How to arrange your own flowers this Valentine’s Day

Come roses, come lilies, come ranunculus please

Working on your Galentine’s party and wanting something fresh? We called in the experts for a party planning guide and oh how they have delivered. Allow us to join in and walk you through a DIY bouquet bar. This is a great activity for Valentine’s Day for multiple reasons:

1. DIY (hello, fun interaction and activity)
2. Flowers (never enough…)
3. Bar (so you can hit the bar sans alcohol, you’re welcome)

The best part? Party planning on a budget can be beautiful — have your guests take part in bringing the florals and you’re cruisin’.

Materials

• Flowers: A ton, in a variety of reds, pinks, and white that pair well together. See inspo for blooms below.

Pro Tip: Invite each guest to bring a bundle of their favorite in the Galentine’s theme (ahem, pinks and whites). This is a fun way for the bouquet-making to be more engaging and interactive. (Plus, you’ll get more help in the trimming and de-thorning department).

Note: If guests are bringing flowers, also have them bring scissors!

• Scissors
• Metal vases 
• Chalkboard signs 
• Chalkboard Markers 
• Cone stand box  
• Kraft tissue paper 
• Wax paper 
• Satin ribbon
• Floral tape

Pro Tip: Buy pre-cut wax paper—6" squares or larger. Save a step below ;)

Ideas for Blooms:

• Calla lily
• Ranunculus 
• Delphinium
• Bouvardia
• Roses
• Rose Geranium
• Brunia Albiflora

Prep

Note: If you invite guests to bring flowers, you will get to do Prep Steps 3 & 4 together.

1. Cut your kraft paper into 6-12 inch squares.
2. Repeat with wax paper: 6-12 inch squares.
3. Cut ribbon into 12-16” pieces.
4. Cut and clean stems to fit the size of your vase (8-10 inch stems). Remove thorns and bothersome leaves. 
5. Place flowers in metal vases so guests can see their options.
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   Pro Tip: If your guests are bringing flowers, add a little tag with their name to each vase so their flowers have a home when they arrive.

How to Set-Up

1. Set out a basket with pre-cut ribbon, floral tape, pre-cut paper, and scissors.
2. Arrange vases with flowers (or empty waiting for guests to arrive). 
3. Write on the chalkboard sign and arrange securely. Ideas to title it:

• ~Bouquet Bar written (in case it isn’t obvious enough)
• ~Flowers & Friends
• ~Friends With Flowers
• ~Green Thumb Galentine’s (have we gone too far?)

How to Arrange Bouquets

This is where your gal pals come into play.

1. Pick out your flowers!
2. Set the wax paper on top of the kraft tissue paper. Rotate papers to be in a diamond shape, point at the top.
3. Fold both side corners down to the bottom corner, then wrap a side around the stems of your flowers. Secure with tape over the other side over the paper.
4. Tie it all off with a ribbon to finalize your official bouquet.
5. For easy storing for the remainder of the Galentine’s party, this is where the cone stand box comes into play.

Time to get those invites out and pick out your blooms. Long live Galentine’s parties, forever live gal pals, and may friendship bouquets bloom fresh. 

For more February flower recommendations: Ever After Guide