Switched from foam to chicken wire for my wedding arches and never going back

For like 3 years I was using wet floral foam for all my big arch installations. It worked okay but man, the mess was brutal and I hated how much waste I was creating. Last spring I had a bride in Austin who specifically asked for no foam because she was super into sustainability. I was nervous about it but grabbed some chicken wire from the hardware store and built a frame inside the arch. Honestly it was a game changer. The flowers stayed fresh way longer since they were drinking water the whole time instead of sitting in foam goo. It took me a couple tries to get the wire tight enough so the stems wouldn't slip, but now I've done like 8 arches this way. Has anyone else made the switch or found another alternative to foam for big installations?

2 comments

2 Comments

matthew_wilson461mo ago

And yes, the water uptake difference is wild right? I used to think foam was keeping things fresh but it's basically just mummifying them in place. The first time I did a chicken wire arch the hydrangeas didn't even wilt overnight, I was shocked. I also started putting a little plastic liner inside the wire frame so the water doesn't just drip out everywhere, that helped a ton. It's a little more setup time for sure but the results and the lack of green slime everywhere makes it totally worth it. Now I get nervous when a client brings in foam from another vendor lol.

jade321mo ago

The plastic liner inside the chicken wire is a smart move, I bet that stops a lot of mess. Do you find the flowers can still drink enough water through the liner if you poke holes in it, or do you leave gaps open? I've seen people use cellophane wrap too but it always feels like it suffocates the stems a bit.