Host a Fabulous Bouquet Bar for Valentine's Day

Winter is the perfect time to host or plan a Bouquet Bar as the highlight of your next special event. Bridal and baby showers seem to be the most popular choices for flower fun, but you can host a Bouquet Bar anytime you want. Girlfriend getaways, book club nights, and birthday and dinner parties lend themselves nicely because no matter the occasion, everyone loves going home with fresh flowers. So since Valentine’s Day is coming up, why not invite some friends over to build pretty bouquets?

Should I D-I-Y My Bouquet Bar?

You can hire a professional to create your bouquet bar or you can D-I-Y it by following these easy steps. If you prefer this option, a professional will bring everything to your site, set up, instruct, and clean up. But if you choose to do it yourself, you only need a few things to pull off a successful bar, the most important being a reliable source of some great focal flowers and foliage.

Here is a list of everything you will need:

• A work table for guests to spread out

• A reliable water source (a sink or hose)

• Tablecloths and towels

• Vases or pretty water-tight pots for assembly

• Sheers for each participant

• Flower Buckets to display your greens & flowers

• Fresh Flowers and Greens

• Flower Food

• Paper goods for refreshments

Prepare the Space

You can create your bouquet bar anywhere that works. Dining rooms, kitchens, patios, decks. Just make sure you have a source of water nearby and that cleanup will not be too difficult. If you’re creating a Bouquet Bar at work, you will probably want to choose a conference room because it will have a lot of space.

Find a good area and set up enough tablespace for everyone to work comfortably. The Bouquet Bar above hosted 11 people and the instructor. This was created in an average-sized dining room. We first placed the tablecloth and each participant received a paper towel. For a more formal party, you can also supply your guests with cloth towels and give them as favors after the event.

Tools and Vessels

It’s important to provide each guest with flower snips or sharp scissors because they will each want to trim their stems and you don’t want everyone reaching around the table sharing snips. You can buy multipacks of scissors or invest in better-quality garden snips that your guests can take home. This will depend on the size of your party and/or occasion.

As for the vessel, I always like to choose a short opaque pot that is water-tight. I think this shape and size above work well for creating an arrangement. But you can always provide tall vases if large and tall arrangements are your preference. I try to avoid clear glass only because I like it when the stems are concealed. The vessels in the photo were purchased at Michaels.

Flower Buckets for Display

Choosing your flower and foliage display buckets is a simple way to “theme up” your event. There are many buckets to choose from including a chippy farmhouse french style, formal basic black, or industrial galvanized metal. Set the buckets up on a covered buffet table or an extra folding table, and be sure to style it according to your theme.

Flowers and Foliage

In the winter months you’ll want to contact a wholesaler if you can so that you can get larger quantities to fill your display buckets. In the spring, summer and fall months I’d find a local flower farm or two and purchase your flowers from them. They will be the best quality and the growers will appreciate your business.

How Many Do I Buy?

Counting stems is a critical part of all of this planning. I always overbuy my flowers because I’d rather have too many than not enough. It’s a good idea to purchase an extra vessel and do a dry run arrangement with some flowers and greens. Then take it apart and count how many foliage and flower stems you used. Triple that and multiply it by the number of guests. You’ll want to have a nice variety to choose from and if you have too few of something, some arrangements may seem sparse. And remember, flowers do break in transit, during processing, and when Bouquet Bar enthusiasts get TOO ENTHUSIASTIC. So be sure to order more than you’ll need. You’ll be happy you did.

Focal flowers, filler flowers (the secondary flowers, not the primary focus) and foliage (the greens) are generally all sold in bunches of 10, so if you want only one type of focal flower, choose only that. But if you want your guests to have choices, then split up your order and buy a variety of flowers. Popular ideas for foliage and filler flowers are eucalyptus, asparagus fern, and wax flower.

Preparing the Flowers

The day before your event, you’ll need to process all the flowers and greenery. This means, taking all the bunches out of the paper or plastic, cleaning and trimming each stem before placing it in fresh cold water with flower food. This is a good time to divide up and organize your buckets so that everything looks well-displayed.

Before trimming the bottom of each stem so that it comfortably fits into its bucket, thoroughly strip each stem of any extra greens or thorns so that leaves do not touch the water. Then store all of your buckets in a cool, dry place overnight. This step is important, as it allows the flowers and foliage to fully hydrate before becoming part of an arrangement and if you are working with tulips, they will stay closed if the space is cool and dark. Proper hydration, allows your arrangements to stay fresher longer.

