It’s the season of flower giving, but it’s not just during the month of love that flower bouquets are in style. Whether it’s a gift for a loved one, a home decoration, a wedding piece, or a personal treat, flower bouquets are timeless. Knowing how to make a flower bouquet can be useful now, especially in these moments. Through a few basic steps, you can save money on professionally made bouquets and customize your own flower bouquets for any occasion.
- Gather Inspiration
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The first step to creating the ideal bouquet is finding inspiration to guide the artistic process. It is important to consider the bouquet’s purpose and if there is a particular color or aesthetic in mind for the piece.
Use apps such as Pinterest and Instagram or galleries on florists’ websites to visualize the look. Once you have saved some ideas, use the best images to guide future steps.
If you don’t have a preference for any specific flowers, consider what flowers are in season to understand accessibility and potential cost. Additionally, consider fillers for the bouquet, such as types of greenery and potential filler flowers, to compliment the main flowers.
- Gather Supplies
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Now, you can proceed with that vision by purchasing the necessary flowers, fillers, and supplies.
Regardless of the vision for the bouquet, you will need sharp scissors and something to bind the flowers with such as string or floral binding tape. Depending on whether the flowers are being gifted, immediately placed in a vase, or held in hand for an event like a wedding, it is essential to consider purchasing some decorative bouquet wrapping paper, tape, and ribbon to finish off the creation.
Stores such as The Fresh Market, Sprouts, Publix, Trader Joe’s, and Walmart are convenient options for purchasing flowers. However, some flower types available in these stores may require additional store stops or adjustments to your original vision for the bouquet. Floral shops may be the best option for sourcing specific flowers and fillers.
When shopping, purchase enough flowers to reflect the bouquet size you intend to create. If feasible, buy slightly more than needed to account for potential flowers that end up lacking in quality and appearance. Holding the flowers and fillers next to each other while in the store will help you visualize the sizing.
Alex Frank / Spoon - Assemble
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Before arranging the flowers, prepare them by trimming each stem evenly. Many florists recommend trimming the stems at a 45-degree angle for optimal water absorption. Additionally, cutting leaves that are likely to be submerged in water when placed in the vase is recommended to limit water contamination and prevent rotting.
Next, assemble your flowers in your hands, on a countertop, or in any other manner that allows a clear view of the appearance of the arrangement. Reference inspiration photos during the process of adding flowers. It is often easiest to start with the main central flowers as the base and slowly add additional flowers around it. Once a solid foundation for the bouquet has been set up, begin making tweaks by adding fillers where needed and adjusting flowers until the bouquet appears balanced, aligning with your vision for the bouquet.
Once the flowers are arranged ideally, bind them together by wrapping your string, tape, or other chosen binding tool around the stems so that it’s securely fastened. From here, if the bouquet’s final destination is a vase, place the completed piece in a clean, water-filled vase. If the flowers will be handheld and unwrapped, it is significant to temporarily store the flowers in a water-filled vase until use to maintain quality and longevity.
Lastly, for flowers being wrapped or gifted, avoid wrapping the bouquet until closer to the time of gifting to allow the flowers to stay hydrated in a vase. Before wrapping, consider attaching a wet paper towel to the base of the flowers to take extra care of the hydration and longevity of the flowers. To wrap the flowers, place them over the wrapping paper, bring the sides of the paper over the top of the flowers, and finish with tape. The bouquet is perfectly wrapped here, but for an added touch, the ribbon can be tied into a bow around the wrapping paper.
With these three steps, your floral vision is complete. The bouquet is now ready to photograph, gift, or personally enjoy. Now, you are prepared to impress your loved ones with custom, aesthetic flower bouquets for any occasion.