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Awesome Blossoms — Fantastic Florals for Your Affair

By Pete Nelson, Event Specialist, Event Lab

Rows and rows of flowers are my favorite way to decorate a table for any affair. Why have one centerpiece at a table when you can have dozens? This design gives your floral budget a larger impact and creates a dramatic look for any event.

To pull off this look, you’ll need to stay away from a typical setting of round tables. Many clients are fearful of switching things up and moving towards alternate seating at their events, but trust me, your guests will love sitting at long communal tables decorated with a stunning array of countless arrangements running the entire length of the table. This seating arrangement allows for more conversation and endless possibilities for floral centerpieces. Don’t be afraid to try something new at your next event and let your flowers really shine!

Utilizing this approach at a recent event, we combined long tables dressed in a neutral gray patterned linen with colorful centerpieces using a monochromatic flower of yellow oncidium orchids in white vases. Using a single flower creates a modern and clean look for your table setting.

At another event, we used a neutral linen as a vehicle so that the colorful flowers really popped off the table. We selected several different blooms in an array of pink hues displayed in hundreds of glass vases to create a lush look. A runner of mirrors doubled the impact of the flowers as their reflection made it look like twice the number of arrangements.

Finally, for a holiday party where the client wanted a touch of Paris, we alternated red amaryllis in tall vases with white floral arrangements in fun Chanel perfume looking centerpieces, lining the long tables with votive candles and tall taper candles as accents.

Pete Nelson, Event Designer | Event Lab | pnelson@eventlab.net

Pete Nelson has held several positions throughout the past 23 years. He began his career as Director of Entertainment for a large national events company. He soon found a passion for creative writing which led to a National Sales Manager position, followed by positions as Creative Director, Floral Manager, and Event Designer in Minneapolis and Las Vegas.

Pete has hosted several episodes of “Your Holiday Home” on HGTV and is the proud recipient of The Special Event Gala Award for Best Entertainment Concept & Execution, along with eight Minnesota STAR Awards for “Best Design & Décor”(2), “Best Social Event Planning”, “Best ISES Team Effort”, “Best Creative Solution”, “Best Specialty Décor,” and “Best Use of Floral”(2). He was nominated for the coveted Esprit Award in 2008 and was the Director of the Minnesota STAR Awards in 2010. Pete was inducted into the Minnesota Meetings+Events Magazine's Hall of Fame as Best Special Event Planner and was a finalist for the International Spotlight Award for Event Producer of the Year.