Floral foam is the light green block that absorbs water and holds stems in place. It is practical for free-form arrangements, arches and structures, but it is a plastic material that crumbles and does not break down. That is why many flower designers work foam-free, without it.
Instead they use reusable chicken wire, kenzan pin frogs, vases with water, water tubes, moss and woven branches. Some techniques take longer and slightly change the shapes you can achieve. The guide to sustainable wedding flowers explains the alternatives and their limits; the one on what to do with the flowers after the wedding shows why foam-free makes giving away and composting easier; the one on the floral arch covers structures.
What to ask: whether the design uses foam and where, which alternatives they suggest, and whether the price changes. It is one of the questions to ask your flower designer.
