How to Make a DIY Rose Bouquet with Flowers, Satin, or Paper

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Dazzle with a DIY rose bouquet at any wedding, date, or special event
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Rose bouquets have many uses, from home decoration to being used as part of special ceremonies or outdoor parties. If you want to make your own rose bouquet instead of ordering a pricey professional one, we’ve put together straightforward steps to create any floral arrangement—from a traditional wedding style to a relaxed boho style, along with alternative options like paper roses or floral corsages. Plus, floral designers Rachel Cho and Pilar Zuniga have offered us some insider tips on how to make the very best bouquet. Looks like everything’s coming up roses!

How to Make a Bouquet of Roses

  1. Trim 1–2 centimetres (10–20 mm) off your rose stems, cutting at a 45º angle.
  2. Remove excess leaves and rinse off the stems.
  3. Place the flowers in a vase with lukewarm water.
  4. Arrange the roses to your liking, adding other flowers and foliage as desired.
  5. Secure the stems with a piece of floral tape.
  6. Tie a pretty ribbon around the stems to finish off your bouquet.
Section 1 of 8:

How to Make a Traditional Rose Bouquet

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  1. Select fresh roses with plump buds and a rich, vibrant color. Check to see if the blooms have any wilted or dried-up petals, which may indicate that the roses aren’t as fresh as you’d like.
    • While a red rose bouquet is traditional, roses come in many beautiful colors, like white, pink, orange, and yellow.
    • You can even dye roses to match your preferred shade or the favorite color of the person you’re gifting them to.
  2. “Use clean, sharp shears and cut your rose stems at a 45-degree angle,” instructs Cho. [1] As Cho goes on to explain, “this cut allows more surface area for water to be absorbed through the stem and reach the bloom.” [2]
    • While the exact length of your stems depends on how you plan on presenting the roses, the standard stem length for a bouquet is 18–19 inches (460–480 mm).
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  3. Remove the lower leaves from each stem and leave just a few at the top of the bloom. Rinse the stems under running water to remove any dirt or debris. Both of these steps are essential to prevent bacterial growth that may shorten the life of your rose bouquet. [3]
  4. Fill a clean vase with lukewarm water and stir in a packet of flower food . Place your roses in the vase for now—at this point, the vase’s purpose is to make sure the flowers are getting nutrients and staying hydrated while you arrange your bouquet. This vase may or may not be the way you choose to display or present your bouquet later on.
  5. Depending on the blooms you’ve chosen, consider factors like color balance, size variation, and the natural curve of each stem. Move the flowers around and experiment with different layouts and orientations until you find one that you like. If you plan to add more than just roses to your bouquet, choose a variety of flower types that differ in shape, size, and color. [4]
    • Include flowers that have different textures and petal textures to create a more dynamic look for your bouquet. Just make sure that the shades of each flower complement the others and create a harmonious color palette.
    • Carnations in the same color as your roses can be a great addition to make the bouquet seem larger at an affordable price.
    • Add filler greens and foliage to create a more natural background. Eucalyptus, fern, and ivy are all popular floral fillers.
    • If you want to add even more dimension to your rose bouquet, cut the stems of your flowers to different lengths to create more depth while arranging them (you can make the stems a uniform length later on).
  6. Once you’re happy with your arrangement, secure the flowers with floral tape or elastic. Use a sharp pair of floral scissors to cut the stems to the same length, then wrap the stems with ribbon or decorative twine to cover up the floral tape or elastic.
    • If the bouquet won’t be in a vase for a few hours, spritz it occasionally with water to keep it fresh.
    • To add a final decorative touch, add a pretty bow to the ribbon wrapped around the stems. Also, consider attaching a personal note, small keyring, or sentimental trinket to the bouquet.
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Section 2 of 8:

