A Fresh Floral Wall Offers a Unique Way to Enhance a Celebration of Life Experience

Our Tip of the Month

Flowers are a classic element at memorial services, and a unique way to bring their soothing, mood-lifting qualities to a ceremony is by creating a fresh floral design on the blank walls of the venue. It serves as decoration and a floral display all in one. It’s also a beautiful way to construct a modern-memorial look and feel on a limited budget without the results feeling like a budget effort.

A floral wall design can be perfect for a home or empty room, transforming the space into a special place. Attendees will love this decoration, which creates a feeling of warmth.

How-To Suggestions

Select flowers to work with the existing space. Be sure the flowers or greens are not too heavy or thick-stemmed for a non-residue tape, such as masking tape, to hold the stems on the walls. If the walls are white then anything goes. If the walls are colored, then select the flowers to work with that color, be it a contrast or monochromatic.

You may also consider a color theme that is in keeping with the honoree’s personality or favorite color. Consider using all the same flowers or a variety, which could include a leafy green. If it’s an event for a man, using all greens can be a way to make the wall display more masculine. Keep in mind that some flowers are sturdier than others, allowing them to hold their fresh appearance through the service. Inquire at a flower shop as to the hardiness of your selection.

Materials

* Fresh flowers or greens
* Sharp floral shears
* Small deep bowl of water
* Non-residue tape – white cleanroom tape, masking tape or Scotch’s Magic Tape
* Sharp scissors
* Tape measure
* Pencil
* Large level

Steps

1. Determine the length of the flowers for the wall.
   2. Decide how you’d like the flowers to be placed on the wall — randomly spaced as shown in the images here or on a measured grid. If you chose to place them on a grid, decide how far apart to mount them by marking each spot with a piece of painter’s tape. Use a tape measure to start from the top of the wall to measure and mark with tape or pencil. Use a level to space the locations in a straight line.
   3. Measure each flower stem before cutting to make sure they’re all uniform.
2. If applying tape as a decoration, use scissors for a clean professional look. Cut straight or at an angle, just be consistent.

Tips

To keep the flowers or greens fresh longer, cut the stems under water with floral shears. It makes a significant difference in how long they will last before wilting.

Use colored painter’s tape to add a fun edge or make the wall display more colorful for a teen or child or person who loved color. Painter’s tape comes in limited colors of blue, green and lavender.

You may opt to apply flowers on one feature wall to accent the ceremony or as a backdrop for the eulogy. This may be the best approach to avoid overdoing the effect. It is recommended that the full wall have flowers top to bottom and side to side. Consider a basket or platter of the same stemmed flowers with a ribbon tied around each stem for guests as a keepsake. Have them at the entrance for guests to take one as they arrive or depart. Consider a special note threaded onto the ribbon. Use blank cards to hand write a lasting message. Punch a hole to thread the ribbon through. This floral wall will not only be a beautiful display but also feel like a lovely hug for guests at your memorial ceremony.