First you need to make a list of all the arrangements you will need. As a general rule you want 18-24 stems per table arrangement or bridesmaid bouquets. 12 stems work nicely for a small bouquet for mom or a little girl in the bridal party. 20-25 stems is a nice amount for the brides bouquet as well as large arrangements using line flowers such as gladiolas or snapdragons. Each boutonniere is 1-3 stems, corsages are 3-5 blooms. The definition of stem here is a main flower like a rose, carnation, delphinium, snapdragon and so on. Large flowers like sunflowers are most often used in groups of 3-5 with other flowers added in for a total of around 10 stems. For fillers such as babies breath, misty limonium or statice a field bunch will do approximately 3-4 arrangements. For greens you will need 1 field bunch for each 3-4 arrangements.

To take care of the flowers you want to get the flowers into water as soon as you can. Just take off the wrappers, give them some breathing room and place them in water. Add a few drops of bleach to the water. Recutting the stems under water is a good idea at this time. Keep them out of direct sunlight and out of direct drafts from heaters or air conditioners. You are getting the flowers very early in the distribution chain and actually need time for the flowers to open up. You only need to refrigerate a few items such as gardenias, smilax, stephanotis and petals. Detailed care instructions are sent with the flowers.

Hand tied bouquets are very popular and all it means is that you literally make the bouquet in your hand and tie it with a ribbon. There are several advantages to this. First you can keep the flowers in water until the last minute as the stems are exposed. Second, it is very easy and intuitive. If you don't like what you just made, starting over is very easy.

Use a bouquet holder (we carry them). When making your bouquets, put the first flower in the middle and set it at the height that you want your arrangement to be. Then put the flowers on the sides as wide as you want the arrangement to be. Then add some filler and greens. You now see the basic shape. Then fill in the space with your 'main' flowers. Above all don't be intimidated!

Wiring refers to two techniques. The first is where the wire substitutes as the stem. The natural stems are cut off and wires are inserted into the base of the flower, folded over to form a hairpin, and acts as an artificial stem. This is done so that you can have large bouquets yet a thin handle. The disadvantages of doing this is that as the flowers have no water supply, the work must be done very last minute. The second technique that goes by the same name refers to wrapping a wire around the stem of flowers so that even if the flowers wilts, the wire will hold it up. It is not necessary however if you don't want to worry about anything the day of the wedding, it might be worth doing the outer flowers in a bouquet.

Corsages and boutonnieres are not difficult to make. Corsages are essentially multiple boutonnieres attached to each other. If you were making rose boutonnieres or corsages for example, you take florists wire and insert it through the green base of the rose. Bend the wire to form a hairpin. Then wrap florists tape in a spiral down from the top. When the wire 'stem' is as long as you want it to be, cut it. If you want to add greenery or babies breath, then attach the sprig and tape it onto the wire stem. For boutonnieres wrap the end of the wire around a pencil to form a pigtail or cut it short. To make a 3 rose corsage, tape three boutonnieres (minus the pig tail)together.

Once made, carefully place in a plastic bag, then place in the fridge. Avoid the vent that comes from the freezer, that air is too cold and will freeze your flowers. Take them out as late as possible for use.

1. If you are using floral foam (oasis) follow the directions on the package and make sure it is for fresh flowers not silk! If you don't have any instructions then float the oasis in water...let it absorb water at its own rate. Do not force the oasis under water...let it saturate at its own rate. When the top of the foam is dark, it is ready.
2. When pushing stems into the oasis, make sure that the bottom of the stem stays in contact with the oasis. This means that if you push a flower in too far, don't just pull it up but start another hole. Keep the oasis supplied with water as it will dry out with time. If needed the oasis can be cut to fit the shape of your container and scotch taped into place. If the oasis is starting to look like Swiss cheese, start fresh with another brick.

It is always advised to put a barrier between the cake and flowers...even if the flowers are pesticide free. The flowers can be in and of themselves poisonous (for example fox glove, delphiniums) and they can also transfer color or off taste. Flowers know to be poisonous to one degree or another are, foxglove, delphinium, queen Anne's lace, lily of the valley and lupine. This is not an exclusive list so I once again stress that a barrier should always be placed between florist flowers and food.

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