Standing sprays are a beautiful way to celebrate the life of someone who has died. They provide an opportunity for those who knew and loved them to pay tribute to their memory in a way that also allows everyone present to witness their final farewells in one place, rather than spread out among friends and family individually.
Standing sprays are also known as funeral sprays or memorial sprigs, and they are often seen at military funerals. Typically, standing sprays are placed on either side of the casket or urn at a funeral service, so that all attendees can see them clearly from wherever they are seated.
Here is some tips how you can do exactly that.
Plan And Prep
The first thing you need to do is plan and prep. This includes selecting a theme for your standing spray, choosing the plants you want to include, deciding how long you want it to be, and so on. It may also involve buying or borrowing flowers that are in season.
Use Flowers With A Dark Hue
Floral designers will often use dark-colored flowers in standing sprays, because they contrast nicely with the natural colors found throughout the spray. They also provide a touch of elegance. By using dark-colored flowers in your standing spray, you will be able to create a sense of depth in your arrangement.
Include Greenery In The Spray
When you are creating your standing spray, make it look like the greenery is protruding outwards instead of sticking straight up.
To do this, start with a base that is wider than the diameter of your spray. This can be a flower pot, bucket, or other container.
Next, fill the container with dirt or moss and then place your flowers on top of it. You want to make sure that a majority of the flowers are sticking up and not just laying flat on top of the soil.
Holding Your Spray You can also give your standing spray depth by holding it in the air while you are walking down the aisle to pay your final respects. When you get to where it will set, hold up your spray so that it extends over people who are seated in front of it.
This will make all who attend feel as if they can extend their condolences for a moment and see something beautiful as they do so.
Add Dried Leaves And Acorns
The best way to give your standing spray more depth is to add dried leaves and acorns. These will help fill empty space and add visual interest.
Use Ribbon To Build Height
If you are going to be using a standing spray at a funeral, then you will want it to look as real as possible. That’s why the first thing you should do is use ribbon to build height. This will make your spray more realistic and give it depth.
You can start by taking a spool of ribbon and doubling it over so that the ribbon is one inch wide. Take three strips of ribbon and tie them together in a bow. Cut off all but two inches of the extra ribbon, then place the two inches behind the bow. Fold back the top two inches of the bow on either side, so that it makes an “X” shape.
Tie them together on either side with another strip of ribbon, fastening the knot securely on top. Now, take your doubled-over piece of ribbon and wrap it around each end of the “X.” This is what will give your standing spray its full dimensionality.
Keep The Sprays Symmetrical
The most natural way to give your standing sprays depth is to make them symmetrical. Once you have all of your flowers lined up and ready, place the first flower on the left side at the top of the spray. Then, place a flower on the right side at about the same height as the previous one. Continue with this pattern until you reach the bottom of your spray.
Do Not Forget To Include White Flowers
A standing spray for a funeral should feature white flowers because they are typically associated with death and mourning. Incorporating white flowers into your standing spray will give it the necessary depth to make the audience feel like the flowers are spilling onto the floor behind the stand, giving them a sense of individuality and movement that might not otherwise be there.
Summary
Standing sprays are a beautiful way to commemorate the life of someone who has passed. But how can you give your standing spray depth? The leaves need to extend past just being a few leaves stuck onto a metal stand.
1. When designing your standing spray, keep in mind that it needs to extend beyond just being a few leaves on a metal stand.
2. Consider placing your spray over an easel or small table to help give it depth.
3. Use taller flowers and branches for the back and thinner flowers for the front.
4. Include greenery that has been preserved by either freezing it or placing it in an arrangement with water so that it keeps its freshness and color during the funeral service.
5. You can also use silk or other artificial material or flowers if you are not able to get fresh ones at this time of year, but keep in mind they would not have the same effect as real flowers do when they dry out after a few days and begin to fade away.