It’s Prom Season and Flower Bars and Do-it-yourself Flower Bouquet Parties are trending right now. There’s no better time to have fun creating a small posy or a larger bouquet for your special night. Parents, it’s also really fun to host a “Posy Party” and let the kids enjoy an impromptu event where they get together the day before prom to make their bouquets and boutonieres. If this sounds like a great idea, here’s what you’ll want to do.

I’ve led many Flower Bars at venues like Peddler’s Village in New Hope, PA, and for Vanguard as corporate team-building events. I’ve also done Flower Bar drop-offs for events like bridal showers and cocktail parties. However you decide to create your Prom Bouquet or Bloom Bar, you can’t go wrong, because everyone loves an invitation to play with flowers.

First, Find A nice Assortment of Flowers

If the season is right, I think it’s best to contact a LOCAL Flower Grower so you’ll have a nice, fresh variety of beautiful blooms for your Bouquet Bar. If you do not have a farm in mind, go to this website to find flower growers in your area.

Reach out to the growers via their websites or call to learn their policies and how you can purchase a bucketful of their flowers. Some growers sell only at farmers’ markets, but many allow pick-ups at the farm.

If you are throwing a Posy or Bloom Party, buying assorted buckets is the best way to ensure you have a nice variety for each person participating. This is important because all the prom dresses will be different, and you don’t want all the bouquets to be identical.

Large Buckets filled with Flowers from a Flower Farm

Forage for some Wildflowers and Foliage

I like to have a nice mix of filler, or smaller flowers on hand, so sometimes I forage one day ahead of time so that my bouquets overflow with pops of unexpected whimsy. But you do need to be careful, because not all roadside and wildflowers hold up when taken out of water. So as soon as the posies and boutonnieres are removed from water for prom photos, they may start to wilt.

Therefore, if you want to forage, experiment ahead of time by removing the flowers from the water and propping them in a vase, and see how long it takes them to wilt. If it’s immediate, they are not a good choice.

An Assortment of White Flowers and Foliage

One Day Before

Prepare by hydrating well. It’s very important to properly hydrate all the flowers you forage and gather at the farm. Give all the flowers and foliage a clean, fresh cut and place them into cold water as soon as you can. Try to give them 24 hours to soak up the water and properly hydrate before you start designing. You can use Large Plastic Buckets and just keep them on the ground, or you can also design your flower bar space with nicer Galvanized Floral Buckets, to create a more formal event.

How To Prepare Your Space

Choose an appropriate space I always think it’s a good idea to create a Prom Flower Bar on a patio, in a garage, or on a deck, but sometimes weather dictates our choices. If you must be inside the most common space might be your dining room because you probably already have a large table. Find an area that will accommodate your crowd and anticipate other mothers and fathers as part of that. Many parents enjoy helping their kids prepare for prom.

Set up enough tablespace for everyone you invited to work comfortably. You’ll also want room for the flower buckets, creative workstations, and ribbon tying. Portable Folding tables and simple white tablecloths work well for this.

DIY Prom Bouquet Workstation in a Garage

Don’t be afraid to use herbs

Sprigs of herbs are a nice addition to any bouquet. They add a fresh scent and pop out in unexpected places. You won’t normally find them in traditional posies; that’s why, whenever possible, I like to include them in my creations. I mention this because many people grow herbs, and perhaps other families can participate by bringing bunches of homegrown herbs to add that special something.

DIY Prom Bouquet Bar in an Open Garage Space

Choose “Dress accentuating” Flowers

Shine, don’t Blend. Consider the Prom Dress when choosing your flower assortment. I think it’s important that the flowers you choose to include in your Prom Flower Bar are not all the same color. Take into consideration the many prom dresses your guests will be designing around. This is where pops of the unexpected in the form of herbs, greens, and interesting filler flowers will help break up the monotony of focal flowers and accent a dress, rather than blend right into it.

