Create a Bouquet

Arranging an aisle-worthy bouquet may seem daunting. But with a bit of practice and these tips from floral designer Karen Axel, you can make an arrangement that would impress even the pros.

Read our tips below:

 

• Keep it simple. Bouquets are easiest to make when they use only one or two kinds of flowers.
• Strip the stems. Remove all leaves and thorns from flower stems before arranging.
• Angle the stems. To create a rounded bouquet, layer the stems at an angle.
• Use flowers at their peak. Flowers should be as open as you want them when you begin arranging.
• Wait to add ribbon. Because you'll want to keep the flowers in water until the morning of the wedding, it's best to hold off applying ribbon until the big day. (You can add the ribbon anytime on the day of the wedding. As long as you keep the flowers in a cool place until the ceremony, the flowers will remain fresh-looking even if they're not in water all day.)
• Store in a cool place. Once a bouquet is made, place it, along with ice packs, in a plastic-foam ice chest. Use towels to cushion the bouquet, or put the handle in a vase. An ice chest keeps flowers at a comfortably cool temperature overnight -- home refrigerators may be too cold.

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