February 16, 2016
Amazing Floral Wedding Aisle Designs
Brides dream of walking down the aisle on their wedding day. Their ‘perfect moment in time’ should feel absolutely amazing!
As floral designers, we know the pleasure of fulfilling a bride’s dream by decorating her aisle with an abundance of beautiful, fragrant flowers. Fabulous floral aisles like the two shown here can bring a bride’s dream to life. The first aisle was created by Hitomi Gilliam AIFD Tomas De Bruyne and their design students for a workshop, the second, for a wedding, by Bill Schaffer AIFD Kristine Kratt AIFD and their design team.
What design opportunities do amazing wedding aisles present?
When asked to create a breathtaking aisle, Schaffer, Kratt and their design team added modern flair to a traditional space with the addition of all-white forms for a look of floral abundance.
Floral designer Frank Feysa, AIFD, used OASIS Floral Foam Spheres to create textural pew markers in an unexpected form. Working within this really narrow aisle, Frank slightly elongated the orbs to make them fit the space.
Natural vegetative arrangements were designed atop OASIS Sculpting Sheets and banked by layers of soft white rose petals. Easy to design. Easy to deliver. Pedestals were used strategically to alternate the height of the designs giving visual balance to the floral displays.
“I wanted to extend the length of the narrow aisle,” said Bill, “so I placed lanterns on the altar before the large arrangements to expand the visual space.” Large urns filled with 90 centimeter hybrid white delphinium completed the scene.
What does an amazing aisle look like?
We often think of the aisle as simply the petal-strewn path a bride descends to the altar. Actually, the aisle creates the first impression for wedding guests while the repetition of flowers along its length leads their eyes to the ceremony. It’s a preview of things to come!
What design opportunities do amazing wedding aisles present?
- Create a grand entrance for the wedding party and bride.
- Make a memorable first impression for guests.
- Introduce the theme and color harmony of the wedding.
- Open space is utilized to create visual impact with oversized designs.
Hitomi and De Bruyne
Hitomi and De Bruyne hosted the EMC+ Intimate to Ultimate Bridal Decor Workshop in Atlanta in 2015. The two international design artists and their students created stunning designs during the workshop. They decorated the aisles of Saint Philip Episcopal Church, the largest cathedral of this denomination in the U.S. “It was quite spectacular in person,” commented Hitomi. De Bruyne directed the aisle decorations. Each workshop student executed a pair of these large garden arrangements. Double sets were created for each side of the aisle.Why such large scale designs?
“Our main concern with designing in a cathedral of this size was scale, making designs that made enough of a statement with size,” said Hitomi. “Also, with arching branches, the walk down the aisle feels a little more intimate.” Atlanta photographer Adam Linden of Decisive Moments captured the splendid beauty of the floral artwork in a series of photographs.
How’d they do that?
I asked Hitomi about the mechanics for these oversized designs. “The most important consideration with construction this large is solid mechanics,” She said. “Both Tomas and my intent with this workshop was to share solid mechanics which enables installations small to extra-large, thus Intimate to Ultimate, for every designer who at times may lack the confidence for dealing with bigger installations. We believe knowledge is power!” For this design, she said, “the mechanic was a Lomey (Designer) Dish with (OASIS Floral MaxLife) Deluxe foam wrapped in chicken wire.”What other mechanic options could they have used?
The Lomey dishes were attached to the tops of cathedral pew stands. Hitomi suggested that an OASIS Floral Foam Sphere or OASIS Jumbo Cage could have also been placed there to offer the support and water source needed for these sizable designs.Schaffer and Kratt of Schaffer Designs
When asked to create a breathtaking aisle, Schaffer, Kratt and their design team added modern flair to a traditional space with the addition of all-white forms for a look of floral abundance.
Floral designer Frank Feysa, AIFD, used OASIS Floral Foam Spheres to create textural pew markers in an unexpected form. Working within this really narrow aisle, Frank slightly elongated the orbs to make them fit the space.
Prefer a more traditional style?
Schaffer said, “I believe one should ‘go dramatic’ or put your money elsewhere!” The bride loved white lanterns, so Bill highlighted the aisle with concise design displays featuring a collection of white lanterns for visual impact. The all-white motif added a crisp, modern flair to a traditional setting.
Natural vegetative arrangements were designed atop OASIS Sculpting Sheets and banked by layers of soft white rose petals. Easy to design. Easy to deliver. Pedestals were used strategically to alternate the height of the designs giving visual balance to the floral displays.
“I wanted to extend the length of the narrow aisle,” said Bill, “so I placed lanterns on the altar before the large arrangements to expand the visual space.” Large urns filled with 90 centimeter hybrid white delphinium completed the scene.