Outdoor wedding venues can be tough on flowers. In the latest issue of Floral Management, Floralife’s Steve Daum offers advice on how to ensure flowers look their best come the big day.
Beaches, vineyards, gardens, ranches. Summer’s alfresco wedding venues can be brutal on flowers, even when the couple springs for a tent. In the latest issue of Floral Management, Floralife’s Steve Daum outlines what to do to ensure flowers look their best come the big day.
“It’s Tuesday and the flowers for Saturday’s outdoor wedding have arrived. What can you do to not only keep them fresh but also prepare them to withstand the elements?” Daum says. “Time management is critical to ensuring the best flower quality, and the unique demands of outdoor weddings complicate the task. Presenting fresh, vibrant flowers on Saturday depends on using tools and talents wisely.”
Here are a few of his tips:
Select Flowers Wisely
Order from a reliable wholesaler or importer who sources from farms that follow proper procedures for harvesting, storing, and transporting flowers. “If flowers are harvested at the wrong stage of bloom, or aren’t kept in the cold chain, there is often little a florist can do to improve the quality of the flower one it reaches them,” Daum says.
It’s also important to steer brides away from especially thirsty flowers (ahem, hydrangeas and bupleurum) that don’t perform well in the heat.
Store Flowers Properly
Your cooler should stay be between 34 and 38°F, with 75 to 85 percent humidity. “Avoid temperature fluctuations, and don’t forget to space out flowers in the cooler and provide ventilation,” Daum says. Bunched flowers can trap moisture, promoting mold growth and botrytis. Daum recommends a fan to help with air flow but cautions not to aim it directly at the flowers.
Handle with Care
“Mishandling flowers results in visible damage, but often the damage isn’t evident until much later when flowers are already arranged,” Daum says. How to avoid it? Only pick up flowers by their stems. Don’t overstuff boxes or buckets. Secure flowers during transport so they don’t rub against packaging.
For more of Daum’s tips, read the Quality column in the May/June issue of Floral Management.
Katie Vincent is a senior contributing editor for the Society of American Florists.
