You Need a Focal Point in Your Wedding Flowers

Aug 26
09:25

2009

Nadine Visscher

Nadine Visscher

  • Share this article on Facebook
  • Share this article on Twitter
  • Share this article on Linkedin

Every wedding bouquet or arrangement needs a focal point. It needs an area that says, "Hey, look at me!" That area needs to be noticeable enough that your eye rests there first when you look at it.

mediaimage
  Every wedding bouquet or arrangement needs a focal point.  It needs an area that says,You Need a Focal Point in Your Wedding Flowers Articles "Hey, look at me!"  That area needs to be special or unique in some way so it catches your attention.  It needs to be noticeable enough that your eye rests there first when you look at it.

Often in traditional designs, the focal point is lower in the design, usually near the bottom edge.  This focal area is then balanced by other areas leading your eye to the focus.

You can use your focal point to connect 2 different areas of your arrangement.  For example, you could have some tall delphinium that need to blend in with a more horizontal bed of chrysanthemums.  You could create a focus with gerbera daisies of varying heights to pull the arrangement together to create harmony and unity.

If you prefer contemporary designs, you can put your focal point almost anywhere.  All you need to do is have a flower set apart from the others and - voilà - there is your focus.  You can have more than one focal point, but if you have too many, it becomes confusing.

You can create your focal point using different techniques.

1.  Color  -  Color contrast attracts attention.
  • Darker shades look"heavier" and therefore should be placed closer to the bottom whereas lighter shades look"lighter" and so should be at the out edges.
  • If you use a color in only one area of your design, that will also catch your eye.
  • You can contrast warm and cool colors.  Bright, warm colors are "louder" so they are more noticeable than cool colors.
2.  Size  -  Larger, more wide-open blooms catch your eye more than smaller, closed buds/blooms.
3.  Shape and Pattern  -  Uniquely shaped flowers and foliage such as birds of paradise or elephant's ear naturally draw your eye to them.
4.  Spacing  -  You can create a focal point in your bouquet by spacing your flowers differently.  You can mass them together in one area and have them further apart in other areas.  Your eye will travel to the cluster of flowers.
5.  Texture  -  Coarse, rough textures (such as on wood or moss) pull your eye toward them
6.  Accessories  -  Using special added items such as candles or figurines create interest.
7.  Isolation  - This is where you separate one flower or one type of flower from the rest of the flowers within your bouquet.  This gives these flowers visual "importance".

Do not try too hard when you create your focal point.  It can't be overwhelming.  It has to flower with the rest of your design and it has to be a natural part of your bouquet or arrangement as a whole.