Floral design and text by Frank Feysa, AIFD, CFD, PFCI | Smithers-Oasis
Photos by Sara Candle
OASIS® Floral Netting combined with an OASIS® Wedding Belle® Bouquet Holder creates a strong mechanic for larger bouquets and helps securely drape heavier materials into the bouquet. The materials and time involved in creating the structure are minimal. These bouquet backings can be made in advance by soaking the holder and placing them in the cooler—even with the addition of fresh stems as the handle.
Step by Step
Step 1
Cut OASIS™ Floral Netting to approximately 8 inches by 12 inches.
Step 2
Drop the OASIS® Wedding Belle Holder into the center of the netting.
Step 3
Wrap the two longer sides of netting around the holder. Overlap and secure them tightly to the Wedding Belle cage with zip ties.
Step 4
Flatten the two narrow sides of the netting and tightly secure them with zip ties. Make sure the space between the layers remains open to maintain depth next to the holder. Tuck any sharp netting edges inward so no pointed wire is exposed.
Design Tip: The netting is a perfect mechanic when weaving larger stems or branches into the holder. OASIS® Bind Wire can also be used to secure long trialing stems or branches to the netting.
Step 5
Choose some realistic permanent botanical leaves, such as those resembling the leaves found on the bottom of Hydrangea stems. Working from the outer edges of the netting (at the back of the holder) toward the handle, glue the leaves with liquid floral adhesive. Form a circular collar around the outer edges of the wire. Glue another ring of leaves closer to the handle. The goal is to cover all the wire on the back of the bouquet. Allow it to dry completely. When ready to design the bouquet, place fresh flowers and foliage as desired in the pre-soaked holder.
Design Tip: You can store this holder with fresh stems (see: “Elevate Your Final Design”) in a plastic bag in the cooler for a couple of weeks before adding flowers and foliage.
Elevate Your Final Design
For a natural hand-tied look, gather some fresh flower stems. Then—around the Wedding Belle handle—attach OASIS® UGLU™ Adhesive Strips and affix the stems. Finish the handle by wrapping OASIS® Waterproof Tape near the top of the stems, creating a band approximately 2- to 3-inches wide. This step securely binds the stems and provides a clean base that can be finished with ribbon, OASIS™ Bind Wire or OASIS™ Rustic Wire, depending on the desired bouquet style.
An added benefit of this type of backing is presentation: The bouquet will sit beautifully on a tabletop. The exposed natural stems mimic the look of a hand-tied bouquet, while the integrated water source helps keep the flowers fresh longer. [end sidebar]
Materials
BOTANICALS
Rosa spp. (spray rose), orange, white
Daucus carota (Queen Anne’s lace, wild carrot)
Phlox paniculata and spp. (garden Phlox, tall garden Phlox, fall Phlox), white
Hydrangea paniculata (panicle Hydrangea), mini green
Gaulteria shallon (salal, lemon leaf)
Nandina domestica (heavenly bamboo, sacred bamboo)
Jasminum officinale (common jasmine, poet’s jasmine)
Asparagus setaceus/A. plumosus (plumosa fern, lace fern, Asparagus fern)
HARD GOODS
OASIS® Wedding Belle® Holder
OASIS™ Florist Netting
Zip ties, 4-inch, 8
Permanent botanical leaves, 10
OASIS® Floral Adhesive