How to Make a Loose Rose Bouquet

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  1. Reflexing is a floral technique that involves gently pulling back a rose’s outer petals to create a more voluminous bloom. [5] In a loose rose bouquet, reflexing the roses adds to the natural and romantic look of the arrangement. To reflex your roses, start by choosing roses that are already fully open and have petals that are slightly curled outward, which will make them easier to reflex.
    • Then, gently remove the outermost layer of petals (aka the guard petals) and use a sharp pair of scissors to cut each stem at a 45-degree angle.
    • Find the base of the rose where the outer petals meet the stem. Gently grip the first petal at the base of the flower and bend it back toward the stem. [6]
    • Work your way around the base of the flower and repeat this step with each petal. Avoid forcing the petals backward, which may cause them to tear.
    • Work your up the flower one layer at a time, continuing to gently bend each petal backward until you reach the tip of the rose.
    • Blow firmly on the center of the flower to encourage a beautiful and billowing center, thereby finishing your reflexed flower.
  2. Gather together 3-5 stems of greenery or foliage. Split them up so that half are pointing in one direction and the other half are pointing in the opposite direction. Popular choices for bouquet foliage include eucalyptus, ivy, and leather leaf fern. [7]
  3. Mix your roses into your greenery and foliage. Keep in mind that this rose bouquet is meant to have a loose, bohemian look and feel to it. [8] While arranging your roses, allow them to sit in an organic, asymmetrical, and uneven way. Position your roses so that they’re facing different directions and sitting at different heights.
    • Keep adding roses until you’re happy with the look and volume of your bouquet.
  4. Optionally, add a few stems of baby’s breath to create more dimension and fullness in your bouquet. There’s no right or wrong way to complete this step—simply poke some baby’s breath stems into your bouquet wherever you think it needs some filler.
  5. Use a floral scissor to cut all your stems to the same length. Make sure that the stems are long enough to fit in a vase or be held by someone in a wedding party, depending on the purpose of your roses. Finally, secure your stems with a piece of string, ribbon, or zip tie. Don’t tie the fasteners too tight, as you’ll lose the loose and organic feel of this rose bouquet. [9]
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Section 3 of 8:

How to Make a Rose Bouquet for a Wedding

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  1. Choose a shade of white or green floral stem wrap that will camouflage your bouquet holder amongst your flowers. Start at the top of the holder’s “stem” and wind the floral tape around. Pull the tape taut as you roll the tape all the way down to the bottom of the bouquet holder’s handle, then work your way back up to the head.
    • If your bouquet holder doesn’t have notches, you can simply wrap the tape around the base of the head and make sure the adhesive is sticking properly.
    • If your holder has “notches” around the base of its head, wrap the tape around each notch to secure it in place, then wrap around the underside of the head until all the plastic is covered.
    • You can leave the bouquet holder as is, or you can hot glue natural leaves or greenery to the underside of the bouquet holder to further camouflage it.
    • For a classic rose bouquet, it’s best to use a straight-handle bouquet holder . Slanted holders are typically reserved for cascading bouquets. [10]
  2. Place the top of the holder upside-down in a bowl of warm water for about 60 seconds. The foam in the holder’s “head” will absorb the water to help keep the flowers fresh. [11]
    • To keep the flowers even fresher, stir a packet of flower food into the water before submerging the foam.
    • Once the foam is soaked through, lift the holder straight out of the water, turn it right-side-up, and place it into a vase.
    • A heavy vase will work best since a lighter vase may be knocked over as you arrange your roses .
  3. Look for high-quality roses that have plump buds and a bright coloring. Make sure that all the petals on your blooms appear fresh and hydrated, as opposed to wilted or dried up.
    • You can go for a classic red rose bouquet or choose a color like white, pink, orange, or yellow. Most importantly, select a color that the recipient of your bouquet will love (and if you’re the recipient, choose your favorite color!).
  4. Use a sharp pair of garden shears to cut each rose’s stem to 4 in (100 mm) at a 45º angle. One by one, insert each rose into the foam head at a slight angle to prevent it from falling out. [12]
    • Keep inserting your flowers as evenly as possible until all the spaces are filled.
  5. If you’re making your wedding bouquet ahead of time, keep it in a fridge or cool room until the big day arrives. Replace its water source daily with lukewarm water and spritz over the blooms with spring water.
    • On the wedding day itself, store the flowers in a cool room until the last possible moment. Before taking them out, spritz the undersides of the petals and leaves with a bit of hairspray to keep them looking fresher for longer.
    • Keep spritzing the roses with spring water throughout the wedding itself until the bouquet is no longer needed.
    • The best day to make your wedding bouquet is the day before the wedding. However, you can make the bouquet up to 5-7 days ahead of time as long as you keep it fresh with the preceding tips.
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Section 4 of 8:

