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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
- Trim 1–2 centimetres (10–20 mm) off your rose stems, cutting at a 45º angle.
- Remove excess leaves and rinse off the stems.
- Place the flowers in a vase with lukewarm water.
- Arrange the roses to your liking, adding other flowers and foliage as desired.
- Secure the stems with a piece of floral tape.
- Tie a pretty ribbon around the stems to finish off your bouquet.
Steps
Section 1 of 8:
How to Make a Traditional Rose Bouquet
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Choose high-quality roses in your preferred color. 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.
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Trim the stems of the roses at a 45º angle. “Use clean, sharp shears and cut your rose stems at a 45-degree angle,” instructs Cho. [1] X Expert Source Rachel Cho
Floral Designer & Plant Specialist Expert Interview. 4 October 2021. 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] X Expert Source Rachel Cho
Floral Designer & Plant Specialist Expert Interview. 4 October 2021.- 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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Remove excess leaves and clean the stems. 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] X Research source
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Moisten the roses in a vase filled with water as soon as possible. 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.
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Arrange the roses in a visually appealing way. 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] X Research source
- 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).
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Secure the stems and remove the bouquet from the vase. 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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Reflex your roses to create a more open and dramatic look. Reflexing is a floral technique that involves gently pulling back a rose’s outer petals to create a more voluminous bloom. [5] X Research source 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] X Research source
- 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.
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Gather your greens together in a loose bunch. 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] X Research source
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Add your roses to the bouquet. 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] X Research source 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.
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Add baby’s breath for filler. 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.
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Cut your stems to a uniform length and secure them. 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] X Research source
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Section 3 of 8:
How to Make a Rose Bouquet for a Wedding
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Wrap a bouquet holder in floral stem wrap and secure it at the head. 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] X Research source
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Submerge the bouquet holder in water, then place it in a heavy ceramic vase. 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] X Research source
- 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 .
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Choose fresh and vibrant roses. 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!).
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Cut the stems to about 4 in (100 mm) and insert them into the holder’s foam head. 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] X Research source
- Keep inserting your flowers as evenly as possible until all the spaces are filled.
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Store the wedding bouquet in a cool, dark spot and hydrate it with lukewarm water. 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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Expert Q&A
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QuestionHow do you cut a bouquet of roses?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.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
- 10-12 roses
- Sharp floral scissors
- Vase
- Flower food
- Filler flowers
- Greenery
- Floral tape or elastic
- Ribbon
How to Make a Loose Rose Bouquet
- 8-10 roses
- Greenery
- Baby’s breath
- Sharp floral scissors
- String, ribbon, or zip tie
How to Make a Rose Bouquet for a Wedding
- Bouquet holder
- Floral stem wrap
- Warm water
- Flower food
- Heavy ceramic vase
- 12-15 roses
- Sharp floral scissors
References
- ↑ Rachel Cho. Floral Designer & Plant Specialist. Expert Interview. 4 October 2021.
- ↑ Rachel Cho. Floral Designer & Plant Specialist. Expert Interview. 4 October 2021.
- ↑ https://www.southernliving.com/garden/flowers/how-to-keep-cut-roses-alive
- ↑ https://www.bhg.com/decorating/home-accessories/flower-arranging/how-to-make-a-flower-arrangement/
- ↑ https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/reflexing-roses-the-flower-arranging-hack-taking-over-the-internet
- ↑ https://youtu.be/MOzatPaRMzY?t=23
- ↑ https://www.heirloomsoul.com/blog/7-favorite-foliages-we-grow-on-our-flower-farm
- ↑ https://elletaylorphotography.com/2019/10/22/loose-bouquets-vs-tight-bouquets-and-which-photographs-better/
- ↑ https://youtu.be/4OC6u3o1JI0?t=417
- ↑ https://www.kennicott.com/blog/bouquet-holder-vs-hand-tied-which-technique-should-you-be-using
- ↑ https://youtu.be/xP2xOWOerlo?t=61
- ↑ https://youtu.be/sxOHQejul9A?t=74
- ↑ https://www.brit.co/floral-wrap-diys/
- ↑ Pilar Zuniga. Florist. Expert Interview. 12 March 2020.
- ↑ Rachel Cho. Floral Designer & Plant Specialist. Expert Interview. 4 October 2021.
- ↑ Rachel Cho. Floral Designer & Plant Specialist. Expert Interview. 4 October 2021.
- ↑ Rachel Cho. Floral Designer & Plant Specialist. Expert Interview. 4 October 2021.
- ↑ https://www.thetatteredpew.com/how-to-make-a-flower-arrangement-in-a-basket/
- ↑ Rachel Cho. Floral Designer & Plant Specialist. Expert Interview. 4 October 2021.
- ↑ Rachel Cho. Floral Designer & Plant Specialist. Expert Interview. 4 October 2021.
- ↑ https://youtu.be/SeN9_K1xrWQ?t=98
- ↑ https://youtu.be/lw56TnrUpn0?t=85
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