Real flowers for a virtual prom.
2020 has been a year of challenges... and for some, a year of disappointments. Our hearts ache for the students who've been preparing for prom and graduation for months, or even years.
Last month we featured instructions on how to make a clutch bouquet. As we hear about instagram dress reveals and virtual proms, we thought that some information on DIY corsages and boutonnieres would be a fun way to get into the spirit.
We started with a mix of flowers from the supermarket. Remember, there's no right or wrong way to do this; the most important thing is to have fun and enjoy being creative!
To use our method you'll need a few items, easily obtained from the dollar store or online:
florist wire
florist tape
ribbon
pins
scissors
floral shears
wire cutter
for a wrist corsage, a bracelet or pre-made corsage holder
We've made the simplest type of design, but you can get as fancy as you wish! There are some links below for more in-depth directions and different methods.
Start with your main flower(s). We chose a lavender rose, Charmelia®, chrysanthemums, glittered eryngium and silver painted ruscus. Cut the stems to about 2"... more can be trimmed later.
Insert 6" pieces of floral wire in an "x" as shown, then bend down and wrap with floral tape. Continue to do this with any flowers that have thicker stems. Thinner stemmed flowers, such as Charmelia®, can be used as-is.
Gather your prepared flowers an, begin stacking them together to form your corsage. Once you're pleased with the arrangement, secure all of the stems together using floral tape. Wrap a pretty ribbon over the tape and secure with a pin. Add a pretty bow and you're done!
A boutonniere is basically a smaller, simpler version of the corsage and is and is assembled the same way. Put one together for your date to match your corsage and drop it on his or her porch before the (virtual) festivities!
Here's a link to a more in-depth tutorial:
https://www.sandandsisal.com/2017/10/diy-wrist-corsage.html
And here are some super fun ideas to get your creative juices flowing:
https://www.seventeen.com/prom/prom-style/how-to/a39917/diy-prom-boutonnieres-and-corsages/
Above all, enjoy your day despite the quarantine. And even if you don't have a festive event, we say that wearing flowers should be an every-day occasion!