Day of Event

On the day of the event, style your flower buckets any way you like. You can scatter them around the room or patio, offering different heights for interest but try to keep like things together. For instance, foliage can be in one area, focals in another. Then, set up your guest’s work table and fill each vessel halfway with water.

When the guests arrive, put on some music, explain the bouquet bar, and instruct them to consider what sort of bouquet they’d like to create.

You’ll be creating with your guests so show them how to first choose 5-7 stems of foliage (depending on the size of the vessel) to arrange as a base. Once the foliage is cut and designed in each vessel, point your guests in the direction of the filler flowers. Once the filler and foliage are styled to everyone’s tastes, have your guests choose 3, 5, or 7 focal flowers to round out their bouquet. Do not forget to stage a photo which can serve as a nice thank-you note after the event.

Bouquet Bars are always a big hit so I hope you were inspired by this post and comment about your own experiences. Thank you for visiting.

Thank you, Ileana, for the use of your photos.

10 Ideas for an Eco-Friendly Event or Wedding

Boutonniere design by Studio Sprig. Flower Farm Southern Pines at Cornerstone Farm. Photography by Karmapants

There is so much that goes into planning any event large or small, and remembering to keep things simple and reduce your carbon footprint may be your most difficult challenge. Did you know that the average wedding produces a massive 400 pounds of garbage and 63 tons of CO2? It's not surprising to me, having worked in the industry for over 25 years, but it is disappointing.

The good news is that there are many eco-friendly ideas you can implement when planning your next event if you don’t want to contribute to that excessive waste. Whether it's your wedding day, or just a big day celebration, always considering your environment and your carbon footprint is very important.

First, try breaking your event down into manageable bites by making two lists: "must-haves" and "can live without". You'll quickly find that it's not as difficult as you may have thought and sorting now helps to simplify everything later. Here are ten things to closely consider when planning your day.

1. Consider a Micro event

When creating your guest list, remember it's quality, not quantity that matters. Good news, some of the most special events are very intimate affairs. Although the word micro doesn't only have to describe your guest list, there are plenty of ways to "Go Micro" for the environment, and still have a sizable guest list.

2. Hire an event Planner

At first, an event planner, 'day of', or coordinator might seem like an extravagance that you can't afford, but hiring an event or wedding planner may prove to be your best decision overall, and here's why. Planners plan all day, every day. They know the venues, the entertainment, and all of the little idiosyncracies that might trip you up along the way. They can save you a lot of time, wedding waste, aggravation, money, and especially all that running around. So don't rule them out before you begin. Consider your location, time availability, and energy level. Where are your efforts best allocated?

Venue Hotel Du Village. Flower design by Studio Sprig. Flower Farm Cultivating Joy Flowers. Photography by Elle Studios

3. find A Beautiful Venue

When hunting for a venue, it's a good idea to open your eyes wide and focus on everything, not just capacity and catering options. Look in every corner of the interior, entryways, hallways, bathrooms, and outside in the gardens, parking lots, and all around the grounds where your guests may wander. Take it all in, because this is one area you can really save a bundle.

We all know what it can cost to decorate an empty social hall, school, or ill-styled restaurant. Sure, the price may be fine and they may provide you with tables and chairs, but is that enough? Chances are you'll need to provide all of your own linens, centerpieces, flower embellishments, arches, favors, candles, and sometimes even food. The list can go on forever. But some more inclusive venues provide most of those things and provide you with the proper ambiance that wipes all of the other items off of your list.

Take this gorgeous barn, for instance. It belongs to a good friend of mine and requires minimal embellishment to make it really pop for a small-medium event.

A micro-event at Southern Pines at Cornerstone Farm.

Beautiful venues really focus on visual impact. When touring, take a good look around outside because so many venues have beautifully landscaped grounds and gardens that need no embellishment at all. The decore is built-in. In fact, adding decor can actually take away from the natural beauty that is already there. In some cases, you can host your entire event in a garden space and not need to purchase anything to enhance the event. The flowers and greenery are already all around you! And be inquisitive, many venues today offer a room full of rentable decor, candle votives, large flower planters, and other items for your tables Some even offer these items to customers free of charge. Always ask the venue coordinator, you may be surprised by what they already have and are willing to provide. This is always a better option than buying everything new if you are only intending on using it for one day.

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Flower design by Studio Sprig. Flower Farm Southern Pines at Cornerstone Farm. Photography by Littlewing Studios

Here is a peek into Cassia & Justin's green wedding on a beautiful farm property in East Greenville, PA. The wedding took place during covid and the couple did a wonderful job creating a micro event that mimicked an old country wedding. After a couple’s photo session next to the barn and in the fields, everyone walked from the outdoor ceremony up the small hill to the reception which was inside a glass-enclosed mini barn. Most guests stayed overnight on the property at the Inn, just a few steps away. The reception decor was simple and consisted of buckets of fresh flowers and herbs which the bride and maids placed onto three unique micro cakes and into small glass bottles. Photography courtesy of Littlewing Studios.

Herbs grown by Studio Sprig. Flower Farm Southern Pines at Cornerstone Farm. Photography by Littlewing Studios

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4. beg, borrow or thrift

If your event is repeated and let's say you host annually, then I'd suggest just purchasing the linens and other necessary items once, and using them as much as possible, but if renting or borrowing is available to you and that makes more sense, then do it.

Flower Farm Southern Pines at Cornerstone Farm. Photography by Littlewing Studios

When searching for vases, candle holders, or other tableware, I suggest always starting at consignment or thrift shops. Antiques are always nicer than new and giving these items a second look is commendable and very green.

I also always encourage my clients to borrow. It’s likely a friend or family member has just the thing you are looking for. Over the years I’ve created many centerpiece arrangements using cherished family heirlooms as the vessel. Delicate teacups, a vintage bottle collection, you name it. Added bonus: there’s often a sentimental story attached to these pieces and guests enjoy hearing it.

5. Host an event At Home

Don't underestimate the space you have right under your nose. This idea always scares people, but using your own home is an easy way to reduce your costs tremendously if cost is a concern. You do not need large furniture or vast spaces to entertain at home. Honestly, I've hosted many events here on our farm both outside in the yard, and inside in our four small lower-level rooms. Our home is not big because it's 172 years old and the rooms were designed to keep people warm and close. But because we always knew we loved to entertain, we made a few good renovation choices over the years and they have helped us achieve this goal successfully.

Many of us have incorporated a patio or deck into our outdoor landscapes. These areas are always great choices for hosting a warm-weather event. I've hosted many events on our very small deck with a round iron table that only seats 4! Truth be told I bought that table at a yard sale, 23 years ago. No matter, because it still works great and when I need more seating, I just add smaller cafe tables, benches, and bars made from old barn doors (all purchased on the Facebook marketplace) to accommodate guests. Miscellaneous ensembles can make our deck look like an eclectic cafe and I'm okay with that vibe.

As for the lawn space, I try to use most of that too. If our event is larger and I need lots more seating, I just rent long tables and chairs from our local rental store. They rent for the entire weekend so I can sometimes squeeze two parties out of one rental. It's relatively inexpensive to rent and very easy because I do not have to worry about storing anything.

6. Stay Local

Choose your event space or wedding venue wisely. The environment is always impacted by where you chose to host. If you want your guests to fly to a destination wedding, for instance, this will undoubtedly affect the sustainability of your event. But driving long distances may as well. There are creative ways you can keep everyone local so they almost don't need to travel at all.

Source: The Knot

Take for example the New Orleans Second Line Wedding Parade, a brass band processional tradition that predates the Civil War. Modern couples incorporate this historic custom into their wedding to give homage to their New Orleans roots. In this tradition, the brass band leads guests on foot from the wedding venue to the reception venue. Now, you'd need for your venues to be near enough, but even if you don't hire an escort band, you could incorporate an eco-friendly l between-venue walk, also popular with rural weddings long ago. And if you have a family member with limited mobility, come up with a cherished way to honor them in your foot parade.

7. eco-conscious sourcing

Casual Biodegrading

If your event calls for more casual, disposable serving products like plates, utensils, and napkins it's best to always choose biodegradable materials instead of plastic. Not only will you have less waste, but you won't contribute to the pounds of trash that most events do.

But don't worry going green does not mean you are not limited to paper goods. There are so many sustainable options today. Below I’ve compiled a list of natural sources with links to compostable dinnerware you can order for your next event. I hope you find a sustainable alternative that fits your style.

• Palm Leaves

• Compostable Wheat

• Bamboo

• Sugarcane

Photo courtesy of Maggpie Rentals

Glamorous Renting
Consider renting fancy dishware and glassware instead of buying everything. This opens up the door to an extra level of glam, while still impacting the environment in a positive way.

And did you know you can easily rent almost anything you need? For instance, the seating ensemble above, and many others can be rented from Maggpie in Boyertown, PA. If you have an empty space to fill or just need an interesting backdrop, shop the exact look you want and rent it! Here is a list of other beautiful and off-beat rental options you may not have known about.

• Love and a Truck Co.

• Fox and Finch

• Lovebirds Vintage Rentals

Design by Studio Sprig. Handmade Paper Porridge Papers. Eco-Conscious Printer Bucks Digital. Twig from backyard.

Sustainable Stationery

When considering your event stationery needs, it's best to always use recycled or handmade paper and nontoxic inks - or search for sustainable or eco-friendly graphic designers and printers like Bucks Digital, in your area if you are not the DIY type. And if you love to DIY, a great paper source is Greenfield Paper Co. from California. They have reinvented the age-old tradition of creating fine paper without cutting down trees. Green Field Paper Company offers three lines of recycled papers that integrate post-consumer pulp with non-traditional additives such as seeds, hemp, coffee chaff, denim, junk mail, and garlic skins! All of their products are made in the USA and they do not use any dyes or bleach. Earth pigments are used to color the papers and all of their seed paper contains non-GMO non-invasive seeds. Or Porridge Papers, my source in the design above, whose owner Christopher once produced a single custom sheet that was sent to Martha Stewart and another order of  2.2 million pieces embedded with lettuce seeds for Kraft Foods. Using seeded and plantable paper is really cool, good for the environment, and a way to save the “memory” of your event.

8. Stay in Season

Flowers

If you choose to incorporate beautiful flowers or plants into your event design, always try to stay in season. Seasonal blooms have always been the goal of Studio Sprig for many reasons. First of all, they are much fresher and much more beautiful, in my opinion. Many times they are harvested one or maybe only two days before your event. This means they not only look their best, but they will hold up longer if you want to repurpose them afterward. Staying in season is so good for the environment because you are using what nature is already providing instead of forcing growth in greenhouses far away in climates more suitable. Here is a nice guide for choosing flowers by season.

Food & Drink

Building your menu around the seasons is such a smart idea. Tomatoes always taste better in summer. We all know this. Staying in season and trying to use local farms eliminates the need to transport food long distances at great cost. Most chefs would jump at the chance to create a menu with only seasonal ingredients, and if you are preparing the food and drink yourself, here are two helpful books.

9. Grow Your Own flowers

When it comes to your event or wedding flowers, there are plenty of sustainable flower farmers you can choose from. Some of them have designers on the premises while others contract the service.

Another good option might be to plan ahead and grow your own. This is much easier if you're planning a micro event or a larger event with less need for custom flowers and greens. But if you or someone you know is an avid gardener, this endeavor could be very rewarding. If you do decide to do this, however, I’d recommend a backup plan just in case. Weather and pests are obstacles to be aware of. This book by Floret’s Erin Benzakein is a well-organized guide to growing your own.

Ann Hayes of Southern Pines at Cornerstone Farm gives a tour of her dahlia fields.

And did you know you can also hire local farmers to grow flowers for you? I work with several growers willing to do this if they have enough lead time and can grow what the event requires in the correct season. And when local farmers grow your flowers you have the peace of mind that the job will get done right and if they do run into a problem on your special day, they are most likely to have a surplus of other varieties for you to choose from and/or the connections to get what you need.

Cool idea: Hosting a tour of the flower farm growing your event flowers is a unique way to bring a small group from your event together. It’s a fabulous setting for an outdoor bridal shower or with this tour you can create an educational precursor for an eco-friendly fundraising event.

10. Donate whenever possible

Food
One great way to avoid a lot of food waste after your catered event is to donate your leftover food to a local church, animal shelter, food bank, or homeless shelter. You'd need to follow food safety guidelines of course and ask your caterer if they have a process in place for this already, but if they do not here are some links that may help you find what you are looking for.

• Feeding America: Looking for a Food Bank near you

• Great Nonprofits: Looking for a Homeless Shelter near you

• Humane Society: Looking for an Animal Shelter near you

Decor & Flowers
Donations of decor are also appreciated greatly. Perhaps you know you'll never use 200 votive candle holders again or you just don't have space for the 25 vases you accumulated. There's probably a bride out there somewhere who would love to recycle your glass jars for you. Or maybe some local hospitals could use a few fresh floral arrangements for their lobby this week. One of the easiest ways to resell your lightly used decor is on the Facebook marketplace.

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Flower design by Studio Sprig. Flower Farm Detweiler Homestead. Photography by Taylor Cotilla

Enjoy this glimpse of Lindsay & Jordan's late summer wedding. Lindsay requested a pure white, sustainable bridal bouquet so I chose to work with one of my local favorites, white lisianthus. These focal flowers were grown on the reputable Detweiler Homestead Farm originally in Telford, PA, and they were accented with greens harvested from Bloom Flower Farm, originally from Hilltown, PA. A bridal, one bridesmaid bouquet, several boutonnieres, and cake flowers were the complete floral order for this beautiful, micro event.

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This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. For questions about this blog, please contact  Kim@kimbensingdesign.com. If you’re a blogger, what’s your favorite SEO Tool? I’ve had much keyword success with RankIQ. Learn more here. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you. This blog does not contain any content which might present a conflict of interest.

Lambertville, Nj , A Funky, Cool Rivertown You Must Visit on Halloween.

Photo by John Arehart

Are you familiar with Lambertville, New Jersey, declared one of Forbes's 15 prettiest towns in America and, in my opinion, one of the funkiest at Halloween? If not, may I suggest you pay a visit, and most definitely during the Halloween season? I regret to say that I’ve lived in this region for the past 23 years and Lambertville’s ethereal and artistic displays are something I just learned about yesterday!

Last night my husband Michael and I were taken on a private little tour by our friends Stacy and Bill. They’ve been strolling around Lambertville, particularly Union Street, for years during the Halloween season, and could not wait to share it with us. We are so glad they did. I’ve also enlisted the help of my friend and fabulous photographer, John Arehart, for some daylit photos because as luck would have it he also visited yesterday and captured some great images to share.

Photo by John Arehart

Spookier-Than-Average

For starters, the entire town is decorated in a “spookier-than-average way", but one house in particular really does stand out. It’s called “The Halloween House," at 133 North Union Street, Lambertville, NJ, and it has become known as a display of stylized hand-crafted figures that are ethereal, macabre, and compelling enough to bring visitors back year after year. They are all created by artist, Dolores Dragan, now a regular spook celeb in town.

Photo by John Arehart

Trick or Theatrics

So Dolores Dragan, a longtime resident of Lambertville, started creating an annual display of these interesting figures in 1998 when she was still teaching art at Lambertville School. What began as a theater project to help children at her school, quickly turned into a tourism wonder. Tourists come from far and wide to see her beautifully backlit works of art and marvel at the ingenious ways she displays them. The long line to enter her side and backyard reached way down the block last night. This however was not a problem as almost every house on Union Street is enchanted with its own creepy version of delights.

Photo by John Arehart

A Memory Maker

In this wonderful video produced by Bob Krist, Dragan says she decided after she retired from teaching that she would take on the role of a "memory maker” and create these fantastic sculptures and display them on Halloween. Dolores said "I would like to donate memories every single year to children who come by here. Show them something they've never seen before... and will talk about for the rest of their lives."

Dolores works from July-October on new figures and repairs. As you can see in Bob’s video, she is a true artist. Her sculptures made from plaster and gauze are reminiscent of Tim Burton’s characters, but Dolores says they each loosely represent people in her life. I guess she’s creating a Hallowfamily of sorts and once a year they come to gather at Dolores’s and “spook out” the town.

Photo by John Arehart

An Artistically Inspiring Rivertown

So, If you decide to pop over the bridge from New Hope, PA, to see the sights, don’t think you’re coming for only one house. There are now many, many neighbors participating in this larger-than-life Halloween spectacle. I’ve included some highlights here for you to see some of the immense creativity. One home was projecting Edward Scissorhands on a front porch screen, while others propped sinister, red-eyed ghosts and goblins in the uppermost windows of their vast Victorian homes. We found a friendly Witch House, massive trees filled with flying ghosts, a stripper skeleton dangling upsidedown on a pole (very interesting) and many other examples of well thought out halloween artistry. If you decide to mill around these two lovely Rivertowns be sure to enjoy some dinner, shopping, music, and drinks before you visit the funky festive displays. It’s a good idea for your new and more artistically inspiring life.

photo by John Arehart

The Friendly Witches House, Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 2022

Photo by John Arehart

The Ghost Tree, Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 2022

Stacy, Bill, Kim, Michael in front of The Halloween House, Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 2022

Photo by John Arehart

The Halloween House by Dolores Dragan, Union Street, Lambertville, NJ 2022

Photo by John Arehart