ribbon can be added for extra interest. This design can be created using a foam holder. (Ideal materials include: chrysanthemums, carnations, roses, lisianthus, Lily of the Valley, gypsophyllia, hypericum and hedera.)

Modern Chairback

Generally if the venue is modern or you are requiring just a smaller chairback for a dinner party and want instant impact, then this style is ideal. The flowers are generally very striking and bright and usually widely spaced with larger foliage. The design is usually tied together simply with twine before being attached directly onto to the chair, or onto a material slip cover with strong binding wire. (Ideal materials include: lilies, gerbera, achillia, roses, bear grass, fatsia leaves and hedera).

Creating a Traditional Chairback

Before you start there are a couple of important things to remember:

• Make sure the chair is suitable to hang your arrangement

• And ensure your arrangement isn't too wide for the chair and doesn't bump into the chair back next door! A crowded effect is not attractive!

Materials Used

Specially made plastic tray with handle for hanging sometimes known as a shovel; block of floral foam and roll of pot tape; florists scissors (all usually available from any good florist); ball of twine; three large roses; five stems of lisianthus; five small headed chrysanthemums; four stems of soft ruscus; four stems of hard ruscus; two stems of wax flower, two stems of hypericum; fern.

Method

• Cut the floral foam to fit the plastic block. Slightly dampen the foam. DO NOT saturate it as this could lead to it dripping! Place foam in the block securing with pot tape which is placed from corner to corner in a cross pattern and stuck underneath the plastic container.

• Insert the twine through the handle ready for hanging.

• Lay out your foliage and flower materials and clean off any thorns from the roses and unwanted leaves from the other flowers and foliage

• Start creating an outline for the teardrop shape by inserting the soft ruscus into the foam. Make sure that the foliage at the top covers the handle. Add some more foliage to start filling in the outline.

  

• Place the first rose upright at the top of the foam. In a downwards line place the second (and focal rose) in the middle slightly recessed into the foam. The third rose should be placed facing downwards at the bottom of the foam.

• Put in a line of lisianthus flowing from left to right as you look at the chairback. Add a line of wax flower from right to left.

• Fill in the recesses around the focal flower with heads of chrysanthemum and hypericum.

• Infill the design using any remaining materials using some of the outline foliage in the centre to avoid a collar like effect from one material.

• You are now ready to attach your chairback using the strong twine.

The secret to the success of a floral chairback really is in choosing the right flowers and foliage which complement the venue or theme. Provided you have used good quality materials which are well watered, they can be made in advance to save time - particularly if you are doing a wedding or formal occasion - and just hung in position at the venue.