faux hand-tied technique?

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rewolf

rewolf

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Jul 4, 2007
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Need some technical help. I'm a hand-tied bouquet girl and I need to work with a bouquet holder this weekend. Need an idiot-proof method to adhering my rose stems to the holder's handle so that the bouquet looks like a hand-tied. I know I should glue, tape, pray and get my cement mixer out but in what order... Please help. I have visions of the bouquet holder separating from the rose stem veneer....:eek:
 
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I usually gater about 15 rose stems with a rubberband and cut straight across the top. I spray the ahndle of bouquet holder green and glue lemon leaves around the base with floral adhesive(cold glue). Then I take the handle and push the bundle of stems up to the base to make a nice hole. I take that off and squirt hot glue down and reinsert handle...I then wrap very very tight with ribbon and add pins or whatever to decorate handle...Once you do this you will love it...You can make bokays very affordable like this becaue you can use less product....I have some pics in the gallery with this metod I believe..
 
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In addition to all Lori's tips, if your bouquet holder has an open bottom on the handle, you can insert a stem (jam it right in) and cut it even with the bottom of the other stems you gathered. It helps lend stability.
 
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I am with lori it's great easy way to make a faux look handle and use less product!! one thing mine are very heavy :boggles: are the rest of you seeing that?
 
when you put the rubber band on the bunched rose stems, keep it loose so that you can easily slide it over the bouquet handle.
Dave
 
I keep my rubber band tight so that it helps hold onto the handle better during use and I use cling on the handle before adding the stems since hot glue doesn't hold once it gets cold in the cooler. We have nice boxes we cut a hole into for transport, don't have to fuss with a vase on these.

Trish
 
I agree with Tuberose I use "stickum" on the bouquet handle... then adhere the rose stems to the handle. It works wonderfully.
 
I read a review one time, not sure where, maybe on the Knot. I used to love to read those messageboards, you'd hear a lot. Anyway it was a bride who got one of these type of bouquets and didn't know ahead of time that's what they were going to do (not sure if you'd tell them).

So when it was all said and done for some reason she decided to like, really look at the mechanics or see how it was made? And she was weirded out and appalled, and just went on and on about it.

It's something I always thought about when I would consider doing it. I do hate the looks of 24+ hand tied rose stems, it's so bulky. Just watched a wedding show where the girl had to hold it w/2 hands. Not cute!
 
We use aisle runner tape--the padded double-sided Oasis tape.
Run it down one side of the handle, over the bottom and back up the other side. Press it into place and around the sides before you peel off the protective paper. It holds the stems on easily until you can apply the ribbon wrap or stem treatment.
No glue fingers!
Patty
 
SpringCity said:
I read a review one time, not sure where, maybe on the Knot. I used to love to read those messageboards, you'd hear a lot. Anyway it was a bride who got one of these type of bouquets and didn't know ahead of time that's what they were going to do (not sure if you'd tell them).

So when it was all said and done for some reason she decided to like, really look at the mechanics or see how it was made? And she was weirded out and appalled, and just went on and on about it.

It's something I always thought about when I would consider doing it. I do hate the looks of 24+ hand tied rose stems, it's so bulky. Just watched a wedding show where the girl had to hold it w/2 hands. Not cute!
Click to expand...

I have not discussed mechanics with a bride yet, and don't know how I would handle that. The words "grow up" come to mind. JMO though.
 
We're totally up front with our brides, tell them basically how we do the faux handle and they are fine with it, as long as they get the look they want. Their main concern is that the flowers have a water source and in this heat that they have less chance of wilting. If they really don't like it then they can have a hand tie, no sweat.

Trish
 
I use the faux handle thing when brides are concerned about wilting and/or they want to cut down the size of the bouquet ie, they just must have hydragea and roses but want to spend 50 bucks per brides maid...I do let them know what I do and that the flowers are not a true hand tied, but most are OK when it means better value for the same look.

It is like getting pottery barn furniture at Target prices and way more easy for me..
 
I don't understand this talk of these types of faux hand tied bouquets being less $$ than a true hand tied .... to me, anything in a BHO takes more time, more design expertise to hide it, which in turn means more $$ in COGS, and more $$ in labor....

I do understand the concept of a BHO providing a water source for the day.
 
Tracypieface said:
I don't understand this talk of these types of faux hand tied bouquets being less $$ than a true hand tied .... to me, anything in a BHO takes more time, more design expertise to hide it, which in turn means more $$ in COGS, and more $$ in labor....

I do understand the concept of a BHO providing a water source for the day.
Click to expand...



Less product....I can make a faux hand tied bouquet with 1 hydrangea and 7 roses that looks very similar to a full size handtied with 2 hydrangea and 15 roses because all the flowers are in foam and seen rather than hidden in the mass.
 
Speaking of hydrangeas and roses. I help an event florist who makes the bouquet with plenty of greenery and roses, then fills in by gluing pieces of hydrangea in. Sometimes she will put the piece in a small watertube.

I can see problems with the technique, but when in Rome...
 
Patty said:
We use aisle runner tape--the padded double-sided Oasis tape.
Run it down one side of the handle, over the bottom and back up the other side. Press it into place and around the sides before you peel off the protective paper. It holds the stems on easily until you can apply the ribbon wrap or stem treatment.
No glue fingers!
Patty
Click to expand...
Ditto here!! I like this method better than the glue and rubberbands.... I just couldn't get them to stick. I also glue salal or giant ivy leaves (we have an ivy that covers a wall in the greenhouse with leaves the size of your hand) to cover the back of the boquet holder. Wrap with ribbon and you're done! Love it!
 
So, perhaps this is a stupid question... but when do you decide to use a bouquet holder and when do you hand tie? Is water source the only issue? I have a bride who wants a very "perfectly round" bouquet of roses in Sept, would a bouquet holder help me achieve this shape?
How do you get a bouquet that is the same size as a hand tied but has less product? Is it really the same size?
I know its totally weird, but I have never used a bouquet holder!
 
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