Rose blossoms make great boutonnieres and corsages.
A corsage is a tiny grouping of flowers and greenery that is worn on the wrist, generally for special occasions such as a prom. A boutonniere is a grouping of flowers or greenery that is pinned to a suit for an occasion such as a wedding. Making your own out of real flowers allows you to use flowers you've grown yourself, or you can use specific colors of flowers to match any outfit. Unlike with artificial flowers, real flowers need to be handled carefully to avoid bruising the petals and the finished pieces should be refrigerated until they are worn.
Instructions
1. Prepare a selection of flowers and greenery. The flowers could be one to two large rose blossoms or carnations, for example, along with smaller bunches of flowers such as baby's breath or daisies. The types and amount of flowers needed depend on the size and theme of your event or outfit. For wedding corsages and boutonnieres, you may want to match the flowers to the bride's bouquet or include an extra blossom for the maid of honor or the mother of the bride. In addition, the best man could have a different-colored blossom in his boutonniere to distinguish him from the rest of the groomsmen. Include greenery to balance out the miniature bouquet. Greenery can include ornamental grasses, decorative and colorful plant leaves such as coleus or the natural leaves of the flower, such as rose leaves. Trim each flower and greenery stem with scissors so they all match in length, leaving about 1 or 2 inches of stem.
2. Attach each piece, including large flowers, small flowers and greenery, individually to pieces of floral wire using floral tape. This wire will make it easier to manipulate the flowers into position and attach them together. For larger flowers, you can thread the wire through the base of the flower to give it a more solid connection with the wire. Just bend the end of the wire down to meet the other end below the flower base and wrap the two sides of the wire together with the floral tape.
3. Tape the flowers and greenery together using floral tape. This should be done in sections to create the desired effect. For example, tape the largest flowers together first, and then secure the smaller flowers to the bunch of larger flowers using the floral tape. Finally, tape the greenery pieces to the corsage or boutonniere to frame the flowers. Handle the flowers gently to avoid bruising the petals or causing the petals to fall off. Wear gloves to prevent the natural oils from your skin from discoloring the flowers.
4. Twist the wire from the flowers together and wrap them around a wire bracelet or piece of ribbon to create a corsage that can be secured to your wrist. To create a boutonniere, trim the wire so there are only about 3 inches of stem and wire below the flowers. Wrap the wires with floral tape to create a neat appearance. Pin the boutonniere to your suit or outfit using a sewing pin or safety pin.
5. Refrigerate the finished pieces at approximately 40 degrees until they are ready to use. Take care that the flowers are not exposed to freezing temperatures as this can damage the petals and cause the flowers to wilt. Boutonnieres and corsages using real flowers can be made up to one day in advance of the event.
Tags: floral tape, flowers greenery, real flowers, using floral, using floral tape