Bring life to weddings and other events with, yes, casket saddles!

When we created arrangements for a friend's son's wedding last summer, we had a challenge: attach large arrangements to a metal banister rail going up the center of a staircase. We needed to create the arrangements ahead of time, transport them several hours to the site, keep them fresh and beautiful, carry them in and then easily and securely attach them to the rail. The solution? Casket saddles. That's right. You can see the results below. And I can tell you the client was ecstatic.

Results from necessity

Many of the "engineering" solutions I've learned in three decades as a florist come from times when I don't have what I need or expect to have and I have to use something else. This seems to happen when doing shows or creating arrangements away from workshop when there is no time to find the "perfect" solution. So I've learned to look at what a product is and does rather than what it is called or what someone else thinks it should be used for.

The show must go on

The arrangement must be delivered. The audience must be captivated, the client impressed. Guess what? I enjoy these moments! Often, the results are an improvement that becomes part of our standard design tool box.

It's an any-event saddle

I think the casket saddle (see them here on oasisfloralproducts.com) should just be called a saddle. It has plenty of foam to hold water, a cage for structure, a curved underside for resting on shapes and the edges of the tray are excellent for carrying. It's perfect for many uses, especially when the moment requires attaching a flower arrangement to something that's immovable or unavailable when and where you're creating your design.

Use what works for you

Likewise, we often use bouquet holders for many events other than weddings. You can create two or three dozen arrangements to drop into a planter or skinny neck vases, for instance. With the foam, you've already got water to keep those flower fresh and the handle becomes like a pick! My suggestion is to use what works for you. If the name bothers you, call it something else! Have fun and create beautiful designs that brighten the world and please you and your audience.