Tips for Hydrating, Arranging, and Beyond! from the Blooms by the Box Pros
Creating your own arrangements for your DIY event can seem like a daunting task, and we completely understand why! For most people, this will be the first time they arrange their own flowers – and the last time they do it on such a large scale. No need to worry, though! We’ve got some tips that will make this process a lot less intimidating. From hydrating your flowers after you receive them, to getting you beautiful handmade arrangements to your venue, we’re here for you with expert tips every step of the way!
1. Hammers & Hydrangeas
Flowers and greens with thick, woody stems (hydrangeas, kale, pittosporum, etc.) will have a harder time re-hydrating. Smashing the base of their stems with a hammer will causing a splintering effect, which will allow them to take in more water and re-hydrate faster! To successfully pull this off, cut about 1-2″ from the base at a 45 degree angle, give each stem a sharp slice up its center, and hit the base of the stem with a hammer. After you place them in water to re-hydrate, we recommend misting their leaves/petals with water on a daily basis to keep them looking fresh!
2. Simplicity is Key
Looking to create lots of arrangements or a few really big arrangements on a small budget? The key here is to cut down on how many types of flowers you’re using. Focal flowers, such as alstromeria and football mums, or fillers, like limonium, can quickly take up a lot of space while leaving some extra room in your budget!
3. Floral Foam Fun
Ever wondered how floral foam works? Floral foam for fresh cut flowers is full of nutrients to keep your blooms fresh – all you need to do is add some H2O! To fully soak floral foam, gently place the foam in a clean container (like a large bucket, a bathtub, or a kitchen sink) full of water and let it float. When it sinks to the bottom, that means it’s ready for arranging! Want to see this in action? Check out our Roses in a Hatbox Video.
4. Grid Your Glass
For wide-mouthed containers, make a grid with floral tape – this will help hold the blooms perfectly in place. It also makes arranging a breeze if you’ve never done it before!
5. Fridges and Flowers Don’t Mix
DO NOT put your arrangements in your refrigerator if you want to keep them alive! The bacteria and gases emitted from raw meat or fresh fruits and veggies will harm your blooms. The refrigerator in your kitchen also has a lower humidity level than floral refrigerators, which will dry your blooms out. We recommend keeping everything in water for as long as possible before your event, and in a cool place out of direct sunlight – such as in a cool basement or garage.
6. Reduce, Re-use, Re-purpose
Re-use your ceremony flowers for your reception! This is a huge cost cutter because it will cut down on the number of arrangements you need to make. For example, you can reuse the garland from your ceremony arch on the sweetheart table. You can also re-purpose the buckets of baby’s breath that lined the aisle in the church as centerpieces for your guests to fawn over!
As see on WeddingChicks. Photographed by Dez and Tam Photography.
7. Put the Blooms Back in the Box
Re-purpose the packaging your wholesale blooms came in to transport your beautiful arrangements to the venue! Read more about this in our DIY 101 Guide!
See? Caring for wholesale flowers and creating your own DIY arrangements is not nearly as hard as it may seem! Got any questions that we didn’t cover in this post? Comment below or shoot an email over to our awesome customer service team!
Kerry Plante
Kerry travels the world but always is on the hunt for creative uses for fresh cut flowers. She comes to BloomsByTheBox with many years of retail flower experience and floral design experience, which she uses to guide Blooms customers to the perfect flower selections.
