Floating Woodland Tablescape
If you haven’t noticed, hanging floral installations are having a serious moment in event and home decor. Centerpieces are no longer for just tabletops. Floral installations, floating centerpieces, and anything that draws your eyes upward is all the rage these days, and I am here for it!
Taking centerpieces to new heights
Backstory: I was put in charge of my brother and his fiancés’ bridal shower decor (what an honor!). Lucky for them, I have a massive library of floral-based event decor projects and ideas that I’ve been dying to execute. This was my first go-around at working with a floating tablescape and I think it turned out really well.
I created this floating tablescape using an over-the-table rod, fresh greenery and flowers, grapevine, string lights, and lots of creativity. Here, I’ll take you through all the steps, materials, and tricks to make your own floating tablescape.
Materials needed
3 bunches of baby's breath
3 bunches of eucalyptus
1 hypericum berry
2 bunches of olive branch
3 large pieces of grapevine
(All flowers and greens were purchased at Trader Joe’s)
Important: do not use wire directly on the table rod, as it will scratch the paint right off. Use a wrapped wire with a soft coating of some sort to protect the rod. What I have linked above will work great (natural vine-wrapped wire).
How to make a floating woodland tablescape
Define a shape
I started by adding two grapevine pieces that I felt had "good corners". I wanted to accentuate the ends of the rod, making the structure appear larger and hang over the ends. I gave the left corner a fanned-out look, giving the piece more height while letting the right side cascade down the rod. Find a shape that works for you and the materials you have, as well as the vibe of the event.
Attach the grapevine to the rod with natural, vine-wrapped wire.
This is one of those projects where you have to step back every few minutes to see where you're at; sometimes less is more, sometimes you need a little more to give it the right shape, etc. Either way, there is a balance to be found when creating floral installations.
2. Secure with lights and wire
Next, wrap the string lights around the rod and down the sides. I used string lights that were bendable for more control. They were perfect for this project and helped anchor the grapevine and greenery to the rod.
3. Pre-assemble bunches of greenery and flowers
I assembled 3-4 stems of greenery in varying heights, clipped and bound them together with floral wire, then tucked them under the light strand. I found it easier to pre-arrange the greens in bunches as opposed to placing one stem at a time and trying to achieve a tiered look, as they get mangled and lose leaves the more you mess with them. Pre-arranging stems in bunches allow you to achieve that seamless layered look. My favorite “bunch” recipe: 2 stems baby’s breath + 1 stem olive branch + 1 stem seeded eucalyptus.
Tip: save yourself the time of individually attaching each bunch to the rod by instead, twisting wired (bendable) string lights around the rod providing a place to tuck and stuff the stems. Not only does this save time, but the less wire and tape used will result in a better-looking arrangement.
4. Fill until the desired shape is achieved
Continue stuffing the rod with floral bunches while aiming to follow the shape of the grapevine.
If you don’t have access to grapevine, don’t worry, you can create a similar look by twisting pieces of curly willow together. Willow is cheap and available year-round at most local grocery stores, making it a great alternative to grapevine while still giving the same naturalistic look.
I went through one last time to adjust any loose pieces and twist the lights back through the flowers so they were visible again (they get pretty squished during the flower stuffing process). I also added a few stems of hypericum berry in the corners for a pop of color.
Lastly, I filled floral tubes with water and stuck them on the ends of the stems keeping them nice and hydrated before the event. Since most of the stems were facing the back of the rod, they remained hidden.
This tablescape is enchanting, whimsical, and appropriate for all event types; from a Mother’s Day brunch to a bridal shower, or even a simple dinner party with friends, a floating centerpiece like this is sure to be the talk of the town. Stay tuned to see how I turned this tablescape into a seating chart for the wedding!
