It’s your big day, you’ve chosen the venue, the photographer and the catering. You’ve tried on wedding dresses, looked at bridesmaids colours…and you’re now thinking about your wedding flowers.

So why would you even think of looking at the eco-credentials of your florist, or think that eco-friendly floristry was even a thing to worry about or consider? I get it. Foam-free floristry is perhaps not top of your agenda.

Have you considered the environmental impact of your wedding florals?

The truth is, that the floral industry has got a little bit of a hidden secret. One that some florists would like to hide, and not mention. One that we cover up with all the beautiful spender of fabulous blooms. And that is, that most wedding florals, come with a cost. A fairly substantial cost that is, to the environment.

As an industry, we are notoriously bad for environmental impact – and we have to change. The old-fashioned retail florists on your high street were (and some still are) packed to the rafters with poly ribbons, plastic wrapping (cellophane), plastic bows, tags, plastic envelopes and trays, plastic tapes and tonnes and tonnes of Floral Foam – you know; that strange spongey green stuff.  

Eco-friendly wedding

If you, like me until a few years ago, hadn’t realised that the green floral foam that many florists use in (most) floral displays; hatboxes, Christmas arrangements, table decorations, large pedestal arrangements, funeral arrangements, wedding decor… is full of chemicals and toxins… then maybe you’d be forgiven for thinking it doesn’t really matter.

Let’s face it, the foamy green stuff doesn’t come up often in everyday conversation!

But – when you realise, like me, that it is, in fact, a single-use plastic like all the others we have got used to avoiding… then it starts to make complete sense. Did you know that just one 1 block of floral foam is equal to 10 plastic bags? I certainly didn’t when we were merrily stuffing blocks of the stuff into pedestals and attaching to archways during floristry school and training. And believe me, when you count up just how many block are used in one small average florist shop a day, it doesn’t take long for the penny to drop!

Wedding Flowers that don’t cost the earth

Here in the UK we’ve given up on plastic bags, as much as possible and gone back to re-using canvas, cotton and paper. We’ve ditched the plastic straws, legislated against plastic cotton buds, and have new legislation passing for single-use plastic takeaway trays and cutlery for fast food outlets this year. Food suppliers and restaurants are working towards finding biodegradable and compostable solutions. We think twice about the single-use ‘fast’ plastics in almost all walks of life.

We’re doing our best to avoid single-use plastic bottles – and switching to reusable water coolers and carriers, to re-fill as much as possible. We’re all doing our bit to reuse, re-purpose and recycle as much as possible, and everyone is aware of the main message out there to avoid landfill. (if not… WHERE have you been?!?).

But what about the ‘hidden’ plastics? It seems as consumers, we’re just not as aware of the floral foam even being a single-use plastic, let alone the scale of the problem it creates. Most of us don’t know or see the damage being done by the hidden mechanics of beautiful, awe-inspiring floral displays, and thats certainly NOT your fault as a consumer! It’s our fault, as an Industry. We know it, and we’re trying to change.

Eco-friendly alternatives to the green stuff

It’s our responsibility as business owners to do what we can, and the easiest change I made was actually switching to foam-free alternatives (there are plenty – look out for future blog posts on this subject alone!)

Floral foam WILL be the next big thing to be banned. For sure! Its use was even banned as long ago as the 2020 RHS Chelsea flower show (had it gone ahead, before COVID had other plans) and has been banned in the floral pavilion for each RHS flower show since. That was a MAJOR breakthrough. 

Less rigid structures, less formal designs

At Rambling Stems, as soon as I’d read up and discovered these things, I made sure that I’d NEVER use the stuff again and would go back and research traditional methods; you know, the things they did before floral foam was invented 70 years ago! Here we go again… back to old tried and tested methods before plastics were invented. Ring any bells?

Just like the sausages wrapped in brown wax paper from the butchers, the wooden cutlery replacing the plastic at food outlets and the cardboard and palm leaf trays that are being switched from polystyrene. Our flowers do not need to be wrapped in plastic. They do not need plastic poly ribbon bows or tags, and they CERTAINLY don’t need to be arranged in plastic foam just to give them water.

So, what is the outcome of switching to eco alternatives? It makes our designs more creative, and less rigid, and we have to think of solutions and alternatives… there are always answers and ways around problems… it just takes a bit more thought and effort than grabbing the green stuff. And any florist can learn how. It’s easy, the information is freely available, and eco florists are happy to share!

So, back to your wedding day, and why you should ask for “foam-free”

If all you do is read this, it should be clear:

• Floral foam is non-biodegradable

• It is a single-use plastic

• It is toxic for humans and animals

• It contains the same amount of plastic as 10 plastic shopping bags

• It doesn’t fully dissolve in water or degrade in landfill.  The particles take thousands of years to break down completely and meanwhile, they contaminate our marine life and food chains

• It contains Formaldehyde, Carbon Black and Barium sulphate – and if handled when dry is carcinogenic.

Now, who wants any of that for their wedding day?

If you want to check out the eco-friendly wedding florals I do make, have a look here. Feel free to contact me here with any questions about your wedding flowers and plans as well – I’d love to help