Florist Tricks To Keep Your Wedding Bouquet Fresh

Besides your ring, your wedding bouquet could be your most important accessory on your wedding day – so you should treat it as such! With a little bit of TLC, your wedding flowers can flourish in any environment and keep their freshness and color throughout the big day. Wedding Wingman Rachel Hunter, of Aflorae shares her tips and tricks for a thriving bouquet that lasts all day.

When Should You Have Your Flowers Delivered?

Your flowers need to arrive before your guests arrive and with enough time for them to be arranged into centerpieces and other decor. But you don’t want them to come too early, lest they lose their natural luster too soon. We recommend that your flowers get delivered two hours before the ceremony.

Since you’ll be busy getting ready, try to hand this task off to your wedding planner, bridesmaid, or even soon-to-be spouse! Not only will this give you enough time to arrange your flowers, but your photographer will be able to capture your decorated venue before guests arrive.

Secure Your Flowers

If you have a DIY bouquet, listen up! A tried-and-true method is to cut the stems at a 45 degree angle. Rachel recommends using the tape method for assembling flowers, as it allows the bouquet to have bounce and movement but still be secure. Specifically, she uses Oasis green flower tape in both the quarter and half-inch sizes, which can be found at any craft store. This tape works the best, as it doesn’t dissolve when you put it in the water.

Water, Water, Water

Throughout your wedding day you’ll be running around, but your wedding bouquet should not! Rachel says,

“Always keep your bouquet in water unless you are taking them out for photos.”

After you’re done with photos, make sure to put the flowers back in their vase to keep that freshness alive. A great opportunity to put your bouquet in water is during toasts and dinner.

Find A Cool Space

If you find yourself with a few hours or even another day until your event, don’t panic. “Keep your bouquet in a safe, cool space with not a lot of light,” Rachel advises. If you have room in your refrigerator, that’s a great place for your bouquet to hang out – just remember to remove all the fruit first. Fruits give off gasses that can shorten the lifespan of your flowers.