Pretty yellow, lilac and green Prom Posy to accent a navy dress

Guests enjoy time with friends and flowers BEFORE prom

Always choose flowers that accentuate but don’t blend in with the dress

Choose Flowers You Love

Invite Creative Energy. Encourage your guests to walk to the flower buckets and choose their favorite greens and focal flowers, and then take them back to their workspace. Then, have them search for interesting items like herbs and filler flowers to really make their posies pop! Make sure they keep all the stems long and begin thinking about the style they want to create. Whether it’s a tight symmetrical bouquet or a whimsical, free-spirited posy, they’ll want something in mind before they begin. Reference photos are always a nice idea to decorate the worktables.

Building the Prom Bouquet or Posy

You can instruct guests verbally or have small printed instructions on your table before guests arrive.

Here is how I build bouquets, large and small. I always start by gathering larger, focal flowers in the center. I then add flowers, piece by piece, around that middle bunch. Sometimes it takes me a few tries to get it just right, so don’t be afraid to put everything back down on the table and begin again. Balance is important, and larger blooms like dahlia sometimes need support, so use other flowers to prop them up or wire the stem so they stay upright.

Tuck and Cuddle Your Flowers

Variety Matters. I prefer to use many varieties of both color and texture in my bouquets. Some flowers are round, others spikey, some are frail and wispy, while others are rigid and strong. You’ll also experience some breakage along the way, but don’t be opposed to using flowers that dropped a single petal or those that look like they have a slight droop. If you “tuck and cuddle” with care, they can still participate in the party.

Unexpected Fun. Tuck herbs and small filler flowers randomly throughout by inserting the delicate stems down through the middle, as you ever-so-slightly loosen your grip. Try to place these at different levels, so they flare out and create surprise.

Often, the last step is forming a nice base with the greens. I like to place the greens around the bottom edges of the posy, creating a textural base for everything. I also like to take tiny “sprigs” of the greens and foliage, loosen my grip, and tuck them inside the bouquet here and there.

Instructions

Gather a few Focal Flowers in a small bunch, grip with one hand
Add other Flowers around that bunch, one at a time
Tuck small Herbs and Filler Flowers whimsically as you go
Create a base with Greens
Secure with a Rubber Band

A DIY Posy stuffed with yummy Peony, Ranunculus and Zinnia.

Snip, Wrap, and Go!

When all of the flowers are assembled and looking just the way you want, use a small rubber band to hold them in place. Scrunch the rubber band up close to the base of the flowers to hold them snug.

Then use a sharp flower snip and trim all the stems to the same length. Aim for a stem length of about 6”. You only want enough room to wrap a ribbon and grip the stems, but not so much that the bouquet or posy looks awkward. I use this micro-tip flower snip and I cut a few stems at a time so that they are all the same length before wrapping.

A Posy with a lot of unexpected surprises.

Choosing Ribbon

There are many different types of ribbon to choose from. I prefer this beautiful White Chiffon because it’s very forgiving and the edges are intentionally frayed, which I think is a fantastic look. for prom. The Chiffon comes in an array of colors too, so having a variety would be a nice touch. You can also use a Double-Faced Satin if that’s the look you're going for.

Refreshments and Photos

And before we go, two things that are important to consider are the refreshments you’ll serve and the photos you’ll take.

Floral Cookies and A Lemonade Bar! Everyone wants to snack at a Prom Flower Bar, so go the extra mile and bake some lavender cookies and create a simple lemonade and iced tea bar with pretty bottles, simple syrup, and mini, floral ice cubes that you can create with a little juice and these cute Floral Molds. If you want to learn how to set up a simple, but pretty mini bar, read my blog How to Create a Pretty Mini Bar with Items You Already Own.

Once everything is assembled and displayed, take loads of photos. Before, during, and after photos will be valued forevermore. Focusing on these details adds that little touch of memorable elegance that every Prom Bouquet Party needs.

Mission Accomplished. DIY Prom Bouquets.

Thank you so much for visiting. If you want more details or want to learn how to create a personal or corporate Flower or Bouquet Bar for another event, read How to Host a Flower Bar Event. And be sure to visit the Flower Bar Shop at Studio Sprig for a list of supplies. I’m always here to help you with your creative journey. Please sign up to receive blog post notifications and follow Studio Sprig on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.