How to Wrap a Rose Bouquet

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  1. To transport your bouquet or present it as a gift, wrap the flowers in any type of paper or foil that you like. You can use wrapping paper, newspaper, sheet music, tissue paper, book pages…the options are endless! [13]
    • Zuniga recommends thinking about your bouquet wrapping “as another element of the bouquet. Use a different color paper that coordinates with a bouquet, either a similar color scheme or its actual opposite on the color wheel, so it makes the bouquet pop.” [14]
  2. Place the square or foil in front of you so that it looks like a diamond. Choose which side of the paper you want to face outward when the bouquet is wrapped, and place that side facedown.
  3. Making sure that your bouquet is tightly secured with string or elastic, lay the flowers onto the paper so that the roses are just above the top corner of the diamond. Most of the stems should be laying straight down the paper’s vertical centerline.
  4. Take the left corner of the diamond and fold it over the bouquet to cover it completely. Then, fold the right corner over to almost reach the opposite side of the bouquet. Secure the wrapping with clear tape.
  5. Take the corner of the paper nearest you and make tiny folds to roll it upward. Keep rolling until the paper reaches the bottom of the bouquet, then secure it with a piece of clear tape.
    • Fold over any remaining paper on the sides of the bouquet and secure with tape.
    • Optionally, wrap a piece of decorative ribbon , twine, or string around the paper to keep it tight and secure.You can also add a layer of burlap or lace for an extra decorative touch.
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Section 5 of 8:

How to Display a Rose Bouquet in a Glass Vase

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  1. Place clear glass pebbles into the base of a glass vase. Add enough pebbles so that the stems will be held firmly in place, then fill the vase with water. Mix a packet of flower food into the water to make your roses last as long as possible.
  2. As an expert hack for arranging roses in your vase, Cho advises to “use Scotch tape to create a criss-cross grid across the mouth of your vase.” [15] Leave about 1 ⁄ 2 inch (13 mm) between each horizontal and vertical piece of tape so that they make a gingham-style grid.
    • If desired, you can skip this step and simply place your rose bouquet into the vase.
  3. “Arrange each stem into the vase using the grid as a guide to help position each flower in the place you’d like them to go,” instructs Cho. [16] When you decide on an arrangement for your roses, make sure that the majority of the stems’ length is submerged in water.
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Section 6 of 8:

How to Display a Rose Bouquet in a Basket

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  1. Baskets make for an excellent floral gift or centerpiece, and they can hold more flowers than the typical vase. Select a basket that’s large enough to fit the amount of roses you plan to use in your bouquet (typically about 20-50 for a centerpiece or large gift). Line the inside of the basket with a piece of tin foil or a sheet of plastic to make it waterproof.
  2. Choose 20-50 roses to use in your basket bouquet, or select however many will fit in your chosen basket. Cut each stem to approximately the same length, and make the cut at about a 45º angle. Use your fingers or a pair of scissors to remove all lower-level leaves from the stems. [18]
  3. Measure the width, length, and approximate depth of the bottom half of your basket. Cut a piece of florist’s foam to fit those approximate dimensions. Submerge the foam in a bowl of water and hold it down until it stops popping up on its own, then place the foam into your basket and wedge more foam pieces around the edge to keep it tucked into place.
  4. Stick each bloom into the foam until you create your desired look. For a centerpiece or display, it’s best to have slightly taller roses at the back and shorter ones at the front. Leave the basket handles free of roses so it can easily be carried.
    • The damp foam will both stabilize the roses and help to keep them hydrated.
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Section 7 of 8:

How to Make a Rose Corsage

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  1. Choose roses that “match the color of the prom dress, or choose a complimentary color,” instructs Cho. [19] Cut the stems of your roses down to 2 ⁄ 3  cm (6.7 mm) and remove any thorns, leaves, or wilted petals. Cut one 5 cm (50 mm) segment of floral wire for every rose that you have, then wrap the wire around each stem until secure. Bend any excess wire downwards and wrap floral tape around the sharp edges.
    • Start arranging your floral corsage by laying down a layer of flat green leaves, then a layer of greenery (e.g., rosemary, eucalyptus, ivy), then a layer of roses (or another statement flower).
    • Add some filler flowers (e.g., gypsophila, lavender, stephanotis) and position them in a way that you’d want them to sit on a wrist.
    • Use floral tape to secure all of your stems together, then wrap a thin piece of ribbon around the stems so it’s covering the tape.
    • Cut another long piece of ribbon and attach the center of it to your arrangement. Place the arrangement on your wrist and wrap the ribbon around your wrist to secure it with a bow.
    • “If you’re making your corsage one day ahead of time,” Cho advises, “be sure to mist the corsage with water spray, cover it with a paper towel, and place it inside of an airtight container or Tupperware.” [20]
Section 8 of 8:

How to Make a Rose Bouquet Out of Paper or Satin Ribbon

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  1. To make paper roses , cut a 4 in (10 cm) circle out of construction paper. Draw a spiral within the circle, starting at the edge and ending in the center. Make the spiral narrower toward the edge and wider toward the center, where it should be approximately 1 in (2.5 cm) thick. [21]
    • Cut the spiral out along its lines, then roll the paper according to the spiral shape. Start at the narrow end and tightly roll the paper toward its center.
    • Once you reach the center of the spiral, press it firmly over the base of the rolled paper to create the bottom of the rose.
    • Slowly release pressure on the rose to make it larger, if desired. Use a dot of glue to secure the base to the bottom of the rose.
    • To make a paper bouquet out of your flowers , roll a piece of rectangular construction paper into a cone shape and secure the ends with clear tape. Fill the cone with tissue paper, then glue the paper flowers onto the top of the tissue paper to create the illusion of a full bouquet.
  2. To make satin ribbon roses , cut a 1.8 by 8 inches (46 mm × 203 mm) length of satin ribbon . Place a dot of hot glue about 1 inch (2.5 cm) away from one end of the ribbon. Fold the end of the ribbon over the hot glue so that it creates a 90-degree angle. [22]
    • Apply another dot of hot glue on top of the fold, then fold the folded part of the ribbon again to create a triangle—mimicking the center part of a rose.
    • Continue this technique while rolling the ribbon inward. As you work your way around, continue applying small dots of hot glue every 2 inches (5.1 cm) to make sure the folds stay together.
    • Once you’ve run out of material, glue any excess ribbon to the bottom of your rose.
    • To create a bouquet out of these roses, pinch the back of the rose and wrap a piece of floral wire around the gathered fabric. Wrap the other end of the floral wire around a fake flower stem or poke it into the foam head of a bouquet holder.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How do you cut a bouquet of roses?
    Rachel Cho
    Floral Designer & Plant Specialist
    Rachel Cho is a Floral Designer, Plant Specialist, and the Owner of Rachel Cho Floral Design, a floral shop based in New York City. With more than 16 years of experience, she specializes in original and impactful floral design and is known for her dexterity, innate artistry, and design sense. Rachel’s work has been featured in numerous national media outlets such as The New York Times, Harper’s Bazaar, and Huffington Post Weddings.
    Rachel Cho
    Floral Designer & Plant Specialist
    Expert Answer
    Use clean sharp shears and cut your rose stems at a 45 degree angle. This allows more surface area for water to be absorbed through the stem to help water reach the bloom.
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      Things You’ll Need

      How to Make a Traditional Rose Bouquet

      How to Make a Loose Rose Bouquet

      How to Make a Rose Bouquet for a Wedding

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      References

      1. ↑ Rachel Cho. Floral Designer & Plant Specialist. Expert Interview. 4 October 2021.
      2. ↑ Rachel Cho. Floral Designer & Plant Specialist. Expert Interview. 4 October 2021.
      3. ↑ https://www.southernliving.com/garden/flowers/how-to-keep-cut-roses-alive
      4. ↑ https://www.bhg.com/decorating/home-accessories/flower-arranging/how-to-make-a-flower-arrangement/
      5. ↑ https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/reflexing-roses-the-flower-arranging-hack-taking-over-the-internet
      6. ↑ https://youtu.be/MOzatPaRMzY?t=23
      7. ↑ https://www.heirloomsoul.com/blog/7-favorite-foliages-we-grow-on-our-flower-farm
      8. ↑ https://elletaylorphotography.com/2019/10/22/loose-bouquets-vs-tight-bouquets-and-which-photographs-better/
      9. ↑ https://youtu.be/4OC6u3o1JI0?t=417
      1. ↑ https://www.kennicott.com/blog/bouquet-holder-vs-hand-tied-which-technique-should-you-be-using
      2. ↑ https://youtu.be/xP2xOWOerlo?t=61
      3. ↑ https://youtu.be/sxOHQejul9A?t=74
      4. ↑ https://www.brit.co/floral-wrap-diys/
      5. ↑ Pilar Zuniga. Florist. Expert Interview. 12 March 2020.
      6. ↑ Rachel Cho. Floral Designer & Plant Specialist. Expert Interview. 4 October 2021.
      7. ↑ Rachel Cho. Floral Designer & Plant Specialist. Expert Interview. 4 October 2021.
      8. ↑ Rachel Cho. Floral Designer & Plant Specialist. Expert Interview. 4 October 2021.
      9. ↑ https://www.thetatteredpew.com/how-to-make-a-flower-arrangement-in-a-basket/
      10. ↑ Rachel Cho. Floral Designer & Plant Specialist. Expert Interview. 4 October 2021.
      11. ↑ Rachel Cho. Floral Designer & Plant Specialist. Expert Interview. 4 October 2021.
      12. ↑ https://youtu.be/SeN9_K1xrWQ?t=98
      13. ↑ https://youtu.be/lw56TnrUpn0?t=85

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