Hi there! It’s Amber here again from Amber Lay Events. This week I have a gorgeous, yet very easy and budget friendly centerpiece idea to share using some of my favorite materials: tulips, curly willow, and rocks! The result? Fresh and earthy floral arrangements with a lot of impact but minimal product – which means money in your pocket… and that’s always a good thing, right?! :)

TULIP & CURLY WILLOW CENTERPIECES

This centerpiece idea has not just 1, but 3 varieties! I always recommend my clients to consider using 2 or 3 variations of their key centerpiece concept at any event. For example, the 3 versions pictured here are unified because each one uses the same materials (yellow tulips, curly willow, clear glass, and rocks). However, the containers vary in size and shape so the look of each version is slightly altered, giving the overall event space a much more interesting look. Have fun recreating these!

TULIP & CURLY WILLOW CENTERPIECES

By: Amber Lay
Photography By: Sonny Sbranti of HWTM

Materials

• Large Bubble Bowl Vase
• 3 Cylinder Vases Descending in Sizes
• 10″ Low Round Vase
• 1 Bunch of Tulips
• 1 Bunch of Curly Willow
• 8 Clear Water Tubes
• Wired Bark
• 2 Bags of Small Smooth Rocks
• Vase of Water
• Floral Knife or Clippers

Step by Step Instructions:

1. As soon as you get your tulips and curly willow home from the market give them a quick cut with either your floral knife or clippers at a 45 degree angle and then place them directly into your vase filled with room temperature water. If your flowers came with plant food go ahead and add that to the water and give it a quick stir before inserting the flowers.

2. Next line the bottom of each vase with some of the rocks. Enough to cover the bottom completely but not more than inch high on the sides.

3. Take a handful of curly willow and wrap it inside the bubble bowl vase. Do the same to the low 10″ round vase. Trimming may be necessary. For the cylinder vases trim the willow to the height of each vase and insert into the rocks.

4.  Remove the cap of each water tube and fill each one half way with water then recap.

5. Take the majority of the tulips leaves off and set aside the big ones.

6. Wrap each water tube with a big leaf and then secure by wrapping the bark wrapped wire in a spiral around each tube.

7. Give each tulip a fresh cut at a 45 degree angle and insert a tulip in each water tube. When doing this for the cylinder vases make sure to measure the tulip to the correct height for each vase before cutting.

8. Now carefully insert 3 tulips in the bubble bowl, 2-3 in the low 10″round vase, and one in each of the 3 cylinder vases. For the bubble bowl vase and the low 10″ round vase be sure the wrap the tulips in the same direction as the willow. The willow will help support the tulip in the position you desire. You can also anchor the water tube in the rocks. The water tubes are already disguised but you can also place the blooms so that the head of one tulip hides the water tube of the tulip next to it. For the cylinder vases simply insert the tulips straight into the vase and again anchor the water tubes in the rocks.

9. You are done assembling your centerpieces! Now place the cylinders in clusters of 3 descending sizes on one table, a bubble bowl on the next, and the low 10″ round on the next. Be sure to evenly separate the varieties throughout the event so that your eye moves around the entire event space. Enjoy!

HELPFUL HINTS:

• Instead of using the water tubes you can fill each vase with water submerging all of the materials. If you decide to this option then don’t submerge the tulips more than 1 day before the event.
• If you decide to go with the water tubes the event set up will be easier because each vase will be lighter and there isn’t any water to spill. However, because each water tube only holds so much water the tulips will only hydrate for a day. Leave the tulips to hydrate in their vase of water until the morning of the event when you can insert them into the water tubes.
• If you have a little more money to play with orchids would be beautiful in these centerpieces! (If you decide to change the flower just remember to get a flower with a flexible stem so that you can easily wrap the florals to fit the curve of each vase.)
• You can also use colored glass for an unexpected and fun change! Just make sure you choose complimentary glass colors the flower color you choose.
• Consider using different sizes and shapes of containers than the ones I chose for a simple twist on this centerpiece idea.

*****

MATERIAL RESOURCES:

• Large Bubble Bowl Vase: Local Floral Market or Store
• 3 Cylinder Vases Descending in Sizes: Local Floral Market or Store
• 10″ Low Round Vase: Local Floral Market or Store
• 2 Bunches of Tulips: Local Floral Market or Store
• 1 Bunch of Curly Willow: Local Floral Market or Store
• 15 Clear Water Tubes: Local Floral Market or Store
• Wired Bark: Local Floral Market or Store
• 2 Bags of Small Smooth Rocks: Local Floral Market or Store
• Floral Knife or Clippers: Local Floral Supply Store