TUTORIAL - FOAM FREE!
DIY Floral Runner
Amy and Callie will show you how to create a foam-free floral runner, aka long centerpiece, using an acrylic tray and plastic floral frogs. You won't need chicken wire, floral foam, or any addional mechanics to create this stunning addition to your wedding tables!
What You'll Need
- Clear acrylic tray
- Clear plastic pin frogs
- Red Freedom Roses (18-20)
- Red Anthurium (8-10)
- Floral shears
Steps
- Fill the tray with water. You want to do this before adding the frog pins with suction cups.
- Press the floral frog onto the base/floor. Push each pin frog straight down onto the base of your acrylic tray. The benefit of the water already being in the tray is to create suction.
- Leave space. Add your frog pins with even spacing across your tray.
- Add your flowers. Start with your roses. Press the base of each one into the "pins" of your frog. Use varying heights/stem lengths to give your arrangement visual interest.
- Watch your cuts. You want to cut your stems at an angle to maximize the surface area the stem drink from. But angled stems into a pin frog can create instability. Determine the angle of the stem first, then trim to match the parallel angle of the frog.
- Add your Anthurium. After your roses are in place, being adding your anthurium. These can be slightly taller and shorter to add dimension to your design.
- Fill the gaps. Now that most of your stems are placed, step back and notice where you have any holes or gaps. You may use slightly more or slightly less than we did in this tutorial.
- Add extra hydration. Now that everything is in place, make sure your flowers have plenty of water to drink. Add any additional water you may need.
Pro Tips
- You don't need a ton of different varieties to make a beautiful arrangement. Just using two like we did here can make a stunning floral design.
- Avoid a wall of flowers. Use different heights to give your design dimension and interest.
- The pin frogs should be secure enough to travel with your arrangement. Drive carefully to your final destination.
- Save a few blooms. If you have an extra stems, take them with your to the final location. Then you can backfill to cover any bare spots that may be present after transporting your design.
Common Mistakes
- Placing every stem at the same height on along the same plane. Trim some flowers shorter, keep others longer. This creates a more interesting design.
- Cramming and jamming. Adding as many stems as possible isn't necessary. Give your flowers some breathing room.
- Using weird angles. Trim your stems at an angle, but make sure they're sitting securely into the pin frog.
What's a pin frog?
A pin frog is a small plastic or metal base with sharp prongs designed to hold flower stems. The clear plastic ones in this tutorial have plastic suction cups to make attachment a breeze. Traditional brass frogs need to be attached with floral putty.
Do pin frogs require floral foam?
Nope! Traditional pin frogs require something to attach them to the base of the vessel. The pin frogs we used in this tutorial are plastic and have suction cups on the bottom to hold them in place.
How do I attach a pin frog?
Add the water to your vessel first, then press the suction cups of your pin frog firmly onto the base of your vessel. If you need to reposition one, using something like a spoon makes it easier to un-suction the suction cups.
How long do floral runners in an acrylic tray take to make?
The one in this tutorial took about 10-15 minutes, but the amount of time it takes will depend on how large you make your arrangement and how many flowers you use.
How much does this arrangement cost to make?
At the time of filming this tutorial, the cost of the flowers used was $60-70. The acrylic tray was in the $30-35 range and is reusable.
Are floral runners good for DIY weddings?
Absolutely! This is a wonderful and simple way to create a centerpiece for your DIY wedding!
