Brides and hostesses who are looking for a way to wow their guests might want to consider the latest trend in floral art to hit Lancaster — tall bouquets.

By tall, we're talking centerpieces that can range from 27 to 36 inches tall, typically with narrow vases or glass cylinders that open into airy floral arrangements above eye level.

The benefit, local florists and wedding planners say, is the tall arrangements add a very dramatic look to the tables and the entire reception hall, yet guests can see each other and converse without interference.

As usual, this trend is coming to Lancaster later than it did to the big cities, but local florists, especially those who deal with upper-end weddings, are starting to get the requests.

Fries Flowers prepared tall bouquets in late March for a wedding in Middletown. The vases were about 10 inches high and were cut on the bias.

In each vase, owner and designer JoAnne Reisinger placed blue gel that looked like crushed ice. A small bouquet of hydrangea topped the vase.

Delphinium was arranged to raise the eyes higher, and peacock feathers, stuck into the crushed "gel," lifted the eye above the 1-yard line.

The peacock arrangement was placed on some tables. Others supported a 22-inch, narrow, V-shaped cylinder topped with a lamp shade. Inside the cylinder, blue delphinium floated in water, illuminated by a lighted base covered with scattered blue stones.

Water in the tube has a magnifying effect on the flowers, Reisinger said.

Tall centerpieces do not have a standard look. Instead, they invite creativity, Reisinger said.

At Petals and Beans, a floral shop in Strasburg, owner Stacia McComsey said tall arrangements for spring tend to be quite whimsical, based on branches or even pussy willows. Popular colors this spring are bright salmon and pinks with accents of green, she said.

Just by thumbing through the wedding magazine "Inside Weddings," Lori Hemphill, an event and wedding planner and owner of The Perfect Plan, Millersville, found many examples of tall centerpieces.

• A small chandelier on top of a tall lamp stand

• A V-shaped vase with lots of flowers loosely arranged on top

• Tubular vases with sliced fruit floating in water

• Tall brass candlesticks entwined with flowers

• A curvy grapevine stem anchored in a three-legged base. The stem holds an earthen basket full of flowers

• Flowers suspended from the ceiling

Tall arrangements tend to be paired with shorter design elements at the base, Hemphill and Reisinger said, such as a collection of candles at the base, a light table or a smaller grouping of flowers.

The idea is to give the eyes something to enjoy while sitting close to the arrangement, yet make an impressive impact from afar, Reisinger said.

Large, open banquet halls call for the taller arrangements, McComsey, who does a lot of the weddings for Willow Valley's Palm Court Banquet Room, said.

She tends to concentrate the tall arrangements around the dance floor or near the head table.

Tall floral arrangements can be especially striking when combined with long banquet tables, which are making a resurgence in popularity, Hemphill said.

The larger bouquets can be alternated with smaller ones to save on cost, she said, without losing the dramatic look that conjures impressions of regal feasts.

Taller bouquets tend to be more expensive than traditional bouquets that are no longer than the span from elbow to wrist, florists say. However, they don't have to be.

Price depends a lot on how flexible the bride or hostess is on the kind of flowers or contents of the bouquet, Reisinger said. If calla lilies are demanded, the bill won't be cheap, but if the florist can use flowers that are in season or more accessible, the cost decreases.

"The drama comes from the simplicity and uniqueness of the products," Reisinger said.

Cost also can be reduced by purchasing just a few tall bouquets and placing them in prominent places, like the bar or hors d'oeuvres area where guests will socialize, Reisinger said.

A tall bouquet gracing the name tag table can create a dramatic first impression, Hemphill suggested.

Whatever you do, do not use tall bouquets for outdoor events (they need a level surface), and don't place them on the floor, Hemphill said.

You want them to be seen. You want them to be noticed. You want guests to say, "Wow."

"Drama, drama, drama," Reisinger said. That's what catering and wedding planning is about.

Trends

IN:

• Tall floral arrangements

• A sweetheart table, just for the bride and groom. Typically, the table is decorated in finer linens and placed in a prominent, centrally located area.

• Long banquet tables placed end to end to create an Elizabethan look

• Ice sculptures — but not your typical swans. They have to be unique, such as an iced sushi bar or centerpiece with a combination of fire and ice.

• Chargers under plates to pop your color

• "Ghost" chairs — clear chairs allow the color of the floor-length linens to be more noticeable

• Creating a lounge of overstuffed chairs, sofas and loveseats in the reception or hors d'oeuvres area

• Repeated patterns in floral arranging with different kinds and sizes of bouquets

• Round globe lights

• Navy blue is the new black

• Metallics — burnished, not shiny

• Combining silver, gold and bronze

OUT:

• Bows

• Twinkle lights

• Ivy

• Short tablecloths

• Mirrors

• The same bouquet on every table

Source: Lori Hemphill, The Perfect Plan, Millersville

E-mail: lespenshade@lnpnews